Queens Council Member Robert Holden (Emil Cohen, NYC Council)
Dec. 15, 2020 By Michael Dorgan
Queens Council Member Robert Holden has formerly announced that he is running for re-election for his 30th District Council seat.
Holden made the announcement in a campaign video Tuesday and vowed that he would continue to fight for law and order and work to address the homelessness crisis. He took aim at the mayor and some of his council colleagues for the rise in violent crime and the wave of homelessness across the city.
“Our city has lost its way as many of our elected officials have abandoned the policies that kept our streets safe for decades,” Holden said in the video announcing his bid for reelection. “City Hall has tried to govern with protest slogans instead of common sense.”
Holden, who was elected to the city council in November 2017, has been an outspoken critic of the mayor and his agenda.
The lawmaker has criticized de Blasio’s approach to crime. For instance, he opposed the mayor’s decision to cut the NYPD budget and the administration’s plan to close Rikers Island.
He has also sparred with the mayor on the homelessness crisis; the administration’s expenditure on ThriveNYC; and the mayor’s attempt to abolish the SHSAT test for specialized high schools.
Holden said he would focus on helping the city recover from the COVID-19 pandemic if reelected, and would also work on creating a better environment for small businesses.
Holden, whose district includes Glendale, Middle Village, Ridgewood, Maspeth, Woodhaven and Woodside, said he would continue to tackle quality of life issues, such as graffiti, litter, illegally parked vehicles, and noise pollution during his second term.
“Over these past three years, I have never stopped fighting for you,” Holden said. “We’ve done a lot together these last three years, and there’s a lot more we need to do.”
Holden was encouraged by some of his constituents to run for mayor next year. In September, residents took part in a rally calling for him to run. Holden thanked his constituents for the endorsement but decided not to run.
The council member does face a challenger in the council race. Juan Ardila, a progressive, has declared he will run for the seat and he has already received endorsements from State Sen. Jessica Ramos and City Council Member Brad Lander.
Eleven council members in Queens will be forced to step down at the end of next year due to term limits.
In Queens, only four council members — Holden, Barry Grodenchik, Adrienne Adams and Francisco Moya — are eligible for another term. Grodenchik has already announced he is not seeking another term.
Holden has also recently launched his campaign website https://holdenforcitycouncil.com/.
