It was a celebration of many things last night at the Eastwood Manor in the 12th City Council District. It was New Year's Day for 2016, it was the fifth anniversary of Andy and Neva King, it was the kick off of the re-election in 2017 for the Andy King for City Council campaign, and it was a visit to the Bronx by Mayor Bill de Blasio as well as Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams a candidate for Mayor in 2021.
While Mayor de Blasio, Brooklyn Borough President Adams, Congressman Eliot Engel, City Council members Fernando Cabrera and Inez Dickens, Assembly members Keith Wright and Victor Pichardo, District Leader Jamal Bailey, and a few Bronx Young Democrats were on hand there was no Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., no Bronx Democratic County Leader Marcos Crespo, or any other elected Bronx Democratic County official. Only the Executive Director of the Bronx Democratic County Committee Anthony Perez was in attendance, and he was very low key at that. It seemed that as I spoke to the attendees this was an independent minded group of about 400 people who came out to support an independent minded friend Councilman Andy King and his wife Neva Shillingford King. The photos below will tell the rest.
Above - As you walked in after signing in you were able to take your photo with Councilman King in front of the 2017 Andy King wall as one of King's staffer and protege does.
Below - Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was one of the first to take a photo with Councilman King and Neva Shillingford King.
Above - Members of the Bronx YEP program which Councilman King started long before being elected are in the photo.
Below - Several members of the Bronx Young Democrats join Councilman King here.
Above - District Leader Jamal Bailey (left) was the Master of Ceremonies for the event.
Below - Manhattan Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Keith Wright congratulates the Kings, and says by the way, he is running for the soon to be vacant Congressional seat of Congressman Charlie Rangel.
Above - Long time Congressman Eliot Engel shares his thoughts about his friend Councilman Andy King, and the fine job that Andy is doing.
Below - Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams was on hand to say that he is not running for mayor in 2017, but is running in 2021 when the office will be vacant due to term limits that will also term limit him out of the borough president's office.
Above - The biggest surprise of the night was the appearance of Mayor Bill de Blasio as he is brought into the Ballroom by Councilman King.
Below - Mayor De Blasio sits with his friends Andy and Neva King as they celebrate their wedding anniversary with a prayer session.
Above - The mayor also took a photo with the members of the Bronx YEP, and then with many of the attendees before he left for another event that was on his schedule.
Below - After the mayor left the party shifted into high gear as Councilman King and his wife Neva led the dancing that lasted for hours.
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