Ronnie Eldridge, Longtime New York City Politician, Dies at 95

Eldridge, a liberal Democrat, helped found the anti-Vietnam War 'Dump Johnson' movement and served on the City Council for 12 years.

Mar. 5, 2026 at 10:41pm

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Ronnie M. Eldridge, a liberal Manhattan Democrat who helped found the anti-Vietnam War 'Dump Johnson' movement, served as an influential political strategist to Mayor John V. Lindsay, spent 12 years on the City Council, and championed the rights of women, gays, prisoners and other marginalized groups, died on Wednesday in Manhattan at the age of 95.

Why it matters

Eldridge was a fixture in New York City politics for decades, playing a key role in the anti-Vietnam War movement and serving in various appointed and elected positions, including on the City Council. Her life and career highlight the evolution of progressive politics in New York City over the latter half of the 20th century.

The details

Eldridge became an energetic volunteer, working for Robert F. Kennedy's successful U.S. Senate run in 1964. Three years later, she opened her West 93rd Street brownstone to a disgruntled and prominent local group of antiwar Democrats who planned to demonstrate against President Lyndon B. Johnson at a party fund-raising dinner in New York and to recruit a challenger for the party's nomination. That protest led to the movement that persuaded Senator Eugene J. McCarthy of Minnesota and Senator Kennedy to challenge the president in the primaries, and that prompted Johnson's stunning decision to withdraw from the race. Within the Lindsay administration, Eldridge was a trusted sounding board and troubleshooter who pursued her policy agenda relentlessly but disarmingly.

  • Eldridge became an energetic volunteer for Robert F. Kennedy's successful U.S. Senate run in 1964.
  • In 1967, Eldridge opened her West 93rd Street brownstone to a group of antiwar Democrats who planned to demonstrate against President Lyndon B. Johnson.
  • Eldridge served on the New York City Council from 1989 to 2001.

The players

Ronnie M. Eldridge

A liberal Manhattan Democrat who helped found the anti-Vietnam War 'Dump Johnson' movement, served as an influential political strategist to Mayor John V. Lindsay, spent 12 years on the City Council, and championed the rights of women, gays, prisoners and other marginalized groups.

John V. Lindsay

The liberal Republican mayor of New York City whose stances on civil rights, student protests, the Vietnam War, and the women's and gay rights movements were in harmony with Eldridge's own.

Bella S. Abzug

A prominent feminist and co-founder of Women Strike for Peace, an antinuclear and antiwar group, who Eldridge persuaded to join her in bolting the Democratic Party and endorsing Lindsay's re-election in 1969.

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What they’re saying

“She had a very clear moral compass. Her values were instinctual. And Ronnie's laugh had a shaming impact on many of us. Her laugh basically said, 'Come on, be serious, it's obvious, it's clear.'”

— Jay L. Kriegel, Lindsay's chief of staff

“In the mucky‐muck of reform politics, she is one of the few who manages to have cordial relations with everybody. You couldn't stay mad at her. She also has a very nice way of leaning on you to get something done. She'll come back each day to ask, 'Have you done it?' She'll smile, and you couldn't get mad, but she'll never let go.”

— An unnamed Lindsay aide

What’s next

The life and legacy of Ronnie Eldridge, a pioneering figure in New York City politics, will likely be the subject of further examination and reflection in the coming weeks and months.

The takeaway

Eldridge's long career in New York City politics, from her role in the anti-Vietnam War movement to her time on the City Council, exemplifies the evolution of progressive politics in the city over the latter half of the 20th century. Her tireless advocacy for marginalized groups and her ability to work across the aisle made her an influential and respected figure in the city's political landscape.