ALBANY – It’s some Maloney antics!
Former Rep. Carolyn Maloney’s aspiring city councilwoman daughter is sidestepping a debate challenge from her independent opponent — prompting him to urge her mother to step into the ring instead.
Kyle Athayde is calling on the long-serving congresswoman to engage in a debate with him, alleging that Virginia, her daughter, is avoiding direct confrontation in their race for District 4, which includes the East Side of Manhattan and Midtown.
“The constituents of the East Side merit more than just a last name on the ballot,” Athayde, a former Chair of Community Board 6, told The Post in an exclusive statement.
“Throughout my life, I have consistently advocated for my community. On the other hand, Virginia Maloney barely secured her primary victory thanks to her name and her mother’s influence — that’s not genuine service, that’s just inherited privilege,” he stated.
“If Virginia is unwilling to debate, I am open to discussing the issues with her more seasoned mother, Carolyn. I am ready whenever and wherever Carolyn wishes to engage in a dialogue about the topics at hand,” Athayde added.
A spokesperson for Virginia’s campaign did not confirm whether there would be a general election debate, indicating that several forums had already taken place during the primary election cycle.
“Virginia Maloney continues to connect with numerous local residents as part of her general campaign, just as she did during the primary,” the spokesperson asserted.
Meanwhile, her mother referred inquiries back to her daughter’s campaign, dismissing any idea that she would consider participating in what she called Athayde’s apparent ploy.
“I am not the one running. She is running her own campaign, and she is fully in control of it,” the elder Maloney remarked.
Virginia recently won a contentious Democratic primary in June, aiming to succeed term-limited City Councilmember Keith Powers, who unsuccessfully sought the nomination for Manhattan borough president earlier this year.
Maloney secured her primary victory with 53% of the vote after the fifth round of ranked-choice voting.
Virginia, who identifies herself as a lifelong resident of the East Side, is employed by Meta and has a history of involvement with various non-profit and political organizations, including Teach for America and the Lexington Democratic Club.
Her mother served as a city councilwoman before embarking on a 30-year tenure in Congress.
In addition to chairing his local community board in the past, Athayde has worked for the New York State Office for New Americans and currently holds a position at NYC Health and Hospitals. He is campaigning under the “Revive East Side” platform.
The election is shaping up to be a three-way race between Virginia, Athayde, and Republican candidate Debra Schwartzben.
