Astoria clubs host public advocate forum

With the race for public advocate in full swing, 10 candidates dropped by the Omonia Cretan’s Association in Astoria for a forum on Wednesday night.

The forum was co-hosted by the Taminent Democratic Club, the Powhatan Democratic Club and the Queens County Young Democrats.

“Astoria residents and all New Yorkers will rely on our next Public Advocate to be a champion for the people and hold those in power accountable to us,” the heads of those clubs said in a joint statement.

More than 100 voters heard from these candidates:

• Assemblyman Michael Blake
• Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell
• Assemblyman Ron Kim
• Councilman Rafael Espinal
• Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez
• Investigative journalist/activist Nomiki Konst
• Attorney Jared Rich
• Attorney Dawn Smalls
• Professor David Eisenbach
• Community advocate Tony Herbert

The non-partisan special election for public advocate is on February 26.