Danny O’Donnell Endorses Eli Northrup In Succession Battle For UWS Assembly Seat

Danny O’Donnell, who is retiring from his longtime perch as an UWS State Assembly member, has endorsed Eli Northrup ahead of a June 25 Democratic primary that will choose his likely successor.

Northrup will be competing against Carmen Quinones, Melissa Rosenberg, and Micah Lasher. He’s also collected endorsements from the Working Families Party, the Sunrise Movement, and the United Auto Workers.

Lasher has scooped up endorsements from leaders in the Democratic Party establishment, including: Congressman Jerrold Nadler, UWS City Council Member Gale Brewer, and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.

Northrup’s platform includes pushing for Medicare For All, supporting “Good Cause Eviction” measures, attempting to enshrine abortion rights in the New York State Constitution, advocating for women-owned and minority-owned businesses, and implementing policies that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“Eli is not just prepared to represent the 69th District–he is uniquely positioned to serve it with the depth of understanding and empathy it deserves,” O’Donnell said, in a statement outlining the rationale for his endorsement.

“Eli’s background as an attorney underscores his profound understanding of the subtle intricacies of legislation and its deep impact on individuals’ lives. He knows that effective law making transcends mere good intentions—it demands a thorough understanding of how each word and decision can significantly shape the legal landscape for years to come” the outgoing incumbent added.

In a statement of his own, Northrup thanked O’Donnell for the endorsement, calling attention to his “trailblazing” role as the first openly gay member of the NY State Assembly. He also highlighted O’Donnell’s opposition to mass incarceration.

“The late civil rights attorney and co-founder of the ACLU, Arthur Garlfield Hays, once said ‘I hate to see people pushed around. I vent my emotions in trying to help them from being pushed.’ For me, this ethos defines Danny’s career in public service,” Northrup said.

Reached for comment by The Spirit, Northrup noted that he is running a “grassroots campaign, fueled by small dollar donors, volunteers, tenant leaders, and community groups who want to see progressive change in Albany. I have lived my values and spent my career directly helping people on the front lines. The fact that I have not spent my career in politics is, I believe, an advantage.”

Lasher has served in a variety of powerful government roles over the course of his career, such as: Director of State Legislative Affairs for the City of New York under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Chief of Staff in the Office of the New York State Attorney General, and Director of Policy for the State of New York under Governor Kathy Hochul. He also serves as the chair of the Riverside Park Park Conservancy’s board.

Lasher is running on three signature issues: mental health, affordable housing, and public education. Some of these planks feed off each other, such as his desire to see more mental health workers working within public schools.

Rosenberg, who serves on Manhattan’s Community Board 7, is a policy analyst and real estate lobbyist. She’s also advertising her work with the gun control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety (which Lasher has also been involved with, having served on its board).

Rosenberg is also member of OpenNY, a pro-development nonprofit that has recently caused some internecine drama at Community Board 5. She’s collected an endorsement from NYC New Liberals, a group linked to the Progressive Policy Institute, a centrist think tank founded by the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) in 1989. Her platform involves fighting for abortion rights, “combatting hate and bias,” and defending “reasonable” rent increases for tenants.

Quinones, the tenant association president of Manhattan Valley’s Frederick Douglass Houses, has yet to gather any endorsements. She is a second-generation resident of public housing and a longtime NYCHA activist, and describes herself as a “tireless advocate for our dreams, struggles, and shared vision of a community where every resident thrives.”

Update/Correction: Jack Kellner, a physician, is also vying for the Assembly District 6 seat. He is running on issues such as: cementing tenant protections, providing additional monitoring to improve living conditions for NYCHA residents, fighting the uptake of Medicare Advantage plans, and instituting term limits of 8 years for state legislators.