WFP doesn’t want Schlossberg

The New York Working Families Party has declined to endorse anybody in the Manhattan Congressional race to replace retiring WFP ally Rep. Jerry Nadler – but John F. Kennedy’s grandson has them rethinking that decision. 

“As the polls show Jack Schlossberg ahead, we think we can do better than that,” WFP State Director Jasmine Gripper told City & State Tuesday. The progressive third party is “potentially” going to reopen the endorsement process in mid-May.

The most likely endorsee? That would be Assembly Member Alex Bores, who was standing just two feet away at the time. He showed up to campaign for himself outside a special election poll site and was greeted warmly by Gripper and WFP endorsees Brad Lander and Lindsey Boylan. 

Bores did not endorse Boylan in that City Council race and he isn’t running as an out-and-out progressive, but he won the WFP’s endorsement in his 2024 reelection, so he’s lefty enough. Meanwhile, the WFP actually endorsed against a leading opponent in the Democratic primary, Micah Lasher, in his 2024 Assembly race. And the WFP is unlikely to back a candidate who’s getting boosted by former Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s $5 million donation to a pro-Lasher super PAC.

Schlosberg’s campaign, meanwhile, made the case to City & State he’s actually aligned with WFP.

“If true, surprising,” a Schlossberg campaign spokesperson said about the WFP hoping to stop him. “The record shows Jack is the leading progressive candidate by a mile. He was the first candidate to endorse (Mayor Zohran) Mamdani, the only candidate to oppose the war in Iran on substantive grounds, the only candidate that has gone on the record to support the (U.S. Sen. Bernie) Sanders resolution that blocked bombs and bulldozers to (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s) right-wing government, the only candidate that supports true public housing, and the only candidate refusing super PAC money. Supporting Schlossberg should be a no-brainer.”

While the WFP endorsement is coveted, it’s unclear how much sway it would have over voters in Manhattan. Despite having WFP’s support, Boylan ended up losing big to Carl Wilson Tuesday.