Maya Wiley receives endorsement for NYC mayor from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
NEW YORK CITY -- New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed civil rights lawyer Maya Wiley on Saturday in the race for New York City mayor, a sign of growing progressive momentum behind Wiley's campaign with less than three weeks until the June 22 Democratic primary.
Wiley now has the support of two of the state's highest profile members of Congress in Ocasio-Cortez, who represents parts of Queens and the Bronx, and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, chair of the House Democratic Caucus.
The decision is likely to help Wiley's efforts to consolidate city progressives, who had for months been split among Wiley, a former counsel to outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer and former nonprofit executive Dianne Morales.
Ocasio-Cortez, who had previously indicated she might stay out of the mayoral campaign fray, made the announcement a week before the start of early voting and less than 24 hours after the New York Times reported a second sexual misconduct allegation against Stringer. He has denied the accusations from two separate women, which both allegedly took place decades ago, but has lost the backing of a number of leading progressive officials and organizations. CNN has reached out to him for additional comment on the allegations.
Ocasio-Cortez's endorsement also follows reports of an intense internal feud within Morales' campaign. Before Wednesday night's debate, a top adviser to Morales, Ifeoma Ike, defected to Wiley's campaign, where she has taken a senior role.
With neither of the Republican mayoral primary candidates considered serious contenders in November, the winner of the Democratic primary is widely expected to be elected to succeed de Blasio, who is term-limited and will leave office at the end of the year.
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