Public Advocate Jumaane Williams announced his full-throated support for Maya Wiley in the Democratic Primary race for mayor on Wednesday, another sign that the Democratic party's progressive wing is squarely behind Wiley despite her lagging in the polls. 

"We must unite to elect and rank Maya Wiley to be the second Black and first woman mayor of the city of New York," Williams said. 

Williams said it wasn't an endorsement he was planning to make. 

What You Need To Know

  • The endorsement comes days after Wiley was backed by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

  • During the endorsement announcement, held at the African Burial Ground National Monument, both Wiley and Williams accused opponents of playing into people's fears

  • As public advocate, Williams will be expected to act as a check on City Hall. He said the endorsement will not interfere with that responsibility

"I was a bit hesitant to make an endorsement based on my position," Williams said.

The endorsement comes days after Wiley was backed by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and as the debate over how to police the city at a time of increased gun violence are now front and center in the election. Wiley has vowed to fight rising violence while also centering significant NYPD reform at the core of her campaign.

During the endorsement announcement, held at the African Burial Ground National Monument, both Wiley and Williams accused opponents of playing into people's fears. 

"This is not the time for pandering, it's in these times when there is fear mongering that tells us that rather than to solve our problems we should fear the solutions," Wiley said. ​

He did not mention them by name, but Williams accused other candidates in the race of embracing traditional policing tactics that historically have disproportionally impacted Black and brown New Yorkers. 

"The problem with fear mongering is that it works," Williams said. "Oh we need no policing, oh we need more policing. We are asking the wrong question and forcing people to give the wrong answer. The question is what keeps a community safe?"

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, former presidential candidate Andrew Yang and former Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia — the top three candidates according to polls — all oppose cutting the NYPD's budget. All of them have promised a police-centric response to rising violence.

"This moment is being dominated over whether New York will return to the bad old days, but for so many of us those bad old days run through Bloomberg and Giuliani, through Kerik and Kelly," Williams said, referencing former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly and Department of Correction Commissioner Bernie Kerik. 

As public advocate, Williams will be expected to act as a check on City Hall, he said today's endorsement will not interfere with that responsibility.