Congresswoman Maloney Endorsed by State Senator Cleare — and Vice Versa

In her campaign for re-election in Congressional District 12, the map of which was recently reconfigured, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney has picked up an endorsement from Senator Cordell Cleare, representing State Senate District 30. And the offer of support is reciprocal — Maloney has in turn endorsed Cleare, whose district narrowly overlaps her own in East Harlem.

“I am deeply grateful for Senator Cleare’s endorsement and am proud to endorse her for re-election,” Maloney said in a statement. “This is an especially meaningful partnership as East Harlem has played an integral part in my life as a public servant.”

Maloney’s District 12 has historically extended southward from the Upper East Side to include Midtown, Murray Hill and the East Village, and eastward to encompass Randalls and Wards Islands, Astoria, Long Island City and Greenpoint. With Governor Kathy Hochul’s approval of redrawn district maps in the beginning of February, District 12 gained a few more blocks of East Harlem and more of Manhattan’s West Side, including Greenwich Village — but lost swaths of Queens and Brooklyn. The congressional maps as a whole have been controversial since their release following the most recent census, sparking accusations that they exhibit gerrymandering in favor of Democrats (and long-standing Democrats at that).

This election cycle, Maloney’s up against a number of challengers, from third-time candidate Suraj Patel to new hopeful Rana Abdelhamid. It’s now been three decades since Maloney was first elected to Congress.

The Long Haul

Even before beginning her tenure as congresswoman, Maloney has shown dedication to bettering the communities she currently serves, in ways big and small. “Going back to her time as a teacher in East Harlem, Congresswoman Maloney has a proven track record of delivering for our East Harlem community,” Senator Cleare said in a statement. “After becoming East Harlem’s City Councilmember, Congresswoman Maloney saved the only ATM in the neighborhood when the big banks wanted to get rid of it.”

Maloney currently serves as chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, after having previously served as chair of the Joint Economic Committee. She is the first woman to represent the congressional district and has passed over 74 measures. Locally, as of late, she’s teamed up with current and former council members to unveil a new gym at Eleanor Roosevelt High School on the Upper East Side and she toured East Side small businesses to learn more about their building-back experience in the wake of COVID-19.

Looking to the future, Cleare is confident that Maloney will also continue to fight for increased MTA access in East Harlem. “I know she will deliver on her promise to expand the 2nd Avenue Subway to 125th Street,” said Senator Cleare, referencing a slow-moving MTA project that has been decades in the making. “I am proud to both receive the Congresswoman’s endorsement and endorse her for re-election.”

In addition to Cleare’s support, Maloney has already welcomed endorsements from retiring longtime Assembly Member Richard Gottfried and current Council Member Gale Brewer, who served as Manhattan Borough President until the end of last year. The primary will take place this summer, on June 28.