Just months after launching a campaign to run for City Council, a District 19 candidate received endorsements from a local elected official and the largest regional federation for organized labor in the United States.
Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal and the New York City Central Labor Council (CLC) recently threw their support behind Bayside resident and political consultant Austin Shafran.
These endorsements came on the heels of Shafran raising $45,000 for his campaign and becoming the fastest to raise the full public matching funds threshold in order to qualify for the Democratic primary in District 19.
“They say you know it when you see it, and in Austin I see an energetic and experienced public servant who will work hard to do a lot for our communities,” said Rosenthal. “Like Austin, as the father of a young child and someone who grew up in the area, I know that we will have a fierce and thoughtful fighter and advocate on our side. His mix of public policy expertise, private sector experience and a dad’s determination to protect the neighborhoods where his children are being raised, is what I want for my family and those I represent. I look forward to working with him as the partner I know he will — for me and our communities in the City Council.”
Rosenthal’s Assembly District 27 includes the neighborhoods of College Point and parts of Whitestone, which represent nearly 25 percent of Council District 19. In addition to these neighborhoods, the district includes Auburndale, Bay Terrace, Bayside, Beechhurst, Douglaston, Flushing, Little Neck and Malba.
“Dan Rosenthal is someone I’m proud to call a dear friend and role model, and I’m honored to have his support in our campaign for City Council,” said Shafran. “I’ve had the pleasure of working hand-in-hand to work with Dan to work to see our communities grow and thrive. He is a consummate example of what a public servant should be. I look forward to learning from and working with Dan for many years to come as we work together on the city and state level to get our city back up and running.”
A second endorsement came from the CLC, a labor union with 1.3 million members including teachers, truck drivers, operating engineers, nurses, construction workers, electricians, firefighters, retail workers, janitors, train operators and bakers among other groups.
“The CLC is proud to endorse Austin Shafran in District 19 and we’re looking forward to working with him at the City Council as he fights on behalf of working families in northeast Queens,” said Vincent Alvarez, president of the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
Shafran is one of two City Council candidates from Queens to receive the CLC endorsement ahead of the June 22 primary election.
“The heart and soul of our city and the foundation of our neighborhoods is our workforce. We didn’t need COVID to see how essential our union workers are, but now more than ever it should be crystal clear that nothing works without them. I am deeply honored to have the support of the CLC’s broad coalition, as we fight side by side to re-open economic opportunities and recover from the devastating impact of COVID. Whether it’s providing financial assistance, improving health and safety protections, or increasing the quantity and quality of available jobs, I will fight ever day to ensure that those who kept our city running have the tools to make a full and fast economic recovery.”
The other candidates running for City Council in District 19 are Tony Avella, Adriana Aviles, Richard Lee, Nabaraj KC and Vickie Paladino.
