Lancman Says He’d Vacate WFP Line For Meng

Although Queens Democratic Assemblyman Rory Lancman just finished a tough congressional race against Assemblywoman Grace Meng, Lancman says he’s willing to do “whatever it takes” to help Meng beat her Republican opponent in November.

In a phone interview today, Lancman said that included a willingness to vacate the ballot line of the labor-backed Working Families Party, which Lancman landed during the four-way NY-6 congressional primary won by Meng.

Lancman’s move to cede the line would allow Meng to have both the WFP and Democratic lines in her race against Republican Councilman Dan Halloran, who has Republican and Conservative support. If Lancman were not willing to cede the WFP line, the well-known Queens Democrat would likely siphon votes away from Meng.

Lancman cautioned that he’s had no discussions with the WFP or Meng’s campaign about the ballot switcheroo.

His statement comes at a time when he is at loggerheads with the Queens Democratic Party, which supported Meng in the primary.

The Queens Democrats are running a district leader challenger against Lancman. Meanwhile, Lancman is co-petitioning for district leader with Nily Rozic, who is running for Lancman’s Assembly seat against a Queens Democratic Party-backed candidate Jerry Iannece.

Despite the friction with the Queens Dems, Lancman said he wanted to help Meng’s campaign against Halloran.

“Politics exists on many different tracks, and these things are apples and oranges,” Lancman said.

Presumably, this all means that Lancman, an attorney, will be nominated to a judgeship by the Working Families Party this fall, which would allow Meng to then take over the ballot line.

“Or, I could die between now and then,” Lancman noted sarcastically.

A third option getting Lancman off the WFP line – involving the assemblyman moving out of New York – also seems unlikely.