Brooklyn Borough President Race: Who Will Replace Eric Adams?

BROOKLYN, NY — For the first time since 2013, someone other than Eric Adams will be Brooklyn's borough president.

Twelve candidates have put their hat in the ring to replace Adams, who is vying to become New York City's next mayor in the 2021 elections. Four out of the city's five borough presidents will leave office this year because of term limits.

Borough presidents are responsible for advocating for their borough in the city's budget, appointing community board members, deciding on local initiatives and projects to fund and offering a vote on land-use items during the review process.

The crowded race for Brooklyn's leader has several familiar faces in the borough, including two outgoing City Council members, a state assembly member and a local hospital executive who are frontrunners in terms of funding, according to the latest filing.

Here's a look at all 12 candidates:

Robert E. Cornegy, Jr.

• Money raised: $249,640
• Public funds: $576,507
• The leader in terms of fundraising, Cornegy is the current City Council Member for Brooklyn's 36th District, which covers Bed-Stuy and parts of Crown Heights. He has touted a "holistic" plan for the borough, including developing more affordable housing and improving education, the small business climate and public safety. Recently, Cornegy came under fire for misusing his City Council office to kickstart his campaign.

Kimberly Council

• Money raised: $47,314
• An ordained minister, Council worked to bring 1,000 units of affordable housing to Brooklyn neighborhoods through her work as the former executive director of the Berean Community and Family Life Center and president of the East New York Housing Development Corporation. Eradicating economic disparity, promoting minority and women-owned businesses and creating a new division of first responders dedicated to mental health complaints are among her campaign platforms.

Khari Edwards

• Money raised: $144,942
• Public funds: $491,182
• The second-place candidate in terms of public funding so far, Edwards is a local organizer who most recently serviced as the first vice president of color at Brookdale Hospital, where he was vice president of external affairs. He is also a lead coordinator for East Brooklyn Call to Action Campaign. Edwards' campaign focuses on housing and homelessness, small business, opportunities for youth and a plan to make Brooklyn the healthiest borough in New York City.

Robert A. Elstein

• Money raised: $1,357
• A self-described "outsider to politics," Elstein is a longtime public high school teacher who says Mayor Bill de Blasio's handling of schools during the coronavirus pandemic was the final straw in motivating him to run for office. Ending mayoral control of schools, activating a "kindness initiative" and strengthening Brooklyn's place in the arts community are among his policy proposals.

Mathieu Eugene

• Money raised: $38,137
• The first Haitian elected to the New York City Council, Eugene is coming up on the end of his term-limited reign leading Brooklyn's 40th City Council District, which includes parts of East Flatbush, Flatbush, Crown Heights and Midwood. Patch could not find any campaign website or social media accounts for Eugene's campaign. His profile on the City Council site lists education, healthcare, employment opportunities, public safety, immigrant rights and affordable housing as his priorities.

Pearlene S. Fields

• Money raised $3,103
• With a campaign framed as an alternative to career politicians "using our votes as stepping stones for their next public office," Pearlene includes lowering income levels used to calculate affordable housing and pay raises for teachers among her policy ideas. She is a member of Community Board 17 and has worked in business administration at various nonprofit organizations.

Anthony T. Jones

• Money raised: $17,468
• Jones serves as a district leader for the 55th Assembly District and ran for assembly in 2014, when he was beaten by Assembly Member William Boyland Jr. His campaign is focused on rebuilding Brooklyn after the coronavirus pandemic, including helping small businesses and improving food banks. Jones is chairman of the nonprofit One Brownsville.

Shanduke L. McPhatter

• Money raised: $617
• McPhatter is a former gang member who has spent the last decade running Gangtas Making Astronomical Community Changes, an anti-gang organization that has received significant investments from the Mayor's Office to combat violence in Brooklyn. His campaign, focused on safety for the borough, comes after controversy surrounding the organization's finances and accusations that McPhatter threatened to have his neighbor killed.

Robert Ramos Jr.

• Money raised: $3,448
• Ramos served as president of the DC37 Local 205 Daycare Workers Union and is a member of the City University of New York (CUNY) Board of Trustees. His campaign platform includes "solarizing" NYCHA developments, developing more early-childhood programs in the borough and expanding community land trusts.

Antonio Reynoso

• Money raised: $166,396
• Public funds: $462,880
• Another top contender in terms of fundraising, Reynoso represents North Brooklyn's 34th District in City Council. He is perhaps most known for a bill that overhauled the city's waste industry. His campaign — which is framed around offering justice and equity across the borough — has received high-profile endorsements, including the Working Families Party, New Kings Democrats, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Cynthia Nixon and Make the Road Action.

Jo Anne Simon

• Money raised: $242,850
• Public funds: $481,224
• The candidate with the most privately-raised funding behind Cornegy, Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon has served in Albany since 2015. She was also the first female District Leader and State Committeewoman for the 52nd Assembly District and a leader in several local organizations, including the Boerum Hill Association and Downtown Brooklyn Coalition. Her campaign website points to achievements in campaign finance reform, advocacy as a disability rights lawyer and gun violence prevention.

Lamor Whitehead-Miller

• Money raised: $22,364
• Whitehead-Miller is a bishop with the Leaders of Tomorrow International Churches in Carnarsie who credits his father's high-profile tragic death in 1978 for his commitment to the ministry. Criminal justice reform, the COVID-19 pandemic, education, community development and low and moderate income housing are listed as his campaign's top priorities.