Mayor Eric Adams stepped into the race for the 58th Assembly District in Brooklyn on Wednesday, throwing his support behind candidate Hercules Reid, who used to work for him

“We need partners like Hercules,” the mayor said at a press conference. “Hercules Reid is the right person for the right time to lead our city and state in the right direction!”

What You Need To Know

  • Mayor Adams endorsed Hercules Reid in the special election to fill the unexpired term in Brooklyn’s 58th Assembly District

  • The powerful Brooklyn Democratic Organization has backed Monique Chandler-Waterman, who declined to speak with us

  • The election will be held May 24, about month efire the state primary

The 58th District includes East Flatbush, parts of Canarsie and Brownsville. It was vacated earlier this year when Assemblyman Nick Perry was appointed ambassador of Jamaica.

“This was already an emotional morning for me because a friend, a mentor, decided that I was worthy enough to endorse me,” Reid said.

The special election will be held on May 24, about a month before the regular primary. The powerful Brooklyn County Democratic Organization is backing another candidate, Monique Chandler-Waterman, who also has the support of the Working Families Party.

Chandler-Waterman declined to speak with us.

“I realized there was an unmet need in my community for a woman like myself,” Chandler-Waterman says directly to the camera in a video she made when she ran for City Council. “Those who work outside a traditional 9 to 5 work schedule didn’t have access to child care, so I started right here in my childhood home a 24-hour child care facility.”

Reid said he’s not bothered by losing out on county support.

“I made a conscious decision. We, as I mentioned, are tired of business as usual. And anybody who understands the county committee process understands that it’s not set up for young, 29-year-olds like me that are not inside the process to win. So why be a part of a system I can’t win?” Reid said.

Mayor Adams has previously been aligned with Democratic County leader Rodneyse Bichotte, who also declined to speak with us, when we asked if this race is splitting Brooklyn Democrats.

The winner of the special election will hold onto the seat until the end of the year, regardless of who wins the primary a month later. The winner of the general election in November will be sworn in next January.