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Ms. Garcia finished second in the 2021 Democratic mayoral primary in New York City. Her supporters could be an important factor in this year’s race.
April 13, 2025, 3:00 a.m. ET
It was the final weeks of the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City and seemingly out of nowhere, Kathryn Garcia began to rise from a crowded field of 13.
She drew voters with her no-nonsense style, proven management skills in city government and moderate political views. She almost won that primary, in 2021, finishing second to Eric Adams by roughly 7,200 votes. He went on to become mayor.
This year’s Democratic mayoral primary seems just as unwieldy, with nine major candidates, including a former governor, two recent city comptrollers, the City Council speaker and three state lawmakers — but not Ms. Garcia.
Her supporters, while not a traditional voting bloc, still coalesced in the late stages to nearly elevate Ms. Garcia to City Hall. Where will those voters go this time?
Interviews with more than a dozen voters who said they backed Ms. Garcia four years ago revealed a split: Some support former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s candidacy, some had mixed feelings about him and many were looking for a better alternative.
Kate McDonough, a writer who lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan — a neighborhood that Ms. Garcia easily won — voted for her. She likes Brad Lander, the current city comptroller, though she could not recall his name.
