A look at key endorsements in NY-12 Democratic congressional primary

It’s rare for powerful members of Congress to face potent primary challenges. It’s even rarer for veteran lawmakers to wind up fighting against one another.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.) has represented the Upper West Side for 30 years while Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) has been a dominant force on the upper East Side for the same three decades. The two titans of Manhattan are now in a fight to the political death for the NY-12 Congressional District slot

The onetime allies are now battling for endorsements from fellow lawmakers in Washington D.C., local neighborhood Democratic club officials, and everyone in between.

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Suraj Patel is a two-time challenger to Maloney, hoping his outsider status may help him pull off an upset.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler scooped the biggest endorsement in the race so far on Monday when Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) backed his reelection bid.

[ Sen. Chuck Schumer backs Rep. Jerrold Nadler over Rep. Carolyn Maloney in NY’s 12th Congressional District ]

“New York has a lot of outstanding leaders, but few of them lead with the courage, conviction and brilliant legislative effectiveness of my friend, Jerry Nadler,” Schumer said.

He also won the endorsement of the New York Times editorial board over the weekend.

The Daily News editorial board refused to take sides, urging readers to “Limit New York’s losses to one experienced committee chair. Vote for Maloney or Nadler, or Nadler or Maloney.”

Along with Schumer, Nadler picked up the endorsement of former presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)

Closer to home, Controller Brad Lander has endorsed Nadler as have three Assembly members, three state senators and two City Council members, including

Nadler has also won the endorsement of the Working Families Party and the Human Rights Campaign, which supports LGBTQ rights.

He also has backing from local 1199, which represents thousands of health care workers, and Randi Weingarten, the president of the powerful American Federation of Teachers.

Most of the two candidates’ colleagues in Congress have so far stayed neutral in the cage fight, including all the New York House delegation members.

Maloney prides herself on having a good relationship with neighborhood political activists; her endorsement list reflects that.

[ Rep. Carolyn Maloney wins backing of Stonewall Democrats in NY-12 primary ]

She has the backing of six state Assembly members, double the tally for Nadler.

Maloney also claims the backing of no fewer than nine Manhattan Democratic clubs, compared to just three for Nadler.

[ Rep. Carolyn Maloney gets endorsed by feminist icon, Gloria Steinem ]

The former teacher and City Council member has a long list of labor union supporters, including locals representing postal workers, nurses and firefighters.

Maloney is running with the support of Emily’s List, which supports female candidates, and the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a potentially important edge in a district with a heavily Jewish population.

Patel has no endorsement list on his campaign site.

[ Suraj Patel, who is running for Congress, just got engaged ]

The insurgent candidate ran surprisingly close races against Maloney in both 2018 and 2020 with similarly sparse establishment support.