POLITICS

Race for NYC mayor: Donovan arrested, teachers endorse Stringer, Yang's wife comes to his defense

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Donovan arrested, teachers endorse Stringer, Yang's wife speaks out

It was a busy day on the campaign trail for the NYC mayoral candidates one month ahead of Election Day.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The masks may be coming off, but the problems of how to rebuild New York City remain.

On Tuesday, the diverse group of Democratic candidates vying to win the primary next month stumped in New York - trying to be heard about what they would rebuild.

Andrew Yang's wife, Evelyn, went to bat for her husband and ripped a Daily News cartoon that depicted Yang with small, beady eyes.

"Yesterday a number of my friends sent me a cartoon from the Daily News with a note saying I can't believe how racist this is," she said.

In the last few weeks, Yang has made a few gaffes and stumbles. Some of his opponents have said it's a sign he doesn't know New York and isn't ready to be mayor.

But on Tuesday, Yang and his wife, a born New Yorker, said they've had enough with months of ridicule.

"Piling up all the little attacks around 'oh he didn't know the name of this, he called a bodega a bodego'", Evelyn said. "Where would that go but you wrap it into the narrative that 'Oh this means Andrew is not a New Yorker, that's what's toxic."

Meanwhile on the campaign trail, Shaun Donovan was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct in a racial justice protest to mark one year since the murder of George Floyd.

Kathryn Garcia picked up the endorsement of the environmental group League of Conservation Voters.

And Scott Stringer campaigned in Chinatown with teachers and parents.

He is accused of sexual harassment and has lost several big endorsements, including Congressman Adriano Espaillat, who this weekend switched to Eric Adams.

On Monday the Teachers' Union president defended Stringer and called him ready on day one.

"We've been through so much I'm like 'let's have another fight' because in the end we're going to protect this building, the people in it and we're going to protect the children in our community and we know the right person to do that with-is this man, Scott Stringer," UFT President Michael Mulgrew said .

Candidates are now prepping for something they haven't had to do yet: a live, in-person debate, no Zoom.

That debate will air June 2 on Channel 7 and ABC7NY.