James Lane announced today that he has won the nomination of the Green Party to be its candidate for Congress in the 11th District, which includes Staten Island and a portion of Brooklyn. Mr. Lane won the nomination over several other candidates. The election is set for May 5th.

Mr. Lane was the Green Party candidate for Public Advocate in NYC in 2013, finishing third among seven candidates. Mr. Lane said that his two key issues in the race will be police accountability and climate change.

“I want to give a voice to the average New Yorkers in this election who is concerned about the need for living wage jobs, affordable health care, and a decent opportunity for all regardless of their race, sex, sexual orientation or country of origin. Most New Yorkers are ill-served by the two corporate dominated parties that promote the interests of the 1%,” said Lane.

Born in Flushing, Queens and raised in Harlem, he is a lifelong resident of NYC. Lane lives in Brooklyn with his wife and son and works for an internet media company. As an adoptee, he has been active in the movement to give adoptees greater rights (e.g., access to birth and family records).

Like many New Yorkers, Lane and the Green Party were disturbed by the failure of Mr. Donovan, the Staten Island District Attorney and Republican nominee for the seat, to secure an indictment of the police officer who killed Eric Gardner. Mr. Lane has been an active participant in the Black Lives Matter movement. The Green Party has long advocated for the appointment of independent prosecutors in cases involving violence against residents by police officers.

“We need to ensure that our police protect the well-being and safety of all residents, treating everyone with dignity and respect. The police like everyone else need to be held accountable for their actions. I reject policing techniques that end up targeting people based on their color or economic status. I want a city where my son doesn’t have to worry about dealing with the police due to his race,” said Lane.

Mr. Lane will also call for greater federal action to reduce climate change. Many parts of Staten Island andBrooklyn suffered devastating damage from Hurricane Sandy and have yet to be restored. Climate change is especially harmful to the poor, seniors, children and other vulnerable residents. Extreme weather will become more frequent as climate change accelerates as we have witnessed during this winter.

“Climate change is probably the greatest threat we face, especially in coastal cities like New York. We need an immediate massive investment in renewable energy and conservation. Investing in climate action is also a great way to create jobs. We also need to invest in helping our communities better withstand climate change, including restoring the natural barriers such as wetlands that help absorb storm surges,” said Lane.