Van Bramer exits Queens borough president race

Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer has ended his Queens borough president campaign with two months to go before the March 24 special election. Eagle file photo by Andy Katz.

By David Brand

Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer, a top contender to replace former Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, has ended his campaign with two months to go before the March 24 special election.

Van Bramer cited family issues in a statement to Politico, the first to report on his departure from the race Tuesday morning. Van Bramer had picked up endorsements from several progressive leaders, including Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and former gubernatorial candidates  Zephyr Teachout and Cynthia Nixon.  

“My family is the reason I love this borough and its residents; they are the ones who instilled Queens values in me and inspired me to be an advocate for working families," Van Bramer said. "But family circumstances have been weighing on me for some time, causing me to reconsider the timing and feasibility of this campaign.”

“Prioritizing my responsibilities as a son and brother is where my attention needs to be right now,” he added. “While this is a difficult decision, this is the right one for me and my family at this time.”

Eight other candidates have filed petitions with the Board of Elections to appear on the special election ballot. The candidates include community advocate Everly Brown, Councilmember Costa Constantinides, former Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley, police reform advocate Anthony Miranda, mapmaker Danniel Maio, former Queens prosecutor James Quinn, Councilmember Donovan Richards and businessperson Dao Yin.

Van Bramer, a councilmember since 2010, was a fierce opponent of Amazon’s plan to develop a corporate campus in Long Island City with state and city subsidies. He made his opposition to the Amazon deal a key part of his appeal to progressive voters during his campaign for the borough presidency.

In a July interview with the Eagle, Van Bramer, who is term-limited in 2021, left open the possibility that he might run for state Assembly against Assemblymember Cathy Nolan. 

Nolan, a 17-term incumbent, has faced criticism from progressive constituents because of her support for the Amazon deal. The Assembly primary is in June.

Van Bramer did not immediately respond to a message from the Eagle Tuesday morning.