Corey Johnson's Chief Of Staff To Run For His City Council Seat

WEST VILLAGE, MANHATTAN — One of City Council Speaker Corey Johnson's top aides has thrown his hat in the ring to take over the council member's seat when its term expires next year.

Erik Bottcher, the chief of staff for the Manhattan council member, filed his candidacy Wednesday to get on the 2021 ballot for District 3, which spans from SoHo and Greenwich Village to the bottom of the Upper West Side.

Bottcher's campaign, first reported by THE CITY, is the latest venture in his decade-long career in politics, first as a liaison for Gov. Andrew Cuomo and then on Johnson's staff since 2015.

“Serving the people of Council District 3 these past five years has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime,” Bottcher said. “I’m excited by the opportunity to continue this work - and take it to to the next level."

Bottcher first served Cuomo as a liaison to gay and transgender communities, then as his liaison to Manhattan. He also volunteered on Christine Quinn, another District 3 council member's, campaign for mayor in 2013.

Before jumping into the political world, Bottcher was an advocate for LGBTQ rights, volunteering with Gay Men’s Health Crisis since he moved to New York City from a small upstate town in 2001, according to THE CITY.

He hopes to continue Johnson's legacy on the council working on issues like homelessness, income inequality and affordability crises, Bottcher said. One of the first initiatives of his campaign is to not accept contributions from real estate developers or anyone employed at a lobbying firm or a corporate political action committees.

"Over the next year and a half I look forward to speaking with thousands of residents about what they want for their neighborhood, our community and the city we love," he said. "I firmly believe that no problem is too big to solve when you give communities a voice and a seat at the table.”

The Democrat is the first candidate to officially file for the District 3 seat, but will likely have a few challengers, including labor lawyer and organizer Arthur Schwartz and community activist Marni Halasa, THE CITY reports.

Johnson, who is considering a mayoral run, said he fully supports to his chief of staff's plans to take over the seat when his term limit expires next year.

“Erik is hardworking, smart, kind, funny, compassionate and has the biggest heart," Johnson said. "He has dedicated a better part of his life to public service and has helped countless New Yorkers. The City of New York and the West Side of Manhattan can’t do better than Erik.”