NEW YORK (TIP): Calling for “fundamental change” in Albany, Micah Lasher announced that he would run in the Democratic Primary to succeed Adriano Espaillat and represent the 31st State Senate District, which runs from Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen through the Upper West Side to Washington Heights, Inwood and Marble Hill. Leaders from across the Senate district endorsed Lasher’s candidacy, including Congress member Jerry Nadler, City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Assembly member Linda Rosenthal, and City Councilmembers Ydanis Rodriguez, Mark Levine and Corey Johnson.

Lasher, who has served in federal, state and city government, most recently as Chief of Staff to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, said: “I’m running for State Senate to be part of a strong, truly progressive Democratic majority that will bring about the fundamental change we need. I want to put my experience and independence to work to strengthen our rent laws and protect tenants, invest in mass transit and clean energy, and end the State’s appalling failure to properly fund our public schools and public higher education. I’ll stand for comprehensive reform of our broken criminal justice system and of our broken campaign finance system, which serves the interests of special interests and lobbyists instead of average New Yorkers. And I will be an unwavering advocate of the Dream Act, and of legislation to provide undocumented immigrants with driver’s licenses, so that New York continues to be a place that supports and protects those from all over the world who come here to make their mark.”