NYC Primary Election 2020: Lindsey Boylan Takes On Rep. Nadler

CHELSEA, MANHATTAN — Democrats living in New York's 10th Congressional District — which stretches over most of Manhattan's west side and parts of Brooklyn — will head to the polls on June 23 to cast their ballot in this year's primary race.

On the ballot will be incumbent Rep. Jerry Nadler, who has served in Congress since 1992, and challengers Lindsey Boylan and Jonathan Herzog.

Boylan, who lives in Chelsea, most recently served as the Deputy Secretary for Economic Development. She has previously served as a special advisor to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and as chief of staff and executive vice president at Empire State Development.

The 36-year-old says she was motivated to run for Congress given the economic inequality in the 10th District and hopes to champion housing, healthcare, climate, jobs and civil rights issues.

The primary election, slated for June 23, is open to registered Democratic voters. All New York voters may request a mail-in ballot due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ballots must be postmarked by the date of the election for the vote to count.

For those who want to head to the polls, click here to find your poll site. Early voting is available from June 13 to June 21.

Patch reached out to all candidates in the primary election to create these profiles. Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.

Lindsey Boylan

Age as of Election Day (Nov. 3)

36

NYC neighborhood of residence

Chelsea

Position Sought

U.S. Congress

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Husband, LeRoy Kim; 6-year-old Daughter

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Wellesley College, BA
Columbia University, MBA

Occupation

Full-time Candidate

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Deputy Secretary of Economic Development, NY and Special Advisor to the Governor

Campaign website

lindseyboylan.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

NY-10 is the most unequal district in the nation. Now, on top of that, New Yorkers are living and dying through a public health crisis coupled with a defining moment that will determine the future of this nation. The Federal Government has let us know for decades. From housing and healthcare to climate, jobs and civil rights, the issues I was originally campaigning for are now more relevant than ever.

The single most pressing issue facing our nation/state/community is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

We are in the midst of unprecedented times that are changing daily. The most urgent issues are dealing with the aftermath of this public health crisis and electing leaders that view racism with urgency.

To help us through the public health crisis of COVID-19, I have called for relief efforts including individual payments of $2K + $500 / independent, national paid family leave, double unemployment benefits, hazard pay for frontline workers, business continuity grants for small businesses, rent and mortgage relief, and student debt relief. These were all issues I was campaigning for before the global pandemic, now they are more relevant than ever.

I, like many others in the community, have been attending protests every day for Black Lives Matter. I am showing up and promoting policies against police violence in any way I can. There are ways for everyone to make their own impact and find their own way in to being a part of this movement. We are at a point in time where I hope no one opts-out. The Justice in Policing Act moves some areas forward, like banning chokeholds and bringing accountability to police violence. But - it also gives law enforcement hundreds of millions more in funding. I believe we should be defunding law enforcement budgets and re-allocating police funding to community alternatives like mental health first responders and investment in black communities that have been hurt by over-policing and mass incarceration.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have two decades of experience in public service and a record of results. Having worked at the state level, I’ve seen firsthand how much more could be done if the federal government held up their end of the bargain. That is one of the reasons I feel compelled to bring my experience to Washington.

Most recently as Deputy Secretary of Economic Development, appointed by the Governor, I helped pass $15 minimum wage and Paid Family Leave. I also oversaw The Office of Storm Recovery where I led relief efforts for NY in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and secured hundreds of millions of dollars of funding for housing after the federal government walked away.

I developed education and training opportunities to keep up with the changing economy, funded jobs and small businesses for community revitalization projects, and led economic recovery efforts.

Prior to that, I managed operations for public spaces including the Bryant Park Corporation, 34th Street Partnership, and the Chelsea Improvement Company.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

Our current Congressman has taken corporate PAC money from the industries he is supposed to be regulating. He took almost $200K from the largest fossil fuel transporters while he was on the subcommittee responsible for the transport of hazardous materials. And now, he has taken maximum donations from big tech companies as Judiciary chair overseeing the antitrust hearings into big tech.

His seniority on various committees has not brought our district the projects we need, like the Gateway Tunnel which has been on the table for a decade and deemed critical for the nation’s economy. And now, our Congressman and New York delegation did not get us the money we need to deal with the impact of COVID-19 on New York.

Every act of trying to hold this administration and this president accountable has been a failure in large part because elected officials, like our Congressman, failed to use their power and seniority.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Treat housing as a human right
Take climate action with a green new deal
Combat the mental health crisis

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have a record of proposing plans, and operationalizing them so that they can be put into action, from helping pass $15 minimum wage and Paid Family Leave by working with Chambers of Commerce across the state, to creating jobs by developing workforce programs with community organizations, colleges, and employers.

I have experience in crisis management and economic recovery, including assessing appropriations for hurricane damage and securing funding for housing after the federal government failed to act.

And, I have experience navigating government systems which gives me insight into how to cut through the bureaucracy to put plans into action.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

One piece of advice I always turn to is from Eleanor Roosevelt, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

As a mother to a young daughter, I feel it has been a disservice to have so few mothers with young children in office. It is no surprise that we don’t have affordable childcare, national paid family leave, equal pay, or full access to reproductive rights. The people impacted most by these policies need a seat at the table.

This article originally appeared on the West Village Patch