The state attorney general was at home among other Brooklyn Democrats Friday morning at Junior’s in Brooklyn.
“From brownstone Brooklyn to the boardwalk we need individuals to come out,” she told the standing room only crowd.
She certainly didn’t seem worried about her re-election campaign.
What You Need To Know
- Letitia James has had high profile lawsuits and investigations, rocking the country's political world
- But her campaign for reelection has not made those kind of headlines
- She faces off against a Republican Queens attorney, who has focused his campaign on public safety and crime
Letitia James is seeking her second term at the state’s top lawyer in an under-the-radar campaign that’s received little attention or notice.
She declined to debate her Republican opponent in the race, Queens attorney Michael Henry.
“I focus on individuals on the ground,” she told NY1 Friday. “I speak to them each and every day. I am bringing my campaign to the people, which is why it’s packed here in Junior’s.”
Her opponent clearly disagreed.
“My opponent no-showed a debate,” Henry said on Friday. “And this is important because this is our job interview and she didn’t show up to her job interview and she should not be rehired.”
Henry says his campaign is about keeping New Yorkers safe, a similar message to the other Republican candidates on the ticket.
“This transcends party affiliation,” he said. “And I want all New Yorkers to know that their safety is a concern of mine, whether they voted for me or not.”
James, too, has picked up that idea.
“I am bringing my message to every corner of the state of New York speaking to constituents and voters about issues they care about,” she said. “What they care about is public safety, which is why I want them to know that this office and I in particular am very concerned about public safety.”
She has recently appeared open to reexamining the state’s bail reform law. Her opponent has called for its repeal.
“I think one, it’s complicated and two, it’s nuanced,” James said, adding there needs to be more mental health care in the state. “There’s a wide range of issues we should be focused on, including looking at bail reform and looking at the data. That’s what this office and that’s what I am doing going forward.”
“It has to be fully repealed and make the legislature go back to work to get something that’s gonna work,” Henry said. “If they amend it, it’s going to be convoluted.”
The last public polling in the race in October found James was ahead by 11 percentage points. Nonetheless, there is a question of whether the GOP has more enthusiasm this election cycle.