Zellnor Myrie: Relationships
Zellnor Myrie's political network spans Brooklyn's progressive political establishment, the New York State Legislature's Democratic leadership, national gun safety organizations, civil rights groups, and the labor movement. His alliances have been shaped by his 2018 primary challenge, his committee leadership roles, and his 2025 mayoral campaign.
Family
Myrie is the son of Costa Rican immigrants who settled in Brooklyn over 40 years ago 1. His mother's story of arriving in the United States with nothing more than the promise of a mattress and a factory job has been a recurring element of his public biography and political messaging 2.
Myrie is married to Diana Richardson, a former member of the New York State Assembly who represented the 43rd district in Crown Heights and Prospect Lefferts Gardens . Richardson won her Assembly seat in a 2015 special election on the Working Families Party line and later served briefly as Deputy Brooklyn Borough President before being fired in October 2022 . The couple became engaged in November 2022 at the annual SOMOS political conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Myrie publicly disclosed their marriage in February 2024 . Their relationship is intertwined with their shared political history: Both represent overlapping Central Brooklyn communities, and both were pepper-sprayed during the May 2020 George Floyd protest at Barclays Center .
Political Mentors and Allies in the Legislature
Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris played a key role in recruiting Myrie to run for the State Senate in 2018 as part of a broader effort to unseat members of the Independent Democratic Conference . Gianaris praised Myrie at his inauguration ceremony in February 2019, describing him as one of the primary winners who ousted legislators who should not have been in the Senate .
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins has been a consistent legislative partner, publicly crediting Myrie's leadership on both the Clean Slate Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act . Assembly Member Catalina Cruz co-sponsored the Clean Slate Act in the Assembly and has been a regular collaborator on criminal justice issues . Assembly Member Latrice Walker co-sponsored the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act in the Assembly .
2018 Campaign Endorsements
Myrie's initial 2018 campaign attracted endorsements from then-Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, who would go on to become House Minority Leader, and then-Mayor Bill de Blasio . His candidacy also received backing from progressive organizations aligned with the effort to dismantle the Independent Democratic Conference's alliance with Senate Republicans .
2025 Mayoral Campaign Endorsements and Relationships
During his 2025 mayoral run, Myrie received the endorsement of Congressman Dan Goldman, who described him as a true visionary and emphasized his willingness to stand up to the Trump administration . New York Attorney General Letitia James included Myrie in a multi-candidate co-endorsement alongside Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, and Zohran Mamdani . State Senator Andrew Gounardes endorsed Myrie alongside Brad Lander . Assembly Member Monique Chandler-Waterman ranked Myrie first among the candidates .
The New York Daily News editorial board endorsed Myrie as their top-ranked candidate . The Citizens Union shared an endorsement between Lander and Myrie . The New York League of Conservation Voters endorsed Myrie alongside Lander .
The Working Families Party instructed voters to rank Myrie fourth on their ballot, behind Mamdani, Lander, and Adrienne Adams .
After placing sixth in the June 2025 Democratic primary, Myrie endorsed Zohran Mamdani in the general election .
Gun Safety Organizations
Myrie has developed strong relationships with national gun safety advocacy groups through his legislative work. Everytown for Gun Safety named him Gun Sense Lawmaker of the Year in 2021 23. New Yorkers Against Gun Violence gave him its Founders' Award 24. Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence provided early legal support for the development of his gun industry liability legislation .
Civil Rights and Voting Rights Groups
The NAACP New York State Conference, the Brooklyn NAACP, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Legal Defense Fund, and LatinoJustice PRLDEF all publicly praised Myrie's leadership on the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act . Common Cause/NY and the Brooklyn Voters Alliance were also part of the coalition supporting the legislation .
Labor and Business
The Clean Slate Act drew support from an unusually broad coalition that included both labor unions and major business leaders. The Mason Tenders District Council of Greater New York and Laborers Local 79 supported the bill, as did JPMorgan Chase Chairman Jamie Dimon and Microsoft . The Partnership for New York City, led by Kathy Wylde, co-authored an op-ed with Myrie making the economic case for the law .
Relationship with Eric Adams
Myrie represents the same Central Brooklyn Senate district that Mayor Eric Adams held until 2013 . The two have had a largely adversarial dynamic during the mayoral race, with Myrie criticizing Adams for prioritizing his personal relationship with President Trump over the interests of New Yorkers . Myrie's predecessor in the seat, Jesse Hamilton, was a one-time protege of Adams .
Relationship with Governor Hochul
Myrie's relationship with Governor Hochul has been both collaborative and contentious. Hochul signed both the Clean Slate Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act into law . However, the two clashed over the proposed closure of SUNY Downstate University Hospital, which Myrie strongly opposed and which ultimately resulted in a budget compromise .