Brad Lander officially announced his congressional bid on Wednesday with a nearly three‑minute campaign video that includes an unusual nod to the beloved PBS child‑program host Fred Rogers.
Running as the Democratic challenger to Rep. Dan Goldman in New York’s 10th District—an area that spans lower Manhattan and Brooklyn’s brownstone neighborhoods—Lander took aim at his opponent through a series of pointed remarks, though he never mentioned Goldman by name.
In the clip, Lander explained that he’s seeking a seat in Congress because “the challenges we face can’t be solved with strongly worded letters or high dollar fundraisers, and not by doing AIPAC’s bidding,” referencing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that has backed Goldman in past races.
He went on to say, “While the oligarchy drives an affordability crisis, they shouldn’t be able to buy a seat in Congress,” a clear jab at Goldman’s status as an heir to the Levi Strauss fortune.
Lander then quoted the famous line from Mister Rogers—“a man who knew a thing or two about loving their neighbors: Love isn’t a state of perfect caring, it’s an active noun”—adding, “I know it’s corny, but I love the idea that democracy is just neighbors working together to make our lives in common better.”
The video ends with Lander humming a recognizable portion of the “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” theme, concluding with the lyrics, “Would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won’t you be my neighbor?”
So far, Lander has secured backing from the Working Families Party, as well as endorsements from Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani—who crossed‑endorsed each other earlier that year during New York’s Democratic primary.
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