NYC General Election 2020: Hoylman Runs Unopposed

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Voters in New York's 27th State Senate district, which includes much of the West and East Village, Chelsea, Midtown and Hell's Kitchen, will see one name on their ballot for state senator as they prepare to vote in the Nov. 3 election.

Brad Hoylman, the incumbent Democrat who has represented Manhattan in the legislature since 2013, is running unopposed for a fifth term. He may not serve out the entirety of that term, however, if he is elected Manhattan Borough President next year — currently, Hoylman is one of five candidates in the 2021 race.

All New York voters may request a mail-in ballot due to the coronavirus pandemic.

For those who want to head to the polls, click here to find your poll site. Early voting is available from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1.

Patch reached out to all candidates in the election to create these profiles. Below are Hoylman's responses.

Brad Hoylman

Age as of Election Day (Nov. 3)

55

NYC neighborhood of residence

Greenwich Village

Position Sought

State Senate

Party Affiliation

Democratic/WFP

Family

Husband: David Sigal, Daughters: Sylvia and Lucy

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Education

West Virginia University (BA), Oxford University (M.Phil.), and Harvard University (JD)

Occupation

State Senator, 7 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

State Senator

Campaign website

www.bradhoylman.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

State Senator, 27th District

The single most pressing issue facing our nation/state/community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The incompetence of our president. Over 200,000 Americans are now dead because of COVID-19 and there is still no national plan on how to bring this pandemic under control. New York City was the epicenter of the virus earlier this year, and we saw firsthand what toll it can take on our communities. Though our state and city have helped fill the void left by the absent leadership of our federal government, we aren't going to make it to the other side of this crisis without federal assistance. Government budget deficits are soaring and the MTA is cutting capital projects just to keep the lights on. That's why I support increasing taxes on the wealthy, to help cover those gaps in our budget while we persuade our federal leaders to act, and we must keep Donald Trump accountable for failing to uphold the responsibilities of his office.

What are your thoughts on the state and national response to the coronavirus pandemic? Do you favor such measures as limiting operation of non-essential businesses or restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a nationwide mask mandate?

A national mask mandate is a no-brainer. Masks work. The national response to COVID-19 has been dismal, but New York State listened to the science and took important steps to curb the virus last spring. As we've seen in recent weeks, though, the risk of a spike in cases is too great to reverse the health guidelines we have in place. Public health officials should be the ones making decisions about reopening, not politicians. I understand the stress closing non-essential businesses and limiting restaurants to outdoor dining have had on our economy, but we have to beat COVID-19 if we want a strong economy for the long-term. Now is the time to think boldly and to offer business owners solutions to keep their doors open. There are 20 million square feet of office space in Midtown completely vacant that can and should be repurposed. Cars are given priority to people on our streets, leaving stores and their customers to small sidewalks. New York has the tools to re-imagine our city for the better in a world with COVID-19, we just need to prioritize the right policies.

How would you address the concerns of the Black Lives Matter movement, and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

Black Lives Matter protests took to the streets across the world after the tragic death of George Floyd on May 25th, 2020, mobilizing hundreds of thousands to march against the systemic racism Black Americans face every day. Over the last few months, we’ve seen statues of slave traders and owners being torn down, watched as municipalities across the country reallocate police department budgets to fund social services, and have started having critical conversations about how race shapes public policy. Under the leadership of Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the first black woman to ever lead the Senate, we passed legislation that will make law enforcement more transparent and accountable to the public. In addition to 9 other bills, my bill, the Police Statistics and Transparency (STAT) Act, which will require courts to compile and publish racial and other demographic data of all low-level offenses, recently passed the legislature and is awaiting the Governor’s signature. This is a simple, but important bill that will let us see the data and root out racist policies and enforcement. The murder of Jacob Blake on August 23rd, 2020 is a reminder the work to dismantle white supremacy is never over.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

In Albany, I’m fighting for Human Rights for all, higher quality of life, common sense public health policy, and economic justice and housing affordability. I’ve sponsored and passed laws like the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, the Child Victims Act, the Tenant Safe Harbor Act and statutes that strengthen our State’s anti-price gouging enforcement. With a Democratic majority, New York is now leading the nation with smart, progressive government, but there is still more work to be done.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I’m running on my 8-year record in the State Senate passing over 79 bills and fighting for tenants, women’s reproductive rights, the LGBT community, the environment, seniors, public schools, government reform, mass transit and the survivors of sexual abuse. I am also a former Democratic District Leader and three-term Chair of Manhattan Community Board 2; a former Trustee of the Community Service Society, New York City’s leading anti-poverty organization; a former board member of the Empire State Pride Agenda, Tenants & Neighbors, Class Size Matters and Citizen Action.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

If you're not at the table, you're on the menu.