Chirlane McCray Endorses Zephyr Teachout in Attorney General Race

NEW YORK — As Chirlane McCray has quietly moved toward a more prominent political profile alongside her husband, Mayor Bill de Blasio, she has decided to make her first solo endorsement as first lady — backing Zephyr Teachout for state attorney general.

The endorsement gives Teachout one of her most high-profile backers in the contested Democratic primary.

McCray’s endorsement may be especially significant given the widespread support that two black candidates — Letitia James, the city’s public advocate, and Leecia Eve — are expected to win among black women, who traditionally wield significant influence in primary elections.

When Teachout, who is white, challenged Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for governor in 2014, she failed to win over the city’s black communities.

“I’ve been watching Zephyr for a while now, and I am just so struck by her courage, her progressive values. She is uniquely independent at a time when her values really matter,” McCray said.

“I do not speak for all African-Americans,” McCray said. “But I do hope to inspire those who consider me a leader.”

The endorsement brings together two women whose political careers could be seen as ascendant, especially by the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. McCray, who during de Blasio’s first term often deflected attention, has recently assumed a more prominent role, traveling around the country to promote her and her husband’s work; she has said she is considering a run for office.

And Teachout, who for much of the race had ceded favorite status to James, was treated by her rivals at a recent debate as the putative front-runner, showing momentum that McCray’s support may further fuel.

McCray’s husband has not yet issued any endorsements in statewide races. His silence is widely perceived as something of a political hedge, especially in the governor’s race: While de Blasio has long been entangled in a bitter feud with Cuomo, and closely aligned with Cynthia Nixon — she was one of his most visible supporters in his 2013 bid for mayor — a public declaration for Nixon, who trails in the polls, could exacerbate the governor’s ire if he wins a third term.

Cuomo has also made clear his preference for James as attorney general, hosting fundraisers for her and helping her win the nomination of the state Democratic Party. De Blasio has his own history with James, who succeeded him as public advocate and whose career, like his, has been closely intertwined with the progressive Working Families Party.

In an interview on WNYC on Friday, de Blasio reiterated that it was “not the moment” for him to endorse in either the governor’s or attorney general’s race, offering that most voters would not be paying attention until after Labor Day.

McCray also demurred on other races. “Not to say that I might not be making other decisions later on,” she said, “but today’s conversation is only about the attorney general race.”

McCray said she had made the decision to endorse Teachout on her own, inspired by her passion for mental health and criminal justice reform, and that she was “ready to help” on the trail however the campaign deemed most useful.

She and de Blasio had discussed her decision to endorse, and whether it would also be seen as a tacit endorsement by him, “a little bit.”

“I’ve just been so adamant that I just wanted to do this,” she said, adding that she was the one who had reached out to Teachout’s campaign. “We have conversations just like other couples. I’m my own person, very much my own person.”

Teachout acknowledged that her campaign had ridden a significant wave of support in the past few weeks. She was endorsed by several publications, including The New York Times editorial board. And Ritchie Torres, a New York City councilman who has been closely allied with Cuomo on criticisms of the mayor, also reversed his support for James and said he would vote for Teachout.

Asked if she had changed her strategy to appeal more to nonwhite voters, Teachout rattled off a list of issues on which she has been vocal, including environmental justice and mass incarceration, that she said have an outsize effect on minority voters.

“These are all issues that affect all New Yorkers, but the scourge of big money and corporate money in politics has a disproportionate impact on communities of color,” she said.

Christina Greer, a political-science professor at Fordham University, said Teachout might still have difficulty wresting black women’s votes away from James and Eve, especially given James’ long record of advocacy in the city. (Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney is also on the Democratic ballot.)

But James’ perceived lack of independence from the governor could cost her, Greer added.

“I do think that there’s a path to victory — not necessarily through getting votes from black women — but I still see a path to victory,” she said of Teachout.

As for McCray’s own political ambitions, the first lady said seeing and encouraging other women to run for office had made it impossible for her to “not think about myself.”

“This is not the time,” she said. “It will be one of many things that I consider in the future.”

Of one thing, though, she was sure: “It won’t be mayor, I can tell you that,” she said of the office she would choose. “No, definitely not.”