Saritha Komatireddy is getting a vote of confidence from a former Yankees star.
Republican candidate for New York attorney general Saritha Komatireddy scored a high-profile endorsement Monday from former Yankees All-Star Mark “Tex” Teixeira.
Teixeira is now seeking a seat in Congress as a Republican in Texas. He played first base and batted from both sides of the plate for the Yankees’ 2009 championship squad, the most recent New York team to capture a World Series title.
“Hey, New Yorkers, Mark Teixeira here. I’m supporting Saritha Komatireddy to be the next attorney general of the State of New York,” Teixeira said in a video message. He is the GOP nominee in Texas’ 21st House District.
Teixeira said New York needs a leader who will place public safety ahead of partisan concerns while working to make the state a more prosperous and desirable place to live.
“So please vote for Saritha Komatireddy. God bless you, and God bless America,” he said.
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Komatireddy, 42, a former federal prosecutor who is taking on two-term Democratic Attorney General Letitia James, welcomed the endorsement.
“Mark Teixeira spent eight seasons in pinstripes, and he knows what this city is when it works: safe walking, a subway people aren’t afraid to ride, neighborhoods where families stay,” Komatireddy said.
She echoed Teixeira’s call to prioritize public safety, accusing James of taking the opposite approach during her seven years in office. Komatireddy thanked the former slugger for his support and said she would bring the same consistency to the attorney general’s office that he showed at first base.
Teixeira spent most of his 15-year Major League Baseball career with the Yankees, following earlier stops with the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels.
Known for his defensive ability and power at the plate, he collected five Gold Glove Awards, three Silver Slugger Awards and three All-Star selections. He was also named American League Rookie of the Year in 2003.
In the Yankees’ 2009 championship season, Teixeira delivered 39 home runs and 122 RBIs as New York claimed its latest World Series crown.