Opinion Today: The Times editorial board announces its pick for mayor

The former head of the city's Sanitation Department was our favorite for her ideas and experience.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story May 11, 2021 By Kathleen Kingsbury Opinion Editor The New York City Democratic mayoral primary this year is unusual for several reasons. The pandemic is still with us, and New Yorkers are understandably preoccupied. Traditional campaigning has been difficult, which means that candidates have to work doubly hard to get their messages out and heard. The primary, which is scheduled for June 22, will also be the first race for mayor of New York City with ranked-choice voting, the system that asks voters to rank their top five candidates in order of preference. Several members of The Times editorial board interviewed eight candidates and made our own lists about whom we prefer and why. As it turned out, the choice for whom to endorse was an easy one. At the top of every board member's list was Kathryn Garcia. Mention her name around town, and you'll likely hear that she has a lot of integrity. Her reputation is as an unusually competent person who has chosen to put her extensive skills to use making government work for people and businesses that rely on it. All of the candidates have something to offer — you can read all of their answers to the board in the transcripts linked below — but Garcia stands head and shoulders above the rest for her ideas and her experience. As the board wrote in the endorsement, "the city's recovery and its longer-term future also depend on a mayor who will understand and work the levers of good government. So do its most vulnerable residents. Substance matters for the challenges that lie ahead, when federal aid money dries up, eviction moratoriums end and the final bills for the pandemic come due." Whoever takes the reins from Mayor Bill de Blasio will have their work cut out for them. Fortunately for New York, Kathryn Garcia is ready to go on Day 1. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Damon Winter/The New York Times Kathryn Garcia for Mayor The editorial board's endorsement for the Democratic mayoral primary. By The Editorial Board Read the editorial board's interviews with the candidates The editorial board Kathryn Garcia Mayoral Endorsement Interview Kathryn Garcia is a longtime civil servant who served as commissioner of New York City's Sanitation Department. the editorial board Andrew Yang Mayoral Endorsement Interview Andrew Yang is an entrepreneur and the founder of the nonprofit Venture for America. He was a 2020 Democratic candidate for president. The editorial board Scott Stringer Mayoral Endorsement Interview Scott Stringer is New York City's comptroller. He previously served as an assemblyman and the borough president of Manhattan. The editorial board Eric Adams Mayoral Endorsement Interview Eric Adams is the Brooklyn borough president. He was a police officer, and he founded the group 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care. The editorial board Shaun Donovan Mayoral Endorsement Interview Shaun Donovan served as housing secretary and budget director under President Obama and as housing commissioner under Mayor Bloomberg. The Editorial Board Ray McGuire Mayoral Endorsement Interview Ray McGuire is a longtime investment banker and former executive at Citigroup. The editorial board Dianne Morales Mayoral Endorsement Interview Dianne Morales is a former nonprofit executive who led Phipps Neighborhoods, the social services arm of the affordable housing developer Phipps Houses. The editorial board Maya Wiley Mayoral Endorsement Interview Maya Wiley is a longtime civil rights lawyer who served as counsel to Mayor Bill de Blasio and oversaw the city's Civilian Complaint Review Board. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Here's what we're focusing on today: Editors' Picks Thomas L. 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