Erik Bottcher will signify District 47 within the State Senate.
Donna Aceto
Manhattan Councilmember Erik Bottcher, the co-chair of the Council’s LGBTQIA+ Caucus, simply gained a particular election on Feb. 3 to exchange Brad Hoylman-Sigal within the State Senate, defeating Republican Charlotte Friedman by a large margin, based on unofficial outcomes.
Bottcher’s victory in District 47, which runs alongside the west facet of Manhattan from Manhattan Valley all the way down to Greenwich Village, ensures that the seat will proceed to be held by an out lawmaker and comes simply over a month after Hoylman-Sigal resigned from the State Senate to turn into Manhattan borough president.
With greater than 86% of the vote in on election night time, Bottcher had 91.8% — or simply over 11,200 votes — whereas Friedman had 7.5%, or 920 votes.
“Tonight, the people of the 47th District made a clear choice for progress, integrity, and leadership that shows up,” Bottcher mentioned in a written assertion on election night time. “I’m deeply grateful to every voter, volunteer, and neighbor who believed that government should work harder for working families — and I’m excited to get to work.”
Bottcher vowed to be a “relentless advocate for safer streets, more affordable housing, reliable transit, and an economy that rewards work and treats people with dignity.”
“I want to thank everyone who believed in my ability to be an effective state senator,” Bottcher mentioned. “Your trust means everything to me, and I’m ready to honor that trust with action.”
Final October, Bottcher, 46, introduced he was exploring a marketing campaign to exchange outgoing Congressmember Jerrold Nadler, however as competitors grew, Bottcher finally determined to run for Hoylman-Sigal’s outdated seat. When he pivoted to run for State Senate, Bottcher mentioned in a written assertion that his resolution was “rooted in where I believe I can do the most good immediately,” including that the “State Senate is where critical decisions are being made on housing affordability, addressing the mental health crisis, safeguarding our environment, and defending New York from the Trump agenda.”
“I’m so proud that Erik is assuming the 47th Senate District that I had the privilege of representing on the West Side from ‘the gay bars to Zabar’s,’” Hoylman-Sigal wrote on X, referring to a phrase he generally repeated in recent times when describing his State Senate district.
In an indication of his imminent departure from the Metropolis Council, Bottcher posted a selfie on Instagram on Feb. 2 from an workplace constructing and mentioned he was “packing up the City Hall office.”
Bottcher has served within the Metropolis Council since January of 2022 in a district that features Hudson Sq., West Village, Chelsea, Hudson Yards, Meatpacking District, Garment District, Instances Sq., and Hell’s Kitchen.
Erik Bottcher at his 2021 election night time social gathering at The Chelsea Bell.Donna Aceto
Bottcher has ceaselessly advocated for the LGBTQ neighborhood throughout his time in workplace — together with by way of laws, letters, and public remarks at rallies and demonstrations — however his battle for queer rights predates his time in workplace. He labored beneath former Metropolis Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who represented the identical Council district, as an LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS liaison and served beneath former Governor Andrew Cuomo throughout the push for marriage equality in New York State. Bottcher went on to work for former Metropolis Council Speaker Corey Johnson as his chief of employees — additionally in the identical Metropolis Council district Bottcher later represented.
Throughout his first 12 months in workplace, the Council handed Bottcher’s invoice requiring town’s Division of Training to supply details about suicide prevention to college students, together with the 988 suicide and disaster lifeline that was later shut down by the Trump administration. In December of that 12 months, Bottcher was the goal of anti-gay backlash from vandals who defaced his workplace and residential with homophobic slurs. He went on to turn into the co-chair of the LGBTQIA+ Caucus in 2024 and likewise served because the co-chair of the Manhattan delegation.
Bottcher’s victory will set off a particular election to succeed him in District 3 of the Metropolis Council — and his out homosexual chief of employees, Carl Wilson, has already launched a marketing campaign for the seat. When Bottcher formally leaves his Metropolis Council seat, Mayor Zohran Mamdani is required to concern a proclamation inside three days to announce the particular election date.
