New York dreams of the first female mayor in its history.
And the dream now appears closer, after Maya Wiley cashed in on the coveted endorsement of Democratic left leader Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The young congresswoman bursts into the election campaign of the Big Apple a few days before the primary, scheduled for June 22, and her move could upset all predictions. Progressive Wiley, a 57-year-old African American, with a life as a civil rights activist, had so far remained sidelined in polls led by two moderate candidates: Eric Adams, 61, a former NYPD officer, and Andrew Yang, 46 years old, entrepreneur of Taiwanese origins and former presidential candidate in 2020. The only one able to fight the frontrunners appeared so far Kathryn Garcia, 51, former councilor in the council de Blasio, profound connoisseur of City Hall (the city hall in Manhattan) and also thanks to the endorsement received by the New York Times.
But the pasionaria Ocasio-Cortez, a true New Yorker of Puerto Rican origins, with millions of followers on social media, brings a pool of voters to envy, especially young people, those who in 2018 catapulted her into Congress making her elect only 29 years in the House. So his descent into the field could change everything, giving Wiley an unexpected success in the primary. And, in the absence of competitive candidates in the Republican camp, whoever wins the Democratic primary will in fact be the next mayor of the Big Apple, with elections set for November 2. If elected, Wiley will be not only the first female mayor in the history of New York but also the second mayor of African American descent.
Lawyer, social justice lecturer, television commentator, Wiley was born in Syracuse, New York, and raised in the federal capital Washington. He has two sons. Her African American father died when she was a child following a boating accident. Its program contrasts with the agendas of Adams and Yang because it is more innovative: it aims at a New Deal for the city of New York with 10 billion dollars allocated to guarantee infrastructure, aid, social programs and jobs in the most disadvantaged communities. Point of confrontation with his opponents above all the proposal to find resources by cutting the funds for the police and deeply reforming the police department. For this Wiley is accused of underestimating theexplosion of crime in the Big Apple due to the crisis due to the pandemic. Instead, you are fighting against what you call the "reactionary" approach of your opponents on the subject of security.
"We will finally have a progressive at Grace Mansion," said Ocasio-Cortez, referring to the official residence of the mayor of New York. "We need a city managed not for billionaires but for working people. That's why I will vote for Maya", his words. And Maya now, considering also the many undecided voters, can hope.