Democratic Socialist NYC Councilwoman Tiffany Caban hosting fundraiser for Justin Brannan in comptroller's race

Yahoo

02-04-2025

Comptroller candidate Justin Brannan is holding a campaign fundraiser Saturday with far-left anti-Israel Democratic Socialist Councilwoman Tiffany Caban — while rival Mark Levine released a poll claiming he's on track to easily win the primary election.
Caban, one of the leaders of the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, has been a frequent critic of the Jewish nation as she's spoken out in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
She declared last year during a Pride Month celebration that 'queer liberation means 'Free Palestine!''.
The Queens representative shared photos on social media throughout the month with posters reading 'Queer as in Free Palestine' and 'No pride in genocide.'
Caban also visited the controversial protests at the 'Gaza Solidarity' anti-Israel encampment at Columbia University last April — part of ongoing demonstrations at the Ivy League, which later snowballed into a takeover of a school building, vandalism and violence.
Caban is co-hosting the event with fellow Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, another DSA-backed pol.
The 'meet and greet' invitation in Sunnyside cites Brannan's support from the left-leaning Working Families Party and refers to him as the 'Working People's Bulldog.'
Brannan's campaign also received two donations totalling $500 from Linda Sarsour, a longtime advocate of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel — which she has referred to as an 'apartheid' state.
Sarsour is also campaigning for mayoral candidate and state Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, another supporter of the BDS movement against Israel.
Meanwhile, Levine, the Manhattan borough president, claims he's on track to trounce Councilman Brannan in the Democratic primary for comptroller, according to an internal campaign poll obtained by The Post.
Levine leads Brannan 33% to 14%, with 6% going to third candidate, Brooklyn state Sen. Kevin Parker, — though many who were polled are still undecided or unfamiliar with the candidates, according to the survey conducted by the Global Strategy Group for his campaign.
Levine's lead over Brannan expands to 40% to 18% when Parker voters are asked to choose between the two, the survey claims.
The primary will be held June 24, preceded by early voting from June 14-22.
'Levine's multi-racial and cross-borough coalition makes him the best positioned candidate in the race. Before any paid communications, Levine captures majorities of Bronx and Manhattan voters, though he leads across boroughs,' the poll analysis said.
'He is already nearing the 50% mark among Hispanic voters, Jewish voters, and seniors,' claims the poll conducted by the Global Strategy Group.
Brannan's campaign, however, dismissed Levine's poll as nonsense.
'We've got our own polling that shows Justin leading 42-28 once voters are informed about the race,' said Brannan campaign spokesman Jon Paul Lupo.
'Most candidates confident in a big lead in their polls don't spend time pitching negative stories about small donors and house party hosts, especially not people they've previously praised. We are proud of and confident in Justin's diverse coalition and path to victory.'
Levine had defended Caban on social media in 2022 when she faced criticism from the right, and praised Sarsour in 2014 as seeing 'the humanity of people on both sides of the [Israel-Palestinian] conflict.'
Caban declined to comment, but she previously defended her support for the pro-Gaza encampment at Columbia.
'We believe in freedom, safety and equal rights for all Palestinians and Israelis, and we celebrate the students fighting for those aims, undaunted in the face of hostile university administrators and armed police battalions,' she said in a co-signed statement with Council members Shana Hanif, Sandy Nurse.and Alexa Aviles.
Current Comptroller Brad Lander is running for mayor instead of seeking re-election as comptroller, triggering a race on who will replace him.
Lander defeated former Council Speaker Corey Johnson in the Democratic primary for comptroller in 2021.