News

Our Spring 2020 Endorsements

We Endorsed Over 100 Pro-Environment Candidates

Click here to see the full list of our endorsements in the 2020 election cycle. The first two rounds of endorsements consisted of over 100 candidates with outstanding environmental records.

Every election year, we develop candidate questionnaires based on the League’s policy priorities, including protecting public health, building a clean energy future, protecting clean water, and mitigating climate change. The NYLCV Board recently voted to make the endorsements on the recommendations of chapters across the state, which make decisions based on interviews with the candidates and questionnaire responses. In the case of incumbents, the boards also consider how the candidate scored on the 2019 NYLCV State Environmental Scorecard or the national LCV Environmental Scorecard, which grade legislators based on votes and co-sponsorships of key environmental legislation. 

In 2019, New York made great strides towards creating a sustainable, green future, including adopting the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), committing to achieve 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. This year, elected leaders also advanced a $3 billion Environmental Bond Act to make critical infrastructure updates and established new rules to expedite the development of large-scale renewable energy and transmission projects across the state. 

As New York continues to fight the immediate health crisis, we must stay vigilant in our fight against the climate crisis and pollution. Now more than ever, we must prioritize environmental policy to improve public health, and protect our communities by providing clean air and water, and lowering our carbon footprint, while creating green jobs across New York. Elected leaders must prioritize adopting bold climate policies to protect New Yorkers and our environment. We are confident that these endorsed candidates will champion legislation that leads to a better environment and a strong, clean economy. We believe these candidates will be strong advocates for our environment and we urge voters to support them in their upcoming election.

The full list of endorsed candidates can be found below and linked here.

Non-Incumbent Endorsements

Long Island

  • Keith Brown, Assembly District 12 
  • Gina Sillitti, Assembly District 16 

New York City

  • Ritchie Torres, Congressional District 15

Capital Region

  • Karen Smythe, Senate District 41
  • Michelle Hinchey, Senate District 46 

Central & Western NY

  • Nate McMurray, Congressional District 27
  • John Mannion, Senate District 50
  • Sean Ryan, Senate District 60

Westchester

  • Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, Senate District 38 
  • Chris Burdick, Assembly District 93 

Incumbent Endorsements

Long Island

  • Congressman Tom Suozzi, Congressional District 3 
  • Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, Congressional District 4 
  • Senator Monica Martinez, Senate District 3 
  • Senator Jim Gaughran, Senate District 5 
  • Senator Kevin Thomas, Senate District 6 
  • Senator Anna Kaplan, Senate District 7 
  • Senator John Brooks, Senate District 8 
  • Senator Todd Kaminsky, Senate District 9 
  • Assemblyman Fred Thiele, Jr., Assembly District 1
  • Assemblyman Steve Englebright, Assembly District 4
  • Assemblyman Steve Stern, Assembly District 10 
  • Assemblyman Charles Lavine, Assembly District 13 

New York City

  • Congresswoman Grace Meng, Congressional District 6 
  • Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, Congressional District 7 
  • Hakeem Jeffries, Congressional District 8
  • Yvette Clarke, Congressional District 9
  • Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Congressional District 10 
  • Congressman Max Rose, Congressional District 11 
  • Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Congressional District 12 
  • Adriano Espaillat, Congressional District 13
  • Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Congressional District 14
  • Congressman Eliot Engel, Congressional District 16 
  • Senator Michael Gianaris, Senate District 12 
  • Toby Ann Stavisky, Senate District 16
  • Roxanne Persaud, Senate District 19
  • Senator Zellnor Myrie, Senate District 20 
  • Senator Kevin Parker, Senate District 21 
  • Senator Diane Savino, Senate District 23 
  • Senator Brad Hoylman, Senate District 27 
  • Senator Liz Krueger, Senate District 28 
  • Jose Serrano, Senate District 29
  • Senator Robert Jackson, Senate District 31 
  • Senator Luis Sepúlveda, Senate District 32 
  • Gustavo Rivera, Senate District 33
  • Senator Alessandra Biaggi, Senate District 34 
  • David Weprin, Assembly District 24
  • Assemblywoman Nily Rozic, Assembly District 25 
  • Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal, Assembly District 27 
  • Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, Assembly District 28 
  • Assemblyman Michael DenDekker, Assembly District 34
  • Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry, Assembly District 35 
  • Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas, Assembly District 36 
  • Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, Assembly District 37 
  • Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz, Assembly District 39 
  • Ron Kim, Assembly District 40
  • Robert Carroll, Assembly District 44
  • Steven Cymbrowitz, Assembly District 45
  • Assemblyman William Colton, Assembly District 47 
  • Assemblyman Joe Lentol, Assembly District 50 
  • Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, Assembly District 51 
  • Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon, Assembly District 52 
  • Walter Mosley, Assembly District 57
  • Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou, Assembly District 65 
  • Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, Assembly District 67 
  • Robert Rodriguez, Assembly District 68
  • Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell, Assembly District 69 
  • Assemblyman Al Taylor, Assembly District 71 
  • Assemblyman Dan Quart, Assembly District 73 
  • Assemblyman Harvey Epstein, Assembly District 74 
  • Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, Assembly District 75 
  • Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Assembly District 81 
  • Assemblywoman Karines Reyes, Assembly District 87 

Westchester

  • Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Senate District 35
  • Senator Shelley Mayer, Senate District 37 
  • Senator Pete Harckham, Senate District 40 
  • Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, Assembly District 88 
  • Assemblyman Steven Otis, Assembly District 91 
  • Thomas Abinanti, Assembly District 92 
  • Assemblywoman Sandra Galef, Assembly District 95
  • Ken Zebrowski, Assembly District 96

Capital Region/Mid-Hudson Valley

  • Congressman Antonio Delgado, Congressional District 19 
  • Congressman Paul Tonko, Congressional District 20
  • Senator James Skoufis, Senate District 39 
  • Senator Jen Metzger, Senate District 42
  • Senator Neil Breslin, Senate District 44 
  • Assemblywoman Didi Barrett, Assembly District 106 
  • Assemblyman John McDonald, Assembly District 108 
  • Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, Assembly District 109 
  • Phil Steck, Assembly District 110 
  • Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, Assembly District 111
  • Carrie Woerner, Assembly District 113 

Central & Western NY 

  • Congressman Anthony Brindisi, Congressional District 22
  • Joe Morelle, Congressional District 25 
  • Congressman Brian Higgins, Congressional District 26
  • Senator Rachel May, Senate District 53
  • Senator Tim Kennedy, Senate District 63 
  • Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, Assembly District 123
  • Assemblywoman Pamela Hunter, Assembly District 128
  • Assemblyman William Magnarelli, Assembly District 129
  • Assemblyman Harry Bronson, Assembly District 138 
  • Assemblyman Patrick Burke, Assembly District 142 
  • Assemblywoman Karen McMahon, Assembly District 146