It took a hardcore punk-rock guitarist-turned-councilman to get the red out of Brooklyn.
Meet Justin Brannan, rising Democratic Party star, founding member of two world-touring bands and the new “King of Bay Ridge.”
The tattoo-laden, freshman councilman is being hailed as the driving force behind Democrats Andrew Gounardes and Max Rose’s stunning Election Day victories in high-stakes races over Republican incumbent state Sen. Marty Golden and state Rep. Dan Donovan, respectively.
As one of southern Brooklyn’s leading Democrats, Brannan’s backing of Gounardes and Rose, his dogged campaigning both on the street and on social media, and connections to help land key union endorsements were crucial to securing the upsets, insiders say.
“Justin was one of the first elected officials to endorse my campaign, and it wasn’t just a press release — he threw everything he had behind making sure we won both our primary and general election,” said Rose, who’ll be taking over a congressional district in January comprised of GOP-stronghold Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn.
The results not only helped stick a fork in what little clout the Republican Party had left in Brooklyn, it also helped the Democrats seize control of both the state Senate and US Congress.
“Hey, if I can use my influence to help get other good Democrats elected, then I will,” Brannan said. “I support candidates who put their neighborhoods first and fight like hell for their constituents.”
Brannan’s ability to deliver election wins and introduce liberal values to historically white, middle-class southern Brooklyn is generating buzz among elected officials and political pundits alike.
“Brooklyn is all blue, and Justin had a lot to do with coloring in the final pieces,” said Councilman Antonio Reynoso (D-Brooklyn).
Political strategist Stu Loeser tweeted, “Having had a huge hand in helping @agounardes & @MaxRose4NY to victories few foresaw at the start, hardcore punk musician/Councilman @JustinBrannan [has] proven to be a MAJOR force in southern Brooklyn &beyond.”
Loeser added the crowning hashtag, #KingofBayRidge.
Brannan’s resume beyond politics is eclectic: intern on “The Howard Stern Show,” WNEW radio announcer, Wall Street financier and founding guitarist for two popular hardcore punk bands, Indecision and Most Precious Blood, respectively, which together toured more than 50 countries.
He and some friends formed Indecision in 1993 while Brannan was attending Xaverian, a Catholic high school in Bay Ridge. By 2000, Brannan and a few members formed Most Precious Blood, which cut albums through 2007.
Brannan pivoted to politics in 2010 by founding the now-powerful Bay Ridge Democrats, and eventually became known as a neighborhood “fixer” of constituent problems.
Carlo Scissura, a longtime Democratic operative who heads the influential New York Building Congress, said a key to Brannan’s success was his ability to realize early on that Bay Ridge was becoming more Democratic.
“When Justin formed Bay Ridge Democrats, a lot of people thought he was crazy” Scissura said.
“He obviously wasn’t.”
Credit: NY Post</>
via USAHint.com
No comments:
Post a Comment