New York City Council Member Peter F. Vallone, Jr. (D-Astoria) today announced he has hired two of the city’s premier political consulting firms. Mercury Public Affairs and Sheinkopf Communications will oversee Vallone’s bid to fill the seat being vacated by Queens Borough President Helen Marshall.

“The Mercury team is excited to be a part of Peter Vallone, Jr.’s campaign for Queens Borough President. The Vallone name is synonymous with Queens, representing a longstanding commitment to public service. Council Member Vallone has carried that mantle for years as an assistant district attorney and for over a decade as a member of the New York City Council, where he has fought for well-paying jobs, better schools and safer streets as Chair of the Public Safety Committee,” said Austin Finan. “The people of Queens deserve a leader who is as hardworking, independent and tough as they are and that is exactly what they will get with Peter at the helm.”

Austin Finan has managed and consulted on a number of Queens races. Most recently, Finan served as spokesman and communications director for then-Assemblywoman Grace Meng’s (D-Flushing) winning campaign for Congress in New York’s newly drawn 6th Congressional District, in which she won a competitive four-way primary and later defeated Council Member Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) in the general election. Finan and Mercury Public Affairs have been retained by the Vallone campaign to serve as its general and paid media consultants.

“The Vallone family has fought for the people of Queens for decades, and it is an honor to help Peter Vallone, Jr. continue that tradition into the future,” said Hank Sheinkopf. “More than just an advocate for public safety, education and the environment, along with many other policy issues, Peter and his family have been defenders of diversity and tolerance, which has fostered Queens becoming one of the most inclusive places on earth. That is the spirit we need representing this borough, bringing all people together and making it one united Queens.”

Hank Sheinkopf, president of Sheinkopf Communications—a full service strategic communications company serving corporate, political and public affairs clients–has worked on an estimated 700 political campaigns on 4 continents, in 10 foreign nations and 44 American states in the last 35 years. His clients have included former President William Jefferson Clinton, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Leonel Fernandez, President of the Dominican Republic. Sheinkopf Communications has been brought on to provide the Vallone campaign with political strategy, high-level communications planning and media relations assistance. Andrew Moesel, Sheinkopf’s senior director, started his political career as Vallone’s communications director and will be working closely with the campaign on political and media strategy.

Council Member Vallone said, “I am proud to announce the hiring of Mercury Public Affairs and Sheinkopf Communications. Austin Finan and Hank Sheinkopf bring a wealth of campaign knowledge, Queens savvy and enthusiasm to our team and I am confident that their guidance will help lead us to victory on Election Day.”

Martha Ayon, who previously worked as a Community Coordinator for the New York City Comptroller’s Office and as the Queens Organizer for Bill Thompson’s mayoral campaign, will serve as Vallone’s campaign manager.

Vallone’s campaign for the borough president’s seat is off to a strong start. Last month, Vallone posted strong fundraising numbers, having raised more than all of the other candidates in the race combined.

Vallone will officially kick off his campaign at 6:00 P.M. on March 11th at Ovelia in Astoria alongside special guest, Congressman Joseph Crowley.

(YWN Desk – NYC)