Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer (Photo: NYC Council)
Jan. 19, 2021 By Christina Santucci
Three weeks after hinting to the Queens Post that he was considering running for Queens Borough President, Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer has launched his bid for the seat–announcing his run in a video posted to YouTube Tuesday morning.
“It’s time for a new vision for Queens where working New Yorkers get ahead – not real estate developers who put profits before people. Where we tax millionaires and billionaires and reimagine affordable housing. Where we invest more resources in black and brown communities and not the NYPD,” Van Bramer said in the video.
Van Bramer, who currently represents Sunnyside, Woodside, Long Island City and Dutch Kills, will face his former Council colleague Donovan Richards who assumed the Queens Borough President office last month.
Last year Richards won both a primary and general election for the remainder of former Borough President Melinda Katz’s term, which is scheduled to conclude Dec. 31. Katz had left the BP seat to take over as Queens District Attorney.
Van Bramer initially ran in last year’s race for borough president but withdrew in January 2020, citing family concerns.
“About this time last year, it took a heavy toll on me, and I wasn’t in a good place to mount the run,” he told the Queens Post in a podcast. “If you are ready to run, you have to be all in.”
During the interview, Van Bramer spoke about how the pandemic forced him—along with his siblings–to devise a plan to care for his elderly mother’s health problems.
“I am in a position to run,” he said during the podcast.
When asked what he thought about his chances, Van Bramer said, “I wouldn’t enter a race that I didn’t think I had a chance of winning.”
“If there is a principled reason to run, if there are issues that really should be aired and should be discussed, and if there is a values-based platform that I think is important to share, then I would run,” he continued.
Van Bramer, who advocated against Amazon coming to Long Island City and was opposed to the recent Flushing waterfront rezoning, has already picked up the endorsements of State Senator Jessica Ramos and Assembly member Ron Kim.
According to the New York City Campaign Finance Board, Danniel Maio, a mapmaker from Forest Hills; Stan Morse, tenant organizer with the Justice for All Coalition; and Diane S. Sanchez have also filed candidate certifications for the BP seat.
It’s time for a new vision for Queens, where working families get ahead. Together we can say “yes” to a future that works for *all* of us. I’m so proud to announce my campaign for Queens Borough President ?
(Subtitles available in English & Spanish) https://t.co/bG3xyLc8OP— Jimmy Van Bramer (@JimmyVanBramer) January 19, 2021
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27 Comments
I love jvb. Smart handsome and my husband and i finally agree on something. Its not easy to get us to agree on something.
Jvb is our man ????
Anyone can throw their hat in the ring, and he’ll get enough signatures from his district to get on the ballot. But winning borough-wide is a long shot. JVB only has a chance if Richards screws up or gets sick.
When will JVB stop being a hypocrite and get rid of his cars and precious parking placard which he uses to park in the NO STANDING zone across from Barnett Auto Repair?
Jimmy, don’t listen to the small number of haters. You’ve been an amazing representative for our neighborhood. As one of the highest ranking members in the city council, a respected voice on a range of issues, you are clearly qualified for borough-or-city-wide office. Thank you for service, and best of luck in your next role!
Can drag queen story hours return now that Rudy is unemployed?
Jimmy sat around while our neighborhood was being destroyed by the motels turning into shelters; increased crime; the shutdown of local businesses; the increase in crime – but he always had time to lead marches over the bridge! He has been a disaster. I guess he can’t find a job in the private sector. The once lovely Sunnyside Gardens is turning to a garbage dump. We don’t need this radical by the numbers.
Hashtagger- What an exaggeration. Hahaha
We don’t want him.
Again with the “We”. We, who? Lol
I think he will do very well and has a good chance of winning. He is liked and respected by moderate and liberal democrats. We are so proud
With ranked-choice voting coming up, you vote for 3 candidates by order of preference. Guess which two candidates I’m NOT voting for?
This has to be a joke.
He was instrumental in bringing down the quality of life we are currently experiencing….what does he offer to anyone outside of his base? Nothing….he could care less about his hardworking …tax paying…law abiding….constiuents.
@William-Who is his base? I’ve lived in Sunnyside since the 1950’s and have not noticed a downward trend in the quality of life. Please elaborate.
Sorry….but I’m not taking the “bait” His base is and was the middle class hardworking……tax paying….vested and staked owners of property in Sunnyside. You haven’t noticed any change in the quality of life? Graffitti…overflowing garbage cans….crime both serious and the worst of petty quality of life offenses….bicycles everywhere except in the bike lanes….open drug dealing on 48 street and Skillman ave….businesses closed……..filth under the 7 line….perhaps this appeals to you? If I had to guess….you are a disaffected individual …with an axe to grind….missed the boat? still live at home? unemployed? student debt?
Sorry..His lack of class and constant use of profanity is just one reason he won’t get my vote!
Does this mean we’ll finally get to the point of the investigation of who put the thumb tacs in the bike lane?
He was first elected to the NYC Council in 2009. As a result of term limits, he will be out of a job at the end of 2021. Now he had to find another public office to run for. Is he really different from any other another career club house politician using the perks of one office at taxpayers expense to run for another?.
Larry Penner.
Yeah like a long winded over opinionated TA employee.
Biden never gave up and now he is president. Think smart. We love Jimmy.
Who’s we?
Please let’s not vote him he is horrible does nothing, only cares about being on tv
@Not him- My family had issues with overflowing garbage cans in front of our homes..Jimmy resolved them. My family had issues regarding a defective sewage system on our block. Jimmy resolved it. We needed a traffic light on our street. Jimmy got it. We needed speed bumps after my grand daughter was struck by a speeding car a number of years ago. Jimmy got them.We are grateful for the new benches throughout the neighborhood. We are grateful for the extra funding at our local schools Jimmy secured. We are grateful for the upgrades made to the public library’s in Woodside Sunnyside and LIC Jimmy arranged. We are grateful to our upgraded Parks and playgrounds at Torsney, Doughboy, Bush Vincent Daniel and Wymueller parks. We love the plazas at 40th Street Lowery and 46th and Bliss.
Wow! Sounds like Jimmy himself?
William- So I guess you can’t dispute the comment if that is your response.
Good luck!!!
God help us.