Local candidate for City Council raises nearly $60,000 for campaign

The lifelong Bay Ridge resident who announced his campaign for City Council’s 43^rd district seat on the neighborhood’s 163^rd birthday in December has already raked in nearly $60,000 from more than 480 donors just one month after launching his call for funds.

Proud Democrat, founding member of local organization Bay Ridge Cares and now-former president of the Bay Ridge Democrats Justin Brannan is reporting strong and fast grassroots support in the race for the seat, all of which positions him to receive the max in public funding from the city’s Campaign Finance Program.

“The incredible grassroots support we’ve received shows that the hardworking families from Colonial Road to Cropsey Avenue intend to have a voice in this election,” said Brannan. “As a longtime advocate and activist, it’s exciting for me to see hundreds of fellow residents contribute to this campaign and take an interest in the future of our community. There’s no better way to level the playing field and ensure everyday New Yorkers, not big moneyed interests and PACs, control the political process.”

Brannan is a former aide to Councilmember Vincent Gentile, who has represented the 43^rd District for more than 13 years, and who cannot run again come next year’s election due to term limits.

While Brannan is only the second to set up a campaign account (Republican hopeful Bob Capano’s is also up and running), a number of other public servants have shown interest in the seat.

Among those are John Quaglione (communications director for State Senator Marty Golden) and Liam McCabe (aide to Congressmember Dan Donovan), both said to be eyeing the Republican nomination alongside Capano, who currently works for Republican businessman John Catsimatidis.

On the other side of the aisle, the Reverend Khader el-Yateem, Kevin Peter Carroll and Assemblymember Peter Abbate are also rumored to be considering running for the Democratic nomination.

The 43rd City Council district encompasses Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach and Bensonhurst.