Westchester Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins, left, with Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, right
By Dan Murphy
A recent story in City & State, Latimer’s win paves way for Westchester’s first Black county executive, (www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2024/07/latimers-win-paves-way-westchesters-first-black-county-executive/397797/ caught the eye of many Westchester democrats.
The story promoted the upcoming candidacy of Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins for his yet to be announced run for County Executive. “According to Democratic Party insiders in Westchester, it is Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins’ job to lose,” writes Austin Jefferson.
County Executive George Latimer is quoted, “I expect him to be the Democratic nominee for county executive…I don’t know that I’ve heard anybody thinking of challenging him within the party.”
“Nobody has called me up and said ‘I’m definitely in’” said Westchester County Democratic Committee Chair Suzanne Berger.
Many Westchester Democrats have questioned both the timing of the story, and the need to anoint Jenkins the democratic nominee, in the middle of July.
The political calendar to see who will replace Latimer has moved up after Latimer’s win in the democratic primary for congress against Rep. Jamaal Bowman. But Latimer still has to win the general election in November. His term as county executive ends at the end of next year, 2025.
But, if he beats the republican candidate for congress, Dr. Miriam Levitt Flisser, he will be sworn in as a member of the House in January. At that point Latimer will have to vacate the office of County Executive, or he could do that earlier to prepare for his new job in DC.
In the spring of 2025, there will have to be a special election for County Executive. That will include both the democrat and republican nominees. The winner of the special election will serve until November of 2025, when another county executive election will take place for a full, four-year term.
At this point, Ken Jenkins is the front runner to be the next Westchester County Executive. He has served as Latimer’s deputy for 7 years. He also served as the Vice-Chair of the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission.
But when Westchester democrats read the story, several that we spoke to wondered, why now and what is the rush? The story ran on July 1, in the middle of the summer, when most are away or aren’t paying attention to local politics. And Westchester democrats just got through a draining Latimer-Bowman democratic primary.
Specifically, Westchester democrats that we spoke to see the City & State story as a slight to the Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. Mike Spano was the first Democrat to hold the Mayor’s office in Yonkers in 16 years when he was elected in 2011. When he first took office as Yonkers Mayor, the Yonkers City Council had a Republican majority, a Republican County Executive, and a Republican majority on the County Board of Legislators. The leadership of Mike Spano as the face of the Democratic Party has powered the victories that led to those legislative bodies and positions becoming Democratically controlled.
Mike Spano has a track record as mayor of delivering balanced budgets, smart development, and a booming workforce in Yonkers. Mike Spano also has an incredible track record of electability. In a special election potentially in the month of March, Westchester County Democrats need a candidate with universal appeal like Mike Spano.
So, based on this record, should Mayor Spano be given a chance to think it over, and determine if he wants to run for County Executive? And we hear that there are other elected Westchester democrats interested in at least testing the waters for a County Executive run.
“I like Ken, but to crown him as the next County Executive is premature,” said Yonkers Democratic Chair Tom Meier. “I think the mayor of the third largest City in New York, who is popular with all groups, should be allowed to consider a run. We don’t know what his next political move is.”
“There are democrats out there who have political ambition equal to Ken and have political dreams of their own. There might be some other Mayors who are interested. It might be someone we don’t even know.
“It’s extremely early. A lot of people need to consider it and talk to their supporters and their family,” said Meier.
Harrison democrat Mark Jaffe, who ran for Harrison Supervisor last year said, “Anybody can run in a primary, and I don’t know if Mayor Spano wants to run. But he would make a fine candidate for County Executive, no doubt. He is doing a great job running the city and is immensely popular. I think Ken is happy with the story, but it guarantees nothing. And I do think that someone will challenge him if its Mike or someone else.”
A Yorktown democrat said, “This special election for County Executive is a very important for the future of our county. We need a candidate that people from every corner of the county can support- that person could very well be Mike Spano. We must have an open process in electing our next County Executive. I truly hope that Mike Spano considers a run for County Executive. His position as moderate Democrat is something that voters are embracing more than ever.”
A Hastings-on-Hudson democrat said, “Mike Spano has transformed Yonkers and brought the best out of the city. He can do the same thing for our county. As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have seen Mayor Spano unite communities and make inclusion the hallmark of his time thus far as Mayor. Mayor Mike Spano should be an option for County Executive or even higher office considering the way he transformed Yonkers.”
Other Yonkers democrats see a “growing discontent” between Yonkers democrats at the county democrats. “We get no credit for all the wins we have had here in Yonkers. Whether it’s getting out the vote, organizing volunteers or raising money, that’s not coming from the county democrats,” said one Yonkers Democrat. “There is a growing number of people who think that Mayor Spano should consider running for County Executive.”
Recent victories by Yonkers democrats include City Council President Lakisha Collins-Bellamy’s win over then Council President Mike Khader, and Mayor Spano’s recent reelection primary victory over councilwoman Corazon Pineda-Isaac, are two examples used by Westchester Democrats we spoke to.
The caveat to all of this is that Spano has not made up his mind and loves his job as Yonkers Mayor. But his supporters and those around him have tossed out the possibility.
“When we want to be organized, we can do it. This is nothing against Ken Jenkins, but more to the county organization. Sometimes, the county has no respect for the Yonkers democrats and as a result, we are uneasy, so we asked the mayor to consider it.
Mayor Spano’s brother, Nick Spano, recently held a fund raiser for Governor Kathy Hochul at his Yonkers home, raising six figures. “There’s a lot of Spano democrats in Yonkers, and they have been winning a lot of elections, even outside of Yonkers,” said one Yonkers democrat, who likes both Jenkins and Spano, “George still has to win in November. Why not wait until then? It’s way too early to do anything, or make any democrat commit. But I also know that Mayor Spano loves being mayor and it would take a lot to pry him out. “
Yonkers power in the Westchester democratic committee has declined over the past 20 years, from holding 25% of the county committee weighted voters to now around 18%. Some of the smaller democratic committees in northern Westchester have come together and formed an alliance, combining their share of the weighted vote.
“Sometimes, it’s a misunderstanding of cities. Yonkers has a lot of great democratic candidates, starting with Mayor Spano and Ken Jenkins. We helped elect Susan Cacace, who comes from Yonkers. And Yonkers democrats have helped their candidates. You can’t ask for our help without respecting our achievements and importance. Four Yonkers democrats are thinking about running for County Clerk. When you have qualified candidates who can win countywide, location shouldn’t matter,” said another Yonkers democrat.
Meier added, “Ken and I are good friends and the mayor, and I are good friends—but we could have a big showdown next year.”
