The New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) on Sunday announced their endorsement of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon (D).
Nixon, best known for starring in “Sex and the City,” is challenging New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) from the left with a progressive platform that includes single-payer health care, climate justice and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Nixon in July dubbed herself a democratic socialist and her spokeswoman Lauren Hitt told Politico that she was in touch with DSA.
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“Some more establishment, corporate Democrats get very scared by this term but if being a democratic socialist means that you believe health care, housing, education and the things we need to thrive should be a basic right not a privilege then count me in,” Nixon wrote in an email to Politico. “As Martin Luther King put it, call it democracy or call it democratic socialism but we have to have a better distribution of wealth in this country.”
“I have long stood in support of a millionaires tax, Medicare for all, fully funding our public schools, housing for all and rejecting all corporation donations — all of which align with democratic socialist principles,” she added.
The New York City chapter of DSA in April endorsed House candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D), a democratic socialist who won her New York City district in a primary upset over incumbent Rep. Joseph Crowley (D) last month. Nixon threw her weight behind Ocasio-Cortez before her success in the primary.
Nixon has sought to publicly align herself with progressive Democratic insurgents challenging New York incumbents they accuse of being overly aligned with the party’s establishment.
Nixon last month also backed DSA-aligned Julia Salazar, who is running against state Sen. Martin Malave Dilan (D), and Jessica Ramos, who is challenging state Sen. Jose Peralta (D)
Nixon trails Cuomo in the polls, but her team insists polls that survey registered voters could be misleading because she is hoping to bring out people who do not typically vote.
Hitt told ABC this month that registered voters are a “poor reflection of the electorate likely to vote on Thursday, September 13th.”
“Joe Crowley’s poll had him up by 35 points,” Hitt added. “He lost by 15.”