Ackerman backs Shafran in Northeast Queens council race
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Former Rep. Gary Ackerman (left) endorsed his former staffer Austin Shafran in the race for Council District 19. Photo courtesy of Shafran
By David Brand
Former U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman is backing a former aide in the race for a Northeast Queens council seat.
Ackerman, a member of Congress from 1983 to 2013, said Austin Shafran demonstrated energy, compassion and commitment to the district during his time working in his district office. Shafran is running to represent Council District 19, which includes neighborhoods of Bayside, College Point, Douglaston and Little Neck.
“When Austin worked for me, I saw how much he cared and how hard he worked to help countless numbers of families get access to health, housing, financial, and transportation services,” Ackerman said.
Ackerman’s congressional district overlapped with much of Council District 19, which is represented by the term-limited Paul Vallone.
Shafran is president of the political consulting firm Metropolitan Public Strategies and narrowly lost to Vallone in the 2013 Democratic primary. He noted that he, like Ackerman, began his career as a teacher before moving into politics.
“Working for Congressman Ackerman, I learned how a public servant could be both a caring leader and effective advocate for our community,” Shafran said in a statement.
Ackerman is the second current or former member of Congress to endorse in the five-candidate Democratic primary race to replace Vallone. U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi announced his support for Richard Lee, a former budget director in the Queens borough president’s office, earlier this year.
Other candidates in the competitive race include former State Sen. and Councilmember Tony Avella, who is seeking to reclaim his former seat. Ex-NYPD Officer Adriana Aviles, president of the local Community Education Council, and Nabaraj KC, a real estate agent and local Rotary Club president, are also in the race.
Lee leads the fundraising, with $60,343 from private contributors and more than $155,000 in public matching funds.
Two Republicans are also vying for the seat: Whitestone Republican Club President Vickie Paladino and John-Alexander Sakelos, a drama instructor who lost a race for state Assembly last year.
