Jenkins to Announce Run for County Executive

Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers), chairman of the county board of legislators, will join the 2013 race for county executive, his campaign announced in an email Sunday night.

Jenkins, elected to the board over six years ago and its chairman since 2010, enters what is now a three-way race for the Democratic nomination. New Rochelle Mayor Noah Bramson and Bill Ryan, a seven-term legislator in White Plains, announced their candidacies earlier this month.

Jenkins will make his announcement at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in White Plains Wednesday at noon.

Bramson said his experience as mayor of a diverse community will enable him to lead the county with energy and innovation.

“It is time for a serious debate about our future, and I intend to offer a campaign of substance and ideas,” he said in his announcement.

Ryan released a statement following Jenkins email, saying it was important for the Democratic party to choose the "candidate who can win throughout the county," Newsday reported.

Republican County Executive Rob Astorino has not announced his intentions to run for re-election next November, but he is expected to after the new year—lining up what could be a heated political contest between Jenkins and Astorino.

The two have sparred over the county budget in recent weeks, with the Yonkers Democrat calling the process a "circus" orchestrated by a "misguided" county executive.