POLITICS

New York City mayoral candidates attend Memorial Day events

Monday, May 31, 2021

NYC Mayor's race: Mayoral candidates attend Memorial Day eventsDave Evans reports on the candidates attending Memorial Day events in New York City.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Several of the candidates running for mayor of NYC hit the campaign trail on Memorial Day.

The 102nd annual Memorial Day parade was held on Staten Island on Monday. Eric Adams was there looking for supporters and he found some.

"I think he's going to win, we went to the police academy together," one voter said.

Adams, a former police captain and state senator, speaks often about the men and women serving in the military and how so many of them often end up homeless and troubled.

Out of the five boroughs, Staten Island is of course, by far, the most Republican.

But Adams wanted to come to the parade to talk about veterans.

He is proposing a program called Honor our Heroes, which is a mobile outreach for veterans who sometimes slip through the cracks.

"We want a friendlier city when it comes down to having access to services," Adams said. "And nothing personifies that more than the countless number of men and women who have fought abroad and come home to an unfriendly government."

Meanwhile, Kathryn Garcia also attended a Memorial Day event.

She has jumped in the polls lately and she is preparing for a big televised debate on WABC on Wednesday night.

"I'm just so happy it's in person because I am so tired of Zoom and I'm sure you are as well," Garcia said. "It's the basic, what I do to get ready for anything."

Andrew Yang struck an upbeat note at a Memorial Day event he attended Monday - even as he has slipped from his once lofty frontrunner status.

"Whenever we visit neighborhoods around the city, we are greeted with excitement and enthusiasm, Yang said. "They say we need something different... you've got our vote."

The primary election is three weeks from Tuesday, but surprisingly, the race is still considered wide open.

The debate among the top eight Democratic candidates for New York City mayor will take place Wednesday at 7 p.m. The first hour will air on Channel 7 and the second hour will take place on our streaming platforms, our website and digital channel 7.2.

ALSO READ | NYC elections: What is ranked-choice voting?