Crosby, Nolan Step Forward to Run, with more candidates to come?
Two of Yonkers four seats on the Westchester Board of Legislators will have contested elections in 2021. Dwanita Crosby made her announcement for County Legislator in the 16th District on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“Following in the footsteps of Vice -President Kamala Harris, who announced her candidacy in 2019 on MLK Jr. Day, loingtime democrat and community activist Dwanita Crosby announced today that she is running for Westchester County Legislator for District 16,” said Crosby, who introduced herself to Yonkers democrats during a candidates night with Ward and District leaders. Crosby will also attend the Yonkers Democratic Party’s virtual convention on January 27.
“Giving back to my commuinity was instilled in me at an early age. After years of working behind the scenes in government, now is the time for me to have a seat at the table and advocate for the people of my city, community, and county.
Crosby, a single mother of a son, has 15 years of experience working in government and in Yonkers City Hall. She also has more than 20 years of experience working with non-profit organizations. She touted her work forming community partnerships between the City of Yonkers and Westchester County, and her supporters have applauded her work with the homeless community in Yonkers and the City’s youth population.
Crosby has two Masters Degrees, in Public Management and Leadership, and a Dual Degree in Human Resource Managment/ Management and Operation and Bachelors of Science in Psychology. She is contining her Doctoral degree in Public Managment and will officially launch her campaign this weekend. If elected, Crosby would be the youngest African-American woman to serve on the County Board.
Crosby is seeking to defeat County Legislator Christopher Johnson, who has served for four years on the county board and six years prior to that on the Yonkers City Council. This will make an interesting democratic primary in Yonkers on June 22, where City Councilwoman Shanae Williams is already challenging Tim Idoni for County Clerk.
Another contested County Legislative race in Yonkers this year will be in the 15th District, which includes East Yonkers and Bronxville. Incumbent Democratic Legislator Ruth Walter will face a republican opponent this fall.
Who that opponent will be is unclear.
Community activist James Nolan, is one republican who will also shortly announce that he will run for this seat. Nolan, a republican, has served Yonkers and Westchester in many different vounteer-service capacities through the Michael Nolan foundation, named after his brother, who was shot and killed in Yonkers in 2015. This would be his first run for office.
Yonkers Council Minority Leader Mike Breen will not be running against Walter. Breen told Yonkers Rising that “after serious consideration, I have decided to stay on the city council and serve the people of Yonkers. Now more than ever, bi-partisanship is needed and I want to continue the work we have accomplished.”
Breen, in our view, would have given Walter her toughest challenge, but the campaign has just started, and there are other republicans interested in, and considering to run against Walter, who defeated republican Gordon Burrows in 2019 and is completing her first term on the county board.
Democrats currently hold a 16-1 Super, Duper Majority on the County Board, with legislator Margaret Cunzio a conservative. There are few if any other County Board contests where republican stand a chance. “The disrict 15 race is the republican’s Alamo this year,” said one political analyst.
The other problem for republican candidates this year is that Democrats have George Latimer on the top of their ticket in November running for County Executive, while republicans currently don’t have a candidate at this point.
Contact us at risingmediagroup@gmail.com with other candidates running for office this year.
