The race is on!
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso is running for Congress in New York’s 7th district, he shared on Thursday.
The seat is currently held by Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, who announced weeks ago that she would not run for reelection in 2026. After more than 30 years in Congress, Velázquez’s imminent departure leaves a gap in an overwhelmingly progressive district, one that several challengers will likely be looking to fill.
Velázquez also served as a mentor to many local elected officials and community leaders, prompting speculation about who might run for her seat. Reynoso, who counts himself among these mentees, is the first to announce his candidacy.
The Williamsburg native started his career as a community organizer before being elected to the New York City Council in 2013, representing the 34th council district. He won the 2021 election for Brooklyn Borough President. In his decision to run for Congress, Reynoso said his priorities included lowering costs, opposing the Trump administration’s immigration policies, and providing affordable healthcare and housing.
Though Reynoso is a left-leaning progressive, he is not affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), as the group considers whether to run one of their own in the wake of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s historic win. New York’s 7th district, which covers areas such as Astoria, Bushwick, Greenpoint, and Williamsburg, overwhelmingly supported Mamdani in the mayoral election and is already represented by several DSA members at the local and state levels of government. Several of these members, including State Senator Kristen Gonzalez and Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, are reportedly considering runs.
However, Reynoso has already earned several endorsements, including Greenpoint and Williamsburg’s city council members Lincoln Restler and Jennifer Gutiérrez, as well as city council members Shekar Krishnan and Sandy Nurse.
“Nydia’s well-earned retirement leaves an enormous hole in our city and across our nation, but I can think of no better person to carry on her legacy of progressive, ethical leadership than Antonio,” Restler told Brooklyn Paper.
Gutiérrez previously served as Reynoso’s chief of staff in the City Council and took over when he left to serve as borough president.
“Together, we delivered millions for our parks, schools and NYCHA, and successfully fought environmental racism by passing the Waste Equity Bill to reduce trucks and trash in lower income communities,” she also told Brooklyn Paper. “Now, I’m proud to endorse him for Congress so he can take our fight to DC and defend our community and our neighbors from Trump’s extremism.”
Additional candidates are expected to put their names forward as the campaign ramps up before the June primary.
Geez…….people deserve the government they elect. This is the definition of insanity, keep doing the same thing hoping for a different result.