Could Eric Adams Win Without Young Voters' Support?

after another high-profile shooting, his message is resonating [View this email in your browser]( [Keep friends and family informed. Forward the Politics Brief.]( With Weeks To Go, Has Public Safety Become The Lead Issue In The Mayoral Race? By James Ramsay [a close-up of Eric Adams] John Minchillo/AP Even prior to Saturday's shooting in Times Square, the mood had clearly shifted. Last week, for the first time since Andrew Yang entered the mayoral race, the chipper ex-presidential candidate who's pitched himself as an economic recovery guru did not come in first place in a poll. Instead, Eric Adams, the Brooklyn borough president and former cop — who has yet to spend a dime on TV ads — [took the top spot]( with 21 percent of Democratic voters naming him as their first choice. "[Adams] has been pretty consistently campaigning on a message of combatting gun violence," Politico's Sally Goldenberg [told WNYC's Brian Lehrer]( last week. "He wants a strong police department, he's emphatically not a supporter of the 'defund the police' movement, and that message, according to this poll, seems to be resonating with some segment of the electorate." Then, at 5 p.m. last Saturday, a dispute between two brothers allegedly led to one of them [pulling a gun and opening fire]( hitting three unrelated bystanders, including a 4-year-old Brooklyn girl who was waiting outside a toy store. It was a terrifying but isolated incident in what Mayor Bill de Blasio still touts as the "safest big city in America." At the same time, there have been 448 shooting incidents in the city through Saturday, according to the NYPD, up from 241 incidents by this point last year. Adams responded by holding two press conferences in Times Square — one to reiterate his desire to combat gun violence, and another to call out Yang for being a johnny-come-lately to the issue. "It’s obvious Andrew has been on my website," [Adams said on Sunday](. As my colleague [Gwynne Hogan reported]( Adams has tried attracting younger voters who want more aggressive police reform, highlighting his own history of criticizing the NYPD while he was a uniformed officer. But as crime continues to gain a larger share of voters' attention, it's possible that Adams could find a path to victory without really having to broaden his base. "Older Black homeowners are like, 'Where are the police? I don’t want these people on my yard. What is happening? I own a house,'" explained Fordham professor Christina Greer. "There’s something to be said about going to the dance with the person who brought you," she added. "And the person who brought you are moderates who care about crime and safety." Early voting in the Democratic mayoral primary begins on June 12th. Do you have a question about this year's races, the ranked-choice voting system, where the mayoral candidates stand on bagel orders, or anything else happening this election season? Send your questions to tips@gothamist.com with the subject line, Ask An Election Reporter! Gothamist Guides To The 2021 Election [a close-up of a "Cancel Rent" sign at a protest] How The Mayoral Candidates Would Make Housing More Affordable Here's [a breakdown]( of each candidate's approach to affordable housing. [an "Abolish the Police" sign hangs over a subway entrance] "Defund" The NYPD: What It Means And Where Democratic Mayoral Candidates Stand On It Your [guide]( to the candidates' positions on policing. [an open street being enjoyed by pedestrians] How Will NYC's Next Mayor Improve Our Open Streets Program? We asked the eight leading Democratic candidates for [their Open Streets plans](. [the exterior of a weed shop in Times Square] How Will NYC's Next Mayor Handle The Weed Economy? From zoning to enforcement, [here's]( where the candidates stand. Here's What Else Is Happening The New York Times editorial board has endorsed Kathryn Garcia for mayor. The paper touted Garcia's aptitude and experience when it comes to managing large government agencies during crisis moments, while brushing aside the idea that her limited name recognition would doom her. "Many primary voters say they haven’t made up their minds," the board wrote. "So we’d like to help them." ([The New York Times]( The Working Families Party is urging progressive voters to support a "unity ticket" with Dianne Morales and Maya Wiley in the top two spots. Following the sexual assault allegations against Scott Stringer, who had been the highest-polling progressive candidate in the mayoral race, groups including WFP, Jews For Racial And Economic Justice, and others are endorsing both Wiley and Morales, hoping that ranked-choice voting enables at least one of them to ultimately win. ([Gothamist]( Andrew Yang may be a political novice, but he's being encouraged and supported by a veteran New York power broker. This week's New York magazine cover story details how Bradley Tusk, a former Bloomberg adviser and wealthy venture capitalist, is guiding Yang — who, like Tusk, also happens to want to make New York City a casino and Bitcoin playground. ([New York]( Politico has a tidy chart comparing the mayoral candidates on how much money they've raised, and where they're getting it from. Eric Adams has raised the most money overall. Kathryn Garcia has raised the highest percentage of donations from New York City residents. Andrew Yang has the largest number of donors. And Dianne Morales can claim the main street contributor crown, with the lowest average donation amount. ([Politico]( THE CITY, WNYC and NY1 are co-hosting the first Democratic mayoral primary debate on Thursday. Josefa Velasquez, Brian Lehrer, and Errol Louis will be asking the questions. Listen to it live, March 13th at 7 p.m., on WNYC, or watch it on Spectrum News NY1, NY1.com, or NY1Noticias.com. ([THE CITY]( A notable progressive group is committing $1 million to supporting Manhattan District Attorney candidate Alvin Bragg. Though Bragg, a former federal prosecutor, hews toward the center, he's also vowed not to use the NYPD's gang database, and he's talked about his own upbringing in Harlem and first-hand experience around illegal gun possession. Color of Change PAC — a group that's backed reform-minded prosecutors around the country — said it appreciates that Bragg is "from the community that he’s actually campaigning to serve." ([Gothamist]( The four leading Democratic candidates for Bronx Borough President participated in their first televised debate last week. Many of the questions — and attacks — were directed at Councilmember Fernando Cabrera, the most conservative Democrat in the field, who's also raised almost twice as much money as the next flushest candidate. ([Gothamist]( [BL pod] NYC's Chief Democracy Officer On Ranked Choice Voting Laura Wood, election law attorney and Mayor de Blasio's newly appointed Chief Democracy Officer, talks about her work to encourage New Yorkers to vote in the upcoming primaries. Support WNYC + Gothamist Make a donation to support local, independent journalism. Your contributions are our largest source of funding and pays for essential election coverage and more. [Donate]( Copyright © 2021 New York Public Radio, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: New York Public Radio 160 Varick Street New York, NY 10013 [unsubscribe]( [update preferences]( [privacy policy](