New York’s internal Democratic conflicts have now extended to Staten Island.
The latest departure is from the borough’s Democratic chair, who stepped down amid backlash over her support for socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani. Sources indicate she backed him without agreement from the Executive Committee.
“Staten Island isn’t really on board with Mamdani,” expressed party chair Laura Robianco Sword, adding that the community didn’t ask for any support for him.
The turmoil in the so-called “forgotten borough” coincides with mounting pressure on veteran state Democratic leader Jay Jacobs, who has resisted endorsing Mamdani, even after Governor Hochul backed a more far-left candidate.
While some praised Jacobs for his centrist stance, particularly as he also leads Democrats in Nassau County, Mamdani remains unpopular on both Long Island and Staten Island.
Questions arose about whether Robianco Sword’s ability to support Mamdani was hampered by her position as the Director of Homeowner Services at the Mayor’s Housing Recovery Office, a role that pays around $155,000.
In a recent email to the Democratic County Commission on Staten Island, she stated she wouldn’t be seeking reelection, suggesting it was time to “pass the torch” and voiced her support for state legislator Charles Fall instead.
The committee is set to vote on new leadership on September 29th.
Her email oddly omitted any mention of Mamdani or reasons for her resignation, instead highlighting the committee’s achievements in fundraising and making itself more inclusive over her nearly three-year tenure.
Robianco Sword had previously endorsed Mamdani for the November general election after he won the June mayoral primary against former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Despite many Staten Island Democratic leaders backing Cuomo, Robianco Sword supported Mamdani without prior consultation with the executive committee.
Matt Mobira, chair of the borough’s Law Committee and a former state assembly candidate, expressed his confusion: “I wasn’t contacted about her support for Mamdani. I’m on the executive committee, and I found out through the media!”
Cuomo has previously acknowledged Democrats in Staten Island but faced challenges against Mamdani, winning by a narrow margin of 46.5% to 37.5% in their electoral contest.
Robianco Sword was unavailable for further comments.
