Clyde Williams with his family. Photo courtesy of clyde2012.com.

Clyde Williams, one of a handful of Democratic candidates running in the Congressional district spanning northern Manhattan and the South Bronx, has been largely overlooked in the press with much of the attention going to longtime incumbent Rep. Charlie Rangel and to another challenger, state Sen. Adriano Espaillat. But this weekend Williams, who used to head the Democratic National Committee, landed a key endorsement from the New York Times, which wrote that he “understands the area’s diverse needs and has plans for job creation, education and tax reform.” Williams said the endorsement made clear that he is “the one candidate in the race with fresh ideas for the future – and the skills and experience to turn them into a reality.” “While my opponents debate each others’ ethics, I focus squarely on what matters to people – jobs, education, housing,” he continued. “This race is about progress towards the future, not the politics of the past.” The Times also endorsed candidates in four more Democratic Congressional primaries, giving the nod to Richard Becker in the 18th Congressional District, to Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries in the 8th, to Rep. Nydia Velázquez in the 7^th and to Assemblywoman Grace Meng in the 6^th.