With Latimer off to serve his first term in Congress in the 16th district, the board unanimously picked Jenkins, a fellow Democrat, to take his seat – at least until a special election on February 11. In nominating him, Democratic Majority Leader Tyrae Woodson-Samuels said Jenkins is the natural choice for the job.
“Ken has faithfully served our community for seven years as deputy county executive, demonstrating unmatched dedication, insight and a deep understanding of county government," said Woodson-Samuels.
Jenkins is Westchester’s first Black county executive. The appointment gives him a boost in a special election where he is already the only announced candidate.
In his first remarks as executive, Jenkins reflected on his upbringing in the Bronx and thanked his parents, a former NYPD officer and nurse, for encouraging him to enter public service.
“I share all of our values, and I know every detail of county government — even when I don’t want to admit it," Jenkins smiled. "And I know we’re all going to work together to make Westchester affordable for everyone.”
A former county legislator and chairman with a background in the telecommunications industry, Jenkins has a long history in Westchester County. He once ran the Yonkers chapter of the NAACP, before conflicting with national leadership in the 1990s. He’s also led the nonprofit Yonkers Community Action Program, and sat on various Democratic committees. Most recently, aside from being deputy county executive, Jenkins has served as the chair of New York’s Independent Redistricting Commission – a position he will likely need to step away from as county executive.
This isn’t Jenkins’ first time running for the post. Before becoming Latimer’s deputy, he challenged him in the 2017 Democratic Primary and lost. Now, he has Latimer’s endorsement.
“Ken and I have worked as a team in so many ways in public. Many times, you get a governor and lieutenant governor, and you don’t see the lieutenant governor," says Latimer. "In Westchester County, you’ve seen me and Ken doing things together for all of these seven years. So he is ready to be a great county executive. The voters will decide, but I think he is more than ready.”
Together, Latimer and Jenkins have touted cuts to the property tax levy over the years, as well as investments in the county workforce, infrastructure projects, affordable housing, and maternal health programs. Jenkins says having a county executive with connections in Washington and experience working across the aisle will be crucial, as President-elect Trump takes office.
“Whether it was me being the chair of the Board of Legislators, whether it was the experience that I’ve had in the Independent Redistricting Commission, and certainly as deputy county executive with George Latimer — all of those experiences lead us to develop pragmatic solutions by taking the time to have input and hear from all different points of view," says Jenkins.
If Jenkins wins in February, he’ll still have to run for a full four-year term in November.
