State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar’s newly introduced run for metropolis comptroller is elevating eyebrows in Massive Apple political circles.
The primary-term Queens consultant — dubbed the “Woman in Crimson” for the signature crimson frocks she wears when becoming a member of Mayor Eric Adams at occasions throughout town — is angling for the fiscal watchdog function that present Comptroller Brad Lander has used as a persistent thorn in Hizzoner’s facet.
“Comptrollers typically use their platform to run for mayor they usually spend most of their tenure criticizing the mayor to make headlines,” Rajkumar stated in an unique sit-down interview with The Submit final week.
“I believe that’s extra [Lander’s style]. My aim is to make our packages work extra effectively.”
The Submit spoke with greater than a dozen political insiders, with some praising Rajkumar, and others seeing purple flags about her “shut friendship” with Adams as she angles for citywide workplace.
“She simply jumps from one place to a different looking for her footing and needs to climb that political ladder,” one Democratic operative stated, “plus she offers the mayor full throated assist and that’s what he rewards.”
Rajkumar is well-known within the Massive Apple for tagging together with Adams to dozens of public occasions, typically far outdoors her southern Queens district. She even seems almost 300 occasions on the mayor’s official web site.
Lately, she stood by the mayor after he and the Metropolis Council hammered out the FY2025 funds, which drew the ire of lawmakers who had been working for weeks on the deal.
“I assume the Assemblymember was part of negotiations. Who knew…” Council Member Diana Ayala sarcastically tweeted in regards to the state pol’s look at an occasion celebrating the restoration of metropolis library funding.
One Council supply stated that: “Her determined try and trip the mayor’s coattails for greater workplace is awkward and sends a transparent message to her constituents that she cares about the whole lot besides her job.”
The 41-year-old although dismissed the criticism.
”Being all over the place truly helps me serve my constituency,” Rajkumar stated.
“Additionally, Queens is a traditionally uncared for and neglected space of town,” she stated. “I’m happy with the entire consideration I’ve been capable of deliver to this district and the assets.”
Rajkumar stated this in addition to her “shut friendship” with Adams — whom she admitted to talking with a number of occasions a day, together with twice proper earlier than her chat with The Submit — would give her an added benefit within the function of comptroller.
“New Yorkers don’t prefer to see their leaders squabbling and combating,” she stated, including, ”New Yorkers wish to see leaders working collectively to unravel issues — and I can do this very successfully with the Adams administration.”
The comptroller place is touted as town’s fiscal watchdog and traditionally has served as a foil for the mayor — a task that the lefty Lander has used as a platform to publicly criticize Adams, notably on the pricey migrant disaster.
Lander rejected a controversial $432 million no-bid contract with DocGo for migrant housing housing, moved to strip the mayor’s energy to strike such emergency offers and as soon as known as the administration “merciless” for evicting migrants after 60 days in shelters.
Rajkumar, when pressed by The Submit about whether or not she’d maintain Adams to account, stated there have been loads of points the 2 haven’t seen eye-to-eye on however declined to element her “personal” disagreements with the mayor.
“I consider I can maintain them to account as a result of what it’s about is us working collectively to make town work higher for everyone,” she stated. “He’s somebody I can all the time go to and current concepts to and focus on them with him.”
Rajkumar, who was born in Tarrytown to 2 medical doctors from India who moved to the US within the Seventies, launched her political profession in 2011 as a Decrease Manhattan district chief the place she stated she grew to become a fixture within the neighborhood.
After two failed runs for Council and Meeting, she grew to become in 2020 the primary Indian-American girl elected to the state Legislature — after she moved to southern Queens, which prompted Metropolis & State to criticize her and different candidates as “carpetbaggers.”
Her wardrobe of 50-plus crimson outfits — together with operating gear — got here later in her profession and garnered consideration because the so-called girl in purple.
Rajkumar contended that Lander was extra all in favour of politics than coverage — though she remained imprecise on her personal platform, saying her focus can be on safeguarding pension funds, reviewing metropolis businesses, particularly NYCHA, and to “repair authorities inefficiency.”
“I search for companions in authorities, as a result of I consider that we will higher serve the individuals. And I believe my very sturdy relationships with the mayor, the governor, and so many state legislators, and metropolis legislators goes to assist me within the function of actual change occurs via collaboration,” she stated.
However one Meeting supply stated some state and metropolis pols are annoyed at Rajkumar’s showing to take credit score for some initiatives, reminiscent of her look alongside the mayor on the metropolis funds announcement and her attempting to personal the state “Smokeout Act” cracking down on illicit pot outlets.
“I simply assume that she’s missing the sensitivity and skill to learn the room,” the Assemblymember stated, including that with a purpose to mount a profitable bid for comptroller, Rajkumar “has some restoring to do.”
Nonetheless, the supply added: “I’ve obtained to offer her credit score the place it’s due. She works onerous. She’s all over the place and aggressive.”
Whereas Rajkumar believes she’s armored herself for a doubtlessly bruising race towards Lander, ought to he make a run for mayor as anticipated, she might be dealing with a shedding battle with fellow Democrats Mark Levine and Antonio Reynoso — each rumored to be eyeing the function if its up for grabs.
“She is a really good individual, however not possible to see this not find yourself in a big defeat by the hands of both Brad Lander or Mark Levine,” one other Council supply informed The Submit.
“It takes years to construct up the kind of assist that it’s essential run for citywide workplace. She is a brand new Meeting Member in a handpicked district whose main ally is a deeply unpopular mayor. Not a successful components.”
Her harshest critic known as the Adams-Rajkumar pairing a “carpetbagger attracting one other carpetbagger” and stated she’s utilizing her “full-throated assist” to ascend the political ladder.
“She’s not even looking for relevance at these press conferences, it’s simply that every one consideration is sweet consideration — then the mayor can stick it to Brad,” a Council supply stated.
The mayor earlier this month defended Rajkumar’s presence at so lots of his press conferences, saying it was a mark of her dedication and noting he, too, was criticized for his “omnipresence” throughout his time as a state Senator.
“She has clearly seen the imaginative and prescient of this administration and has been an advocate based mostly on our actual perception of leaning into working class individuals,” Adams stated.
Some constituents contend Rajkumar just isn’t solely neglecting her district, however doing so in her figurative yard.
An deserted truck trailer languished for weeks outdoors Rajkumar’s district workplace alongside Woodhaven Boulevard, agitated locals complained on Fb.
“She has been busy taking images with Adams as an alternative of taking good care of the neighborhood!” one native wrote, noting they contacted Rajkumar’s workplace for weeks.
Rajkumar informed The Submit the trailer has now lastly been eliminated.
Different sources have been extra supportive of Rajkumar.
“I believe she’s her personal individual,” one lawmaker stated.
Council Member Joann Ariola (R-Queens) stated she would welcome a change from an “activist” comptroller reminiscent of Lander, who declined to remark for this story.
“It could be useful for your complete metropolis to have an precise civil servant holding New York’s purse strings,” Ariola stated.
— Extra reporting by Vaughn Golden and Craig McCarthy.
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