New York State Attorney General Letitia James has endorsed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the race to succeed veteran U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez in New York’s 7th Congressional District.
James made the announcement at Woodside restaurant La Flor Sunday afternoon, touting Reynoso’s commitment to affordable housing residents across the district as well as the borough president’s “public service and leadership.”
“He is the most experienced in this race and therefore I thought it necessary for me to come out and endorse him,” James told QNS.
Reynoso is one of three candidates running to succeed Velázquez in NY-7, with Assemblymember Claire Valdez and Council Member Julie Won also launching campaigns to succeed the veteran lawmaker, who announced late last year that she would not seek re-election after 33 years in office.
Reynoso has received numerous endorsements from traditional progressive Democrats since launching his campaign at the end of the year, including from Velázquez herself in January. Council Member Shekar Krishnan, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, the New York Working Families Party and Make the Road Action have also endorsed the Reynoso’s campaign.
Valdez, meanwhile, has picked up endorsements from Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), with the race pitting traditional progressives against a DSA-backed candidate.
Won, who was a late entrant to the race at the beginning of February, has yet to pick up a meaningful political endorsement but has insisted that she is not concerned, noting that she won a crowded field for the 26 Council District without any meaningful endorsements.
However, James’ endorsement represents a major coup for the Reynoso campaign.
The Attorney General said Sunday that Reynoso will “fight back” against President Donald Trump’s “agenda” and work for an economy that prioritizes the working class.
“Antonio Reynoso has delivered real results on affordable housing, good jobs, and justice for our communities as Brooklyn Borough President,” James said. “I can’t think of anyone who is more prepared to serve in that seat than Antonio Reynoso.”
James said she did not have any concerns about breaking with Mamdani to endorse against his chosen candidate, adding that the issue would not impact her relationship with the Mayor.
“But at the end of the day, Letitia James usually wins,” she said.
Reynoso, meanwhile, described James as “one of the strongest champions of working people” that New York has ever seen, adding that he is “humbled” by the endorsement.
“Attorney General Letitia James’ support gives us powerful momentum in this race as we take on Trump, fight back against ICE, and take on MAGA extremists that run Congress,” Reynoso said.
Velázquez, who also joined Sunday’s endorsement announcement, described Reynoso as the “right leader” to meet the moment.
“I truly believe that this moment found Antonio Reynolds and the Attorney General needs someone in Washington,” Velázquez said.
Velázquez endorsed Reynoso in January shortly after Mamdani had endorsed the Valdez campaign, touting the borough president’s “deep connection” to the district in an apparent swipe at Valdez, who moved to New York City from Lubbock, Texas, in 2015.
Announcing her endorsement two months ago, Velázquez described Reynoso as a “homegrown progressive leader” who understands the “struggles of working families.” Reynoso has frequently pointed to his upbringing in Section 8 housing throughout the campaign.
Velázquez, who was the first member of Congress to endorse Mamdani’s mayoral bid, appeared to fire a warning shot at the Mayor in an interview with the New York Times published around the same time as her endorsement of Reynoso.
Velázquez said Mamdani had risked causing a split in the coalition that helped him win election last year by endorsing in the district before she had endorsed her own successor.
She said primaries can provide a “distraction” to Mamdani’s own agenda, adding that his decision to endorse in the upcoming NY-7 open primary could risk intra-party fights among the coalition he needs to govern effectively.
She also told the New York Times that she did not initially plan to endorse in the race to succeed her because she assumed a lawmaker that she had personally mentored, including Reynoso, would win easily once they launched their campaign. However, she said Mamdani’s endorsement of Valdez in early January forced her hand, describing the race to succeed her in the 7th Congressional District as “personal.”
