You are reading

Van Bramer Endorses Amit Bagga to Succeed Him in the City Council

Amit Bagga and Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer (Photo: courtesy of Van Bramer)

June 16, 2021 By Allie Griffin

Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer has endorsed Amit Bagga from a sea of candidates vying for his seat in the City Council.

Van Bramer announced his endorsement in the midst of early voting and less than a week away from Election Day.

“In a crowded field, which includes several terrific candidates, I was proud to rank Amit Singh Bagga #1 when I went to vote this past Saturday,” he said in a statement. “Amit is smart, thoughtful, progressive, and has experience in government that will make him effective on day one.”

Van Bramer chose Bagga — the former deputy director of the NYC Census 2020 — out of 15 Democratic candidates on the ballot for the District 26 seat representing Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside and parts of Astoria.

The council member said he would be announcing the names of five other candidates who he believes would be qualified to take his position in the coming days, but wanted to make it clear that Bagga is his top choice.

Van Bramer, who is running for Queens borough president, was previously tight-lipped on who he would endorse as his replacement. However his longtime chief of staff Matt Wallace endorsed Bagga in May and the candidate was spotted at a backyard fundraising event for Van Bramer’s borough president campaign the same month.

Van Bramer said he identifies with Bagga—both being members of the LGBTQ community. The council member was the first openly gay person to be elected to the 26th Council District in 2009.

“I came out as a gay man in 1989, at a time when we had never elected an out queer person to the City Council,” Van Bramer said.

He said if Bagga is elected, the district would make history again.

“The truth is representation matters and I’ve always been driven by the need for progressive queer folks to run for office and win,” he said. “In the 26th district we have an opportunity to make history again, electing a progressive and experienced fighter who also would be the first queer south Asian ever elected in Queens.”

Van Bramer also said it was important that the City Council have queer representation. Four openly gay members — himself, Speaker Corey Johnson and Council Members Daniel Dromm and Carlos Menchaca — are term-limited and will leave the council at the end of the year.

Bagga said he was proud to receive Van Bramer’s support and endorsed him for Queens Borough President.

He said Van Bramer paved the way for many queer people interested in public service.

“As the first openly queer person to represent our district, Jimmy blazed a courageous trail that has allowed many of us to take on the solemn task of public service while simply being who we are,” Bagga said in a statement. “As a queer South Asian person who’s had to fight for respect and relevance through rooms not designed for people like me, I know that that was not easy.”

He said that Van Bramer would bring his progressive vision and prowess to the borough presidency.

“Throughout his time in the Council, he’s been a staunch fighter for renters, workers, artists, and immigrants, and that’s who he’ll be fighting for when he gets to Borough Hall,” Bagga said. “I’m honored to receive his endorsement for District 26, and proud to endorse him for Borough President.”

Van Bramer is running against incumbent Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and former Council Member Elizabeth Crowley.

Bagga is one of 15 candidates vying for the District 26 seat. The other candidates are Julia Forman, Jesse Laymon, Ebony Young, Emily Sharpe, Hailie Kim, Badrun Khan, Denise Keehan-Smith, Julie Won, Lorenzo Brea, Glennis Gomez, Brent O’Leary, Jonathan Bailey, Steven Raga and Sultan Al Maruf.

Early voting is currently underway and runs through this Sunday, June 20. Election Day is Tuesday, June 22. To find your poll site and see voting hours, click here.

email the author: [email protected]
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Mayor cautions people to stay indoors amid smoky conditions, warns haze will likely be ‘multiple day event’

As the city continues to be shrouded in a smoke-filled haze from Canadian wildfires, Mayor Eric Adams and senior administration officials Wednesday advised New Yorkers to stay indoors as much as possible, particularly those with underlying health conditions.

At 10 p.m. Tuesday night the city’s air quality index hit 218, a level considered to be “very unhealthy,” Adams and his team said during a Wednesday morning press briefing at New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) headquarters in Downtown Brooklyn. But as of 7 a.m. Wednesday morning, air quality improved slightly to a score of 174 in the Bronx. New York City typically has a score of 50.

Community rejoices as Pride Flag once again flies high over Richmond Hill

The Richmond Hill and South Ozone Park Lions Club, in partnership with local elected officials and community leaders, raised a Progress Pride Flag at the 133rd Street and Liberty Avenue intersection triangle in Richmond Hill, on Tuesday, June 6. 

Richmond Hill-South Ozone Park Lions Club 2nd Vice District Governor, Romeo Hitlall, with the aid of attendees, placed and raised the Pride flag on the existing flagpole, solidifying shared support of the LGBTQ+ community in Richmond Hill and the entire borough.