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CityAndStateNY.com
August 5, 2019
end taxpayer funding for elective abortions. “When I came around, it was like, ‘Oh, this guy is out there for us,’” Gianaris said. Later, Gianaris replaced state Sen. George Onorato, a Democrat who was one of the “no” votes on same-sex marriage. “My beliefs have been consistent, and the neighborhood is kind of now in a place that’s more consistent with where I’ve always been,” Gianaris said. Political consultant Jerry Skurnik noted that in contrast to Butler and Onorato, Gianaris was more progressive. It may not be his voting record that has shifted, but his endorsements. “He usually – not always – went along with the county Democratic organization’s candidates. And this year, he did support some insurgents. The most significant one was Cabán,” Skurnik said. Even still, until Ocasio-Cortez ran against Crowley last year, there wasn’t a surfeit of progressive challengers to choose from. “Nobody ran against Joe Crowley, so it wasn’t like he supported Joe Crowley over all these other progressive candidates over the years. Nobody ran against him. Nobody ran against (Queens District Attorney Richard Brown), so it wasn’t like he supported Dick Brown over the equivalent of Cabán eight years ago,” Skurnik said. “Those candidates didn’t exist. So it could be we’re just noticing it because those challenges are now happening when they were not happening earlier.” Responding to those who say his progressivism is only recent, Gianaris points to his legislation to eliminate bail, which he first introduced four years ago, and his leadership on same-sex mar-
THE WINDING ROAD TO PROGRESSIVISM MICHAEL GIANARIS’ POLITICAL HISTORY IS PEPPERED WITH ESTABLISHMENT TIES
State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris is known today as the man who led the successful resistance to Amazon placing a headquarters in Queens last year and presided over a historically progressive legislative session in Albany this year, but the veteran lawmaker was viewed as a more moderate Democrat in the past. Gianaris’ understanding of the word “progressive” has even changed over time. “It’s a lot more impatient, is the word I would use,” he said. “I think the election of Donald Trump has kicked us all in the ass to realize that incremental change is not enough, when the other side is running up the score.” City & State gathered a few of his career milestones, reflecting both his progressive stances and his ties to the Democratic establishment.
2000
Michael Gianaris ran for the seat held by retiring Assemblyman Denis Butler, receiving the backing of the Queens Democratic Party.
2004
Gianaris pushed for tax credits to “sweeten the pot” for film and television production in New York, and still says such incentives are useful when created with appropriate oversight and targeted toward creating blue-collar union jobs.
riage. “My positions on the issues, which is all that New Yorkers care about, has been incredibly consistent,” he said. “(People) want to draw conclusions about political alignments, and the fact that the establishment doesn’t seem to recognize the change that’s happening – the positive change that’s happening,” he said. A number of his colleagues agree. “He’s always been progressive,” Simotas said. When Gianaris decided to leave the Assembly, he met with Simotas to talk to her about running. “The first question he asked me when we were talking during that February 2009 meeting, he asked me, ‘What is my position on choice and what is my position on marriage?’” And even those with doubts can’t deny that this session has largely been a progressive success. “They did accomplish stuff,” the Albany observer said. “A lot of it was low-hanging fruit, but I don’t think anyone necessarily expected the Green Light bill to pass. By all accounts, (Gianaris) worked really hard behind the scenes on that.” Ramos said she has always seen Gianaris as one of the more progressive elected officials in western Queens. But she doesn’t deny that the bar that progressives have to clear to hold on to that label has risen. “I think the word ‘progressive’ has progressed in a very positive way,” she said. “It went from something that used to be a lot more centrist than it is today.” In a separate interview after his first sit-down in that trendy Astoria café, Gianaris suggested his understanding of how progressive the party should be has evolved too. “I’m seeing that the party should change. It needs to change in the era of Donald Trump,” he said. “There are elements of the establishment that refuse to see that and are not willing to make the changes necessary that I think are necessary. So yes, over time, I realized that, and I wish the party at large would realize it, because it’s desperately needed for the Democratic Party’s success going forward.”
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EW WHO SPEAK of Gianaris fail to note that he’s bright and driven. He has a commanding presence, whether he’s in a suit or a Jimi Hendrix T-shirt. And despite nearly 20 years in the state Legislature, he wears his experience well – a 49-year-old with a 30-year-old head of hair. He’s also noticeably laid-back in his demeanor, if not in his actions. “I think that’s a characteristic that he shares with the majority leader,” Myrie said. “He’s not fire and brimstone, unless it’s necessary.”
2010
Gianaris was elected to replace retiring state Sen. George Onorato, representing a shift to the left after Onorato voted against same-sex marriage in 2009. Candidate Gianaris called for reforms to redistricting, campaign finance and ethics.
2015
Gianaris introduced legislation to eliminate bail – an issue he’s taken up each year since. This year, with the help of celebrity advocate John Legend, a compromise was reached that eliminated cash bail for most misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies.