Micah Lasher, the former policy director for Gov. Kathy Hochul, launched his campaign Wednesday in the race to succeed Daniel O’Donnell in Assembly District 69, the candidate told West Side Rag exclusively .
Lasher, a lifelong Upper West Sider, joins already-announced Democratic candidates Eli Northrup, Melissa Rosenberg, and Barry Weinberg in the contest to represent a district that stretches from West 80th to West 125th streets, including significant sections of Riverside Park and Central Park.
“I’m running for Assembly to be an independent, progressive voice for our community on the toughest, most complicated issues of our time: from building housing and reducing homelessness, to strengthening public education and mental health care, to protecting New York’s laws and freedoms from a reactionary Supreme Court and Donald Trump,” Lasher said in his announcement.
“I would bring to the job a lifetime of lived experience on the West Side, deep experience spent getting difficult things done in Albany, and a drive to make lasting, progressive change,” he added.
Lasher’s entrance into the race for the state assembly seat comes with a slew of high-profile endorsements, including Congressmember Jerry Nadler, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, Councilmember Shaun Abreu, former New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, and former Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger.
“Micah Lasher will bring not only a wealth of policy expertise to the State Assembly, he brings valuable experience serving the West Side and solving constituent problems — work he began years ago as a community representative in my office,” Nadler said in a news release about Lasher’s candidacy announcement.
Danny O’Donnell, who has represented the 69th District for more than 20 years, announced in November he would not be seeking reelection.
Lasher, who has been rumored to be a candidate for the District 69 seat for months, stepped down from his job within the governor’s office last week.
While working under Hochul, he played a central role in writing gun safety laws following mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, as well as helping to enact legislation to protect abortion providers and patients. Lasher has also served on the Riverside Park Conservancy board for the last nine years, and as chair for the last four and half.
Lasher started out in public service locally as an aide to Congressman Nadler, before going on to work within the city’s Department of Education and then as director of State Legislative Affairs under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
He then went to become the chief of staff of New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, and in 2016, he ran and lost a close race for a state senate seat that included the Upper West Side.
“The West Side, Morningside Heights, and Manhattan Valley will be lucky to have his (Lasher’s) voice — and experience — in Albany,” Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said.
You can find out more about Lasher’s campaign on his official candidate website — HERE.