Supporting the underdog in Queens DA race

There are 766,117 Democrats with active registrations eligible to vote in the Queens district attorney Democratic primary. Yet two top-tier 2020 presidential candidates who may be seeking something on the order of 70 million votes next November just took the time to make an endorsement.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders both hopped on the train of outsider candidate and 31-year-old public defender Tiffany Cabán on Wednesday. Cabán is giving establishment candidate Melinda Katz, considered by some to be the front-runner, a strong challenge.

NYC is not Iowa or South Carolina. City folk are not used to presidential candidates caring much about local races and minor party figures. They come here to fundraise, not curry favor ahead of a caucus.

So why bestow blessings on Cabán?

• A random Queens representative named Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has already given her support to Cabán.
• A media industry centered in the five boroughs that at least knows glancingly about Cabán and co.
• Plus, Sanders and Warren are fighting for many of the same presidential voters on the leftmost side of the party. The support of AOC’s coalition of progressive groups could make a difference in next April's presidential primary if both Warren and Sanders are still in the hunt and need the state’s treasure trove of delegates.

And what’s in it for AOC? Cabán’s win could give the freshman member of Congress more muscle in New York City politics and thus the ability to raise more money to advance her own political career and move her power base out of her district and the Twittersphere.

It’s a good strategy for 2020 Democratic contenders and AOC no matter how many votes the endorsements turn out Tuesday in Queens.