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State Attorney General Letitia James had a lot to say about President Trump but only a little about local policy during one of her last days of midterms stumping — as she was joined by outgoing Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
“Congress has neutered themselves,” James said on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall Sunday evening. “Congress, unfortunately, is not in a position right now to basically rein in the excesses of this administration.
“And that’s why, as the attorney general, along with all my colleagues, Democratic AGs, we’ve stepped up,” the Democrat added. “We have reined him in against his excesses, against his authoritarian bent.”
James — ostensibly running to keep New Yorkers safe from crime and malfeasance on Nov. 3 — touted the number of times she’s sued the Trump administration, and vowed to keep dogging the president for his “illegal and unconstitutional” activity.
“We refuse to bow to a king. We refuse to capitulate. We refuse to give in because we believe in democracy,” she said. “I’m gonna continue to use the law both as a sword and as a shield. And to stand up for the rule of law and for democracy against this chaos. This confusion. And yes, this corruption.”
During that diatribe James briefly mentioned that she’s “removed over 10,000 illegal guns” from the streets — before dedicating the rest of her time to the president and her desire to “return to normalcy” of a pre-Trump era.
James was followed by Crockett — who lost her reelection primary to fellow Democrat James Talarico and will leave Congress on Jan. 3 — and the day became an appeal to black voters to stand up to the Trump administration.
“When I show up in Congress, I show up unapologetically black every single day,” Crocket said. “Number one, I know who I am and I know whose I am. I also know who sent me to Congress.
“I also know who hasn’t had a seat at the table. So the question is, are you ready to fight for your own liberation?” she added. “Our neighbors have been attacked, simply because of the color of their skin or their accent. Voting has to be personal.”
James’ and Crockett’s speeches were even paired with performances of Sam Cooke’s Civil Rights anthem “A Change is Gonna Come,” and the so-called black national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
The pitch to minority voters with an anti-Trump narrative closely followed the playbook followed by other leading New York Democrats on the midterms ballot — notably Gov. Kathy Hochul, who spent her campaign characterizing opponent Bruce Blakeman as a Donald Trump yes-man.
Hochul also spent her last day before the election campaigning in Harlem, with a focus on trying to boost turnout in the deeply blue Big Apple.
Democrats are looking to regain ground with minority voters after a dismal decline in the 2024 election — when Kamala Harris won 22% fewer votes over Trump than President Biden did in 2020, thanks in large part to Latin voters.
New York Democrats are still largely leading Republican challengers in the midterms, with James polling ahead of Saritha Komatireddy about 54% to 39% and Hochul ahead of Blakeman around 54% to 40%, according to Sienna University.
No Republican has won statewide since former Gov. George Pataki in 2002.
