Goldman touts political club support in NY-10

One of Brooklyn’s most influential political clubs is backing lower Manhattan’s Rep. Dan Goldman for reelection against Brooklynite and former Comptroller Brad Lander in the heated race for the 10th Congressional District. Independent Neighborhood Democrats is the latest in a series of clubs that have backed the incumbent Congress member. The club announced their endorsement on Monday, opting to wait until there was clarity on the redistricting case that would’ve drastically changed the races for the 10th and 11th Congressional Districts.

It’s petitioning season, so club endorsements – and the volunteers that come with them – can be helpful. Goldman is touting endorsements from eight Democratic political clubs in the district that spans lower Manhattan and Brownstone Brooklyn. In a statement, Goldman said, “I’m incredibly grateful to be endorsed by nearly every political club in my district, from the West Village to Brooklyn.” IND ranked Lander in the Democratic mayoral primary just last year, as did the Village Independent Democrats and the Grand Street Democrats. But in the congressional race, both clubs are backing Goldman instead.

Lander’s campaign disputed Goldman’s characterization of the club landscape, saying Lander had received seven political club endorsements, though one of them, 504 Democrats, is a citywide club, and another, Chelsea Reform Independent Democrats, only partially overlaps with the district. 

While some political clubs like Independent Neighborhood Democrats are all in on Goldman, Indivisible Brooklyn, which is backing Lander, has reservations about the candidate.

“We have been pleased to see Dan Goldman moving a little bit more to the left over the course of the last several months,” said Lisa Raymond-Tolan, who sits on the Indivisible Brooklyn leadership committee. “But we’re still concerned about his support of Israel, his taking of AIPAC money, and his refusal to endorse Zohran Mamdani in the mayoral race even though he was the Democratic nominee.”

Besides club endorsements, Lander has received notable co-signs from Mamdani, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, state Sen. Andrew Gounardes, and Assembly Member Robert Carroll, who previously backed Goldman in the 2022 primary.

Goldman, meanwhile, has been endorsed by Comptroller Mark Levine, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Gov. Kathy Hochul, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly Member Grace Lee.