State Primaries Bring Out Voters for Progressive Candidates, National Issues BY SAM BLEIBERG New Yorkers showed up like never before to vote in the state primary elections last Thursday. An attention-grabbing gubernatorial campaign, progressive challenges to Democratic senate incumbents, and a close contest for attorney general brought voters of all ages and backgrounds. City Media spoke with voters at PS33 in Chelsea and PS111 in Hell’s Kitchen, to ask what motivated them to show up at the polls. The consensus: New Yorkers felt challenged to make their voices heard in response to their frustrations with the federal government. Statewide turnout almost tripled from the 2014 Democratic governor’s primary race. That’s not to say candidates at the state level did not inspire New Yorkers. Cynthia Nixon’s challenge to Andrew Cuomo resulted in a 30-point defeat, but her campaign may have bolstered a strong progressive tide that resulted
Photo by Sam Bleiberg
PS111, in Hell’s Kitchen.
in victorious challenges to incumbents across the city. Kathy Hochul won the contest against Jumaane Williams to run for re-election — but at 53 percent
of the vote, her victory was closer than the previous primary. Letitia James, NYC’s current Public Advocate, moved a big step closer to becoming the first black woman elected to statewide office in New York with her win over Zephyr Teachout and Sean Patrick Maloney for Attorney General. The ranks of the recently abolished Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) suffered heavy losses on Thursday night. The IDC represented a group of elected Democrats who caucused independently, granting control of the state Senate to Republican lawmakers. Nixon targeted the IDC early on in her campaign, and Cuomo worked with its members to end the arrangement shortly thereafter. Challengers to former IDC members won several upset races against long-tenured incumbents. Five out of six former IDC candidates lost, including IDC leader Jeff Klein, who lost to Alessandra Biaggi in District 34. On
the West Side, Robert Jackson defeated former IDC member Marisol Alcantara in District 31. Former IDC members benefitted from campaign funds raised by the state’s Independence Party, ruled improper by the New York State Board of Elections. As a show of the scale in the funding disparity between incumbent and challenging candidates, Jeff Klein spent more on his losing race than Nixon on hers. Other victors of former IDC candidates include John Liu, Jessica Ramos, and Zellnor Myrie. Diane Savino is the only former IDC member to win her race. Other impactful primary decisions include Simcha Felder of District 17, who runs as a Democrat, but previously caucused with Republicans. Andrew Gounardes of District 22 won his primary and will face Republican Marty Golden, Brooklyn’s lone Republican senator, in the general election. Despite the impressive turnout, there
YOUR METER IS GETTING SMARTER We’re installing smart meters across New York that help you keep track of your energy use and manage your bill. Learn more at coned.com/smartmeters
2
September 20, 2018
City Media LLC