QUEENS — New York City Councilman Rory Lancman announced Friday he will drop out of the race for Queens District Attorney.
“The numbers are simply not there for me to win this Tuesday’s Democratic Primary,” Lancman said in a statement. “I owe it to voters, and particularly to my supporters, to acknowledge that fact and withdraw from the race. I’m especially concerned about causing a split in the South Queens vote, effectively diluting the voice of the community most impacted by the decisions our next DA must make.”
Lancman then announced he would endorse Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, considered the establishment favorite in the race.
“She has made the effort to successfully garner support within every community in our borough, the experience as a public official to see essential criminal justice reforms through to completion and the relationships with the civic and community organizations and institutions throughout Queens necessary to effect real change.”
The councilman had the support of several of the area’s teamsters unions, as well as Eric Garner’s mother and police reform advocate Gwen Carr, and was second to Katz in financial contributions.
Lancman’s chief of staff and legislative council, Rachel Graham Kagan, abruptly resigned Thursday, according to the New York Daily News, citing the candidate dropping out as the reason why.
Lancman will continue to serve constituents as a councilman for the 24th district.
Six candidates remain in the Democratic Primary, which will be held June 25. Besides Katz, former public defender Tiffany Caban, former executive assistant district attorney Gregory Lasak, Betty Lugo, former Washington deputy attorney general Mina Malik and former deputy chief attorney general in the state attorney general’s office Jose Nieves remain in the race.
Because there is only one Republican — private practice attorney Daniel Kogan — running for Queens DA, the Democratic Primary will likely determine who replaces Richard Brown, who passed away in May.
