In The News
Stringer cements rebound with commanding debate performance
New York, NY – Tonight, the candidate ready to lead New York City’s greatest comeback cemented his own. With a commanding performance in the first debate of the 2021 mayoral race, Scott Stringer proved that he isn’t just still in this race — he’s going to win it. While other candidates offered empty promises, bickered, and stumbled at key moments, Stringer was full of the bold ideas, progressive vision, and political know-how needed to lead the greatest city on earth out of its greatest crisis in a generation. .
“New York City – we’re tough and we’re resilient. We’re ready to come off the mat and fight for our greatest comeback,” Comptroller Scott Stringer said. “The next mayor has to have an understanding of our city, has to have a bold vision for reimagining the next generation of New York. And I do believe that we cannot afford to have a mayor on training wheels. I’ll be ready on day one.”
“Scott wasn’t just the best prepared candidate for this debate — he’s the best prepared candidate for mayor,” said Stringer for Mayor campaign manager Micah Lasher. “On what was clearly a rough night for Yang and Adams, Scott stood out. No matter the question, Scott had a plan — and voters clearly saw that.”
In answer after answer, Stringer showed why experience and empathy matter in a mayor — and why New York’s worst crisis in a generation is no time to have an amateur in City Hall. From the start of his campaign, he’s promised to lead this city based on justice — economic justice, housing justice, racial justice, and environmental justice. And tonight, he showed what that looks like — and why New Yorkers in all five boroughs know that he is the progressive, effective choice for mayor.
“Scott Stringer just showed us again why he’s the right choice for Mayor of New York City. On the debate stage, he stood out from the crowd as the only candidate ready to lead this city on day one, bring us out of this crisis, and build a better future for our students and teachers,” said Michael Mulgrew, President of the United Federation of Teachers.
“Tonight made it clearer than ever: Scott Stringer will be the mayor who supports the workers who got us through the hardest year of our lives. That’s why unions are behind him all the way. With so much on the line this election, we can’t risk electing someone without experience or progressive vision. Scott is the only candidate in this race who has both, and that’s why we’re proud to stand with him,” said Stuart Applebaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.
“In tough times, New Yorkers need a tough leader. That’s Scott Stringer. He doesn’t just talk the talk — he’s walked the walk for his entire career. Scott has never been afraid to stand up for working New Yorkers, and tonight he showed that he is the best candidate to rebuild New York City for us. Teamster members are ready to get out the vote to elect Scott Stringer as our next mayor,” said Thomas Gesualdi, President of Teamsters Joint Council 16.
“Scott Stringer has always been a champion of public schools. Now, after an unprecedented year for teachers and students, he’s the mayor we need to transform and strengthen education for every New York City kid. His commitment to reopening our schools safely, fully, and equitably; putting two teachers in every classroom; and addressing the inequities that COVID laid bare make him the obvious and only choice to lead our city forward,” said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers.
“New Yorkers need a mayor who is ready to get to work on day one to rebuild our city. Tonight, Scott Stringer showed why he’s the right person for the job. Scott’s commitment to creating good, middle-class careers with benefits is unrivaled, and we’re confident that his proven leadership is what’s needed to put New York City back to work,” said Gary LaBarbera, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York.
“I’ve known Scott Stringer for decades as a public servant of unparalleled integrity, determination, and vision. He’s a fighter for everyday New Yorkers, and at tonight’s debate, he showed us exactly why that matters in our next mayor. At a time when New York is in unprecedented pain, we need a leader with the plans and the know-how to bring us together and bring our city back to life. Scott is the best — and only — candidate who will get it done and be ready on day one,” said Ruth Messinger, former Manhattan Borough President.
In particular, Stringer highlighted his plans to:
- Create a $1 billion NYC Recovery Now Fund to provide direct grants to small businesses and nonprofits in the city’s hardest-hit sectors, helping to bring back 600,000 jobs lost during the pandemic in one year.
- Transform the public education continuum from birth to college or careerfor a post-COVID recovery — with his NYC Under 3 plan to provide high-quality, affordable child care for every family who needs it, his plan to put two teachers in every K-5 elementary school classroom to provide the enriched and personalized instruction that all our children deserve, and his plan to provide universal free, high-quality afterschool programming in every K-8 school while ensuring that every high school student has access to a paid internship.
- Make every neighborhood more affordable for every New Yorker and build the true low-income housing our city needs by requiring all big developments to set aside 25% of all units as affordable under his Universal Affordable Housing proposal, while leveraging City capital dollars to build low- and extremely low-income housing on 1,000 vacant City-owned lots.
See the rest of Scott’s plans for an equitable post-COVID recovery here.
Scott Stringer was born and raised in Washington Heights. He attended P.S. 152 on Nagle Avenue and I.S. 52 on Academy Street. He graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Marble Hill and John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan, a CUNY school.
Stringer was elected City Comptroller in 2013. Prior to serving as Comptroller, he was Manhattan Borough President from 2006 to 2013 and represented the Upper West Side in the New York State Assembly from 1992 to 2005. He and his wife, Elyse Buxbaum, live in Manhattan with their two children, Max and Miles.
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