Since clinching the Democratic nomination for mayor, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio has managed to unify the party behind him in an act of unity, after a brutal primary. This weekend, New York Senator Chuck Schumer, a Brooklynite by all its means, announced his endorsement of Bill de Blasio for New York City mayor.

“Bill de Blasio will be a progressive mayor with an economic growth agenda that will lift all boats,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “New York needs big, bold ideas to meet the challenges before us, and a laser focus on making sure the economic pie is shared more equitably with all New Yorkers. Bill de Blasio is the leader to achieve these goals, and I will do all I can to help make these objectives become reality.”

“Bill is a quintessential New Yorker and we share so much in common,” Mr. Schumer added. “And Bill and I, probably most in common, have focused on the middle class. Bill and I describe ourselves the same way: pro-growth progressives, and as pro-growth progressives, we are united.”

At a press conference on the steps of Borough Hall, Friday morning, the NY senator repeatedly pointed to Mr. de Blasio’s crime-fighting credentials–already a key issue in the race.

“I’ve spent 30 years, 36 years, trying to get crime reduced in this city and I have every confidence that Bill de Blasio will do everything he can and will do it successfully to keep crime down in New York,” Mr. Schumer said, according to Politicker.

“We know that a safe city is very important to all New Yorker, wherever they live, wherever they are, whatever their income. There are many, many ways to do it. He’ll study it. He will work at it. And he will keep our city the safe city that it is today,” Mr. Schumer assured.

For his part, Mr. de Blasio heaped praise on Schumer, whom he called the “ultimate Brooklynite” and a national leader on progressive causes.

“There could not be a more important endorsement for me,” said de Blasio, according to Capital New York.

(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)