{"id":217496,"date":"2026-05-02T07:20:27","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T07:20:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/217496\/"},"modified":"2026-05-02T07:20:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T07:20:27","slug":"stonewall-democrats-announce-congressional-and-statewide-endorsements-after-marathon-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/217496\/","title":{"rendered":"Stonewall Democrats announce congressional and statewide endorsements after marathon meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City \u2014 a citywide LGBTQ political club \u2014 endorsed candidates in several statewide and congressional primary races on May 1 after hosting a candidate forum on April 29 at Civic Hall at Union Square.<\/p>\n

The club\u2019s two-plus-hour endorsement meeting featured some more well-known candidates, including Brad Lander and Daniel Goldman in the race for NY-10, as well as several lesser-known candidates \u2014 including out LGBTQ candidates, such as Laura Dunn, Nina Schwalbe, and Micah Bergdale, who are all running in NY-12.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Endorsements<\/p>\n

On the morning of Friday, May 1, the club announced<\/a> it had endorsed all incumbents in statewide races \u2014 Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli \u2014 as well as former City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams in her bid for lieutenant governor.<\/p>\n

In congressional contests, the club backed Rep. Grace Meng in NY-6, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in NY-7, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries in NY-8, former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander in NY-10, Assemblymember Alex Bores in NY-12, Rep. Adriano Espaillat in NY-13, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in NY-14, Rep. Ritchie Torres in NY-15, and Rep. George Latimer in NY-16.<\/p>\n

Stonewall\u2019s political priorities
\n\"TheThe president of the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City, John Wahlmeier.Donna Aceto<\/p>\n

Club leaders at the endorsement meeting highlighted some of Stonewall\u2019s top political priorities in the city and state, including support for the state-based New York for All Act, which aims to prevent state and local resources from being used for immigration enforcement, and the expansion of the Lorena Borjas Transgender and Non-Binary Wellness and Equity Fund, which delivers funds to organizations serving trans individuals in the state.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The club, currently led by president John Wahlmeier, also took issue with the City Council\u2019s recently-passed \u201cbuffer zone\u201d bills and expressed support for the mayor\u2019s veto of one of those bills aimed at educational institutions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has been a very, very important legacy of Stonewall, as an organization and as an LGBTQ community, to protect the right to protest at churches during the AIDS crisis,\u201d Gabriel Lewenstein, the club\u2019s executive vice president, said during the meeting. \u201cAnd in the past year, we\u2019ve had to rally outside the Department of Education to protect trans youth in schools and outside of teaching hospitals to protect gender-affirming care.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TheThe audience looks on during the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City\u2019s April 29 meeting.Donna Aceto
\nCongressional candidates<\/p>\n

In the race to succeed retiring Congressmember Jerrold Nadler in NY-12, Assemblymember Micah Lasher said the country is facing an \u201cexistential crisis\u201d in the Trump era, and he made the case that he brings a years-long background of supporting LGBTQ causes. He vowed to \u201cfight with everything I\u2019ve got to roll back the hateful policies of the Trump administration and codify in law the protections that this community needs for the long term.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cDemocrats are failing to meet the moment,\u201d Lasher said. \u201cThat has effects on issues across the board, and has a particular effect on LGBTQ New Yorkers, and the most vulnerable members of our population, our trans kids, and the people that need government to be standing up for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lasher subsequently faced questions from youth activist Lorelei Crean, who asked about the lawmaker\u2019s public support for trans youth on his campaign website and whether he attended rallies in support of trans youth last year. Lasher responded in part by emphasizing that he has \u201cwritten a great deal about all these issues, including in a lengthy piece I wrote well before I was running for Congress right after Donald Trump won the election, and talked about how the Democratic Party should not throw trans kids under the bus, which is what a lot of people were calling for at that time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AssemblymemberAssemblymember Micah Lasher is running for Congress in NY-12.Donna Aceto<\/p>\n

When Lasher noted that he recently attended a protest against NYU Langone, Crean clarified that the event took place in 2026, not 2025.<\/p>\n

\u201cRespectfully, I have been involved in these issues, I think, for your entire lifetime,\u201d Lasher said in response. \u201cI know you\u2019ve got a different candidate in this race, but I am not going to concede the issue that I don\u2019t have a strong record on these issues. I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"LoreleiLorelei Crean attends the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City\u2019s April 29 meeting.Donna Aceto<\/p>\n

Bores, who also addressed the club at the event, echoed other calls for passage of the Equality Act, saying it \u201cshould have been passed 20 friggin\u2019 years ago.\u201d <\/p>\n

Bores listed several times he has, in his words, \u201cshowed up\u201d for the community, such as when he protested at Trump Tower after the White House nixed a national LGBTQ youth suicide lifeline. He also discussed other LGBTQ issues, including calling for a national PrEP program and fighting against conversion therapy.<\/p>\n

\"AssemblymemberAssemblymember Alex Bores won the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City\u2019s endorsement.Donna Aceto<\/p>\n

Three out candidates in NY-12 \u2014 Dunn, Schwalbe, and Bergdale \u2014 all made in-person appearances before the club. Dunn, a civil rights attorney and former public school teacher, said she has spent her entire career \u201cfighting for the victimized and the marginalized\u201d and protecting Title IX, and she stressed that she hopes to bring her legal experience to Congress.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI have the Democratic establishment credentials, but I am not part of the establishment,\u201d she said.\u00a0
\n\"CongressionalCongressional candidate Laura Dunn delivers remarks to Stonewall\u2019s members.Donna Aceto\n<\/p>\n

Nina Schwalbe, a public health researcher who founded Spark Street Advisors, recalled a history of being misgendered and added, \u201cI am proud of being a dyke.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve worked with trans sex workers in Thailand, I organized the first-ever gay film festival in Russia, and I\u2019ve been on the board of numerous LGBT organizations,\u201d Schwalbe said.<\/p>\n

\"NinaNina Schwalbe is running for Congress in NY-12.Donna Aceto
\n\"MicahMicah Bergdale is running for Congress in NY-12.Donna Aceto<\/p>\n

In the race for NY-7, which encompasses Brooklyn and Queens, Councilmember Julie Won of Queens said she has worked to support an annual Pride celebration in Sunnyside, Queens<\/a>, and expressed her appreciation for the St. Pat\u2019s for All parade<\/a> in her borough. She also highlighted the importance of building housing in her district and creating housing solutions for homeless LGBTQ individuals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"CouncilmemberCouncilmember Julie Won is running for Congress in NY-7.Donna Aceto<\/p>\n

Among other candidates in NY-7, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Vichal Kumar also addressed members, with Reynoso tuning in via Zoom. Reynoso and Won both spoke of the work of the Ali Forney Center, which provides housing and support for homeless LGBTQ youth, and Reynoso emphasized that he is \u201ccurrently working on having Ali Forney own their sites\u201d to help the organization better serve its clients.\u00a0<\/p>\n

NY-12 candidate Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, also appeared before the club, where he defended his approach to campaign finance and, at one point, opened up about his personal finances.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a lot of relatives who died young,\u201d he said. \u201cThey left me money. It\u2019s in a trust. I can\u2019t do anything about it, and so, I\u2019m not sure what you want me to do, but I\u2018m not spending it on my campaign, and you can donate unlimited amounts of money to your own campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"NY-7NY-12 candidate Jack Schlossberg.Donna Aceto<\/p>\n

In the race for NY-10, former City Comptroller Brad Lander is challenging Congressmember Daniel Goldman, both of whom joined the meeting. Goldman, who introduced himself by noting that he uses he\/him pronouns, attended via Zoom in Washington, where he stood by his record on LGBTQ issues and ripped the Trump administration\u2019s anti-trans actions, though he also faced questions from members about his positions on foreign policy.<\/p>\n

On LGBTQ issues, Goldman said he recently met with parents of trans youth who underscored their concerns about their children\u2019s continuation of care at a time when some hospitals have restricted gender-affirming care for youth.<\/p>\n

In listing some of his work in support of the LGBTQ community, Goldman said he aggressively opposed the administration\u2019s erasure of transgender individuals from the Stonewall National Monument\u2019s website and pressed Mount Sinai and NYU Langone after they restricted gender-affirming care for youth and some adults.<\/p>\n

Lander, meanwhile, attended the event in person and wasted little time in criticizing the incumbent, labeling Goldman as an \u201cestablishment Democrat.\u201d Lander was asked by audience members who he supported in the recent, hotly contested special election for City Council in District 3, where out gay candidate Carl Wilson declared victory. While Lander said he supported Lindsey Boylan in that race, he said he would support Wilson moving forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For his part, Lander has also been a consistent and vocal critic of NYU Langone and Mount Sinai over their restrictions on gender-affirming care for youth.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat NYU Langone and Mount Sinai are doing is a violation of New York State and New York City\u2019s civil rights laws,\u201d Lander said. \u201cWe worked hard to pass laws. It\u2019s illegal to discriminate against people in employment, in housing, or in public accommodations based on their gender identity or sexual orientation. We\u2019ve got to enforce the law in New York City and New York State.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lander said he had been endorsed by another LGBTQ citywide political club, the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, as well as by NYC Trans Youth, among others.<\/p>\n

In NY-15, Torres, who did not attend the meeting, was represented by out former Councilmember James Vacca, who joined on Zoom. Another candidate in that race, former assemblymember Michael Blake, faced the club in person and vowed, if elected, to \u201cshow up and be consistent.\u201d He emphasized that he was recently endorsed by the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club.<\/p>\n

\"FormerFormer state lawmaker Michael Blake is running in NY-15.Donna Aceto<\/p>\n

Among other candidates who appeared via Zoom were Espaillat, who is running in NY-13; Darializa Avila Chevalier, who is also running in NY-13; and Meng, who is running in NY-6. Another NY-6 candidate, Chuck Park, addressed the club in person.<\/p>\n

State Comptroller candidates<\/p>\n

DiNapoli, the incumbent comptroller, recalled his past work in support of the LGBTQ community \u2014 from his time in the State Assembly to his current work as state comptroller \u2014 but took some heat from the audience when he was asked why, as an incumbent, he only submitted a statement instead of the questionnaire that candidates are asked to complete before facing the club.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cA statement was what was accepted,\u201d DiNapoli said. \u201cI have no problem filling out a questionnaire; I was told that a statement was fine. That was Stonewall\u2019s choice, not mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

When DiNapoli was asked about his support for transgender youth initiatives, he said, \u201cTotally support healthcare. Spoken out against efforts to take that away. Absolutely supportive. That\u2019s been my publicly stated record for many, many years\u2026 I am totally supportive of all healthcare for trans youth.\u201d<\/p>\n

DiNapoli\u2019s challengers on hand at the meeting included former Kansas state lawmaker Raj Goyle; Drew Warshaw, a former co-CEO of the housing non-profit Enterprise Community Partners who brings non-profit executive leadership experience to the race; and Adem Bunkeddeko, a former Congressional candidate who serves on the board of House of SpeakEasy and previously served on Community Board 8 in Brooklyn.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"ComptrollerComptroller candidate Adem Bunkeddeko.Donna Aceto<\/p>\n

Warshaw cited statistics about homelessness among LGBTQ youth before making the case that he is the \u201conly candidate in this race who has a specific background, and more importantly, a specific plan to address the housing crisis, to treat it like it is.\u201d Warshaw called for a $20 billion housing fund to \u201cinvest in homes that New Yorkers can actually afford.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"StateState comptroller candidate Drew Warshaw.Donna Aceto<\/p>\n

Election day for Democratic primary races \u2014 including statewide and congressional seats \u2014 is June 23. Early voting will begin on June 13. Read more about Stonewall\u2019s 2026 endorsements here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City \u2014 a citywide LGBTQ political club \u2014 endorsed candidates in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":217497,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[128,9,24,63,129,131,130],"class_list":["post-217496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-the-bronx","tag-bronx","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-the-bronx","tag-the-bronx-headlines","tag-the-bronx-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217496","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=217496"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/217496\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/217497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=217496"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=217496"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=217496"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}