Queens District Attorney race could be a nail-biter
QUEENS (WABC) -- A surprising endorsement Friday in the Queens District Attorney Race, just four days before the primary election.
City Councilman Rory Lancman abruptly announced he's dropping out to endorse rival Melinda Katz.
"I don't have the numbers to win this race, it's as simple as that and I feel an obligation to the voters, my supporters," Lancman told Eyewitness News
The closely-watched race now has six candidates but insiders say it basically boils down to establishment favorite, Katz against Tiffany Caban, a public defender, who won the backing of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, as well as the New York Times.
On Friday, Caban said she's unconcerned with today's development. She said, "what we've done is built something pretty incredible as a 31-year-old queer Latina from a working-class family."
Another candidate, former judge and top prosecutor Greg Lasak said about Friday's endorsement, "The political machine pleaded for one career politician to endorse another career politician, and once again Queens families are left out."
But Katz, who's backed by Governor Andrew Cuomo and several unions, today touted her experience, claiming she has the trust of voters. Katz told us, ""I have the experience to make the changes everyone is talking about.
The race basically boils down to turnout. If western Queens turns out the vote, which is the base of Ocasio-Cortez's more liberal support, Caban should do well. But black voters in the southeast part of Queens could be pivotal and could swing the race to Katz.
There is a republican running for Queens DA but the county is heavily democrat-so whoever wins in Tuesday's primary will likely be the new District Attorney for Queens. That winner will replace long-time DA Richard Brown, who died earlier this year.
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