Brooklyn Councilmember Menchaca bows out of mayoral race

Poll showed less than 5 percent support

March 25, 2021 Jaime DeJesus, Brooklynreporter.com

Carlos Menchaca. Eagle photo by Andy Katz

Councilmember Carlos Menchaca. Photo: Andy Katz/Brooklyn Eagle

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Brooklyn Councilmember Carlos Menchaca (D-Sunset Park-Red Hook) on Wednesday became the latest candidate to officially withdraw from the crowded 2021 New York City mayoral race.

Menchaca, whose eight-year term in the Council is coming to an end due to term limits, made his bid official last October.

As a mayoral candidate, he found himself competing in a busy field of more than 20 announced candidates. Among them are such heavy hitters as Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, former HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, former NYC Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang, New School Professor Maya Wiley, and, on the GOP side, Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa.

According to a WPIX-TV/NewsNation/Emerson College poll of the mayoral race, Menchaca polled less than 5 percent. Gothamist reported that during his candidacy, Menchaca raised about $87,000 in private donations, much less than the top contenders have brought in.

“It is clear that my path to a primary victory is no longer attainable, so I am suspending my campaign for mayor,” Menchaca said in a letter to supporters. “As the youngest elected official in this race, I sought to bring new ideas and energy to this campaign and defy the status quo. I am grateful to the people who believed in me and my vision.”

Several other candidates have also withdrawn from the mayoral race, among them City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz.

During his tenure in the City Council, Menchaca opposed the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, the Brooklyn Queens Connector and the rezoning of Industry City. Some critics called him an obstructionist to private-sector development, and it came as a surprise to them when he recently supported a rezoning proposal that would bring a 14-story mixed-use housing development with 33 permanently affordable units to 737 Fourth Ave. in Sunset Park.

As far as his future plans are concerned, Menchaca stated that will be fighting for a fair city budget that will rebuild those communities hit hardest by COVID.

This will be the first New York City mayoral election to use ranked-choice voting.