Queens County Committee For All (QCC4All), a group of reformist Queens Democratic Party officials, announced on Oct. 31 that they have enlisted a number of elected officials and insurgent candidates in their campaign to make hyperlocal party positions more transparent and accessible.
In essence, QCC4All’s pledge aims at getting elected officials or those running for office to agree not to occupy the party offices in order to free them up to rank-and-file members.
The announcement included a notable signee, in state Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, a leftwing leader in the state Legislature. Gianaris promised that he will not seek re-election as district leader, which he currently holds in Assembly District 36.
Other elected officials who have signed the pledge include Councilman and Borough President Candidate Jimmy Van Bramer and Assemblyman Brian Barnwell. Neither currently holds the position of district leader.
The role of district leader is designed to act as a messenger between local constituents and party leadership. The position also votes on party resolutions and elects the chair of the party, a post currently held by Rep. Greg Meeks.
In addition to its ban on double dipping as public servants and party officials, the pledge contains several other assurances. It includes a promise not to make political contributions from any campaign accounts to candidates for party and an agreement not to combine petitions for party, a move that allows electeds to lump their district leader petitions in with candidacy petitions.
Ten others candidates running for state and Federal office in 2020 have also taken the pledge:
- Brent O’Leary, candidate for New York City Council, 26th District
- Melquiades Gagarin, candidate for U.S. Congress, 6th District
- Melanie D’Arrigo, candidate for U.S. Congress, 3rd District
- Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, candidate for NY State Assembly, 34th District
- Joy Chowdhury, candidate for NY State Assembly, 34th District
- Erica Vladimir, candidate for U.S. Congress, 12th District
- Mary Jobaida, candidate for NY State Assembly, 37th District
- Lauren Ashcraft, candidate for U.S. Congress, 12th District
- Nuala O’Doherty-Naranjo, candidate for NY State Assembly, 34th District
- Peter Harrison, candidate for U.S.Congress, 12th District
