Max Rose Bows Out of Mayoral Race

Former congressman Max Rose, who was long rumored to be running for New York City mayor, has announced he will not throw his hat into the ring this election.

A moderate Democrat and decorated veteran, Rose was widely admired for his bipartisan legislation and his frank, matter-of-fact attitude. He frequently clashed with Mayor Bill de Blasio over coronavirus restrictions and how to handle protests against police.

Rose, who is Jewish, appeared alongside Jewish state representatives to condemn anti-Semitism.

Rose won the congressional race to represent NY-11 in 2018 as a Democrat underdog in the last republican stronghold in New York City. He was defeated by Republican Nicole Malliotakis in 2020.

After his loss, there was much speculation he would run for mayor, and Rose seemed to have considered it, even filing preliminary paperwork to do so.

In the announcement that he would not run, Rose indicated he wanted to spend time with his family, especially his baby son. As a congressman and member of the National Guard, Rose had spent much of 2020 away from his family in Washington and serving in the Guard during the coronavirus crisis.

In his statement Rose wrote, “I urge every candidate to recognize that across the five boroughs no one believes that City Hall is on the side of the working class. People are scared and unsure if the New York they love will still exist in the years to come. The next mayor can’t just balance the budget, he or she must build a social contract that leaves no one behind. New York City can set the governing example for the rest of the world.”