Tish cruises to win for attorney general
She surges to clear victory in 4-way AG primary
Public Advocate Letitia James moved one step closer to Albany – and history – with a comfortable victory Thursday in the Democratic primary for state attorney general.
The Associated Press called the race for James at 10:33 p.m., with the Brooklyn native collecting 38.6% of the votes in her four-way race for the November ballot.
With 99% of the vote counted, the 59-year-old James maintained her early lead in cruising to victory over runnerup Zephyr Teachout with 29.6% of the vote.
James is poised to become the state’s first black woman attorney general if she defeats New York City attorney Keith Wofford, who ran unopposed Thursday in the Republican primary. She could also become the first woman elected as New York state attorney general.
Normally considered a left-of-center politician, James, who ran on the same ticket as Gov. Cuomo, found herself in the unusual position of defending herself as an establishment candidate. City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer withdrew his endorsement of her toward the end of the campaign, choosing Teachout, whom he considered more independent.
“I think Tish is better than this campaign,” he said at the time.
But the councilman overestimated voter disenchantment with the party machine, and her alliance with the governor appeared to be more of an asset than a liability.
James promised no hard feelings in her victory speech at Milk River Lounge in Prospect Heights, and promised to focus her attention on President Trump.
“To be honest with you, this campaign was never about me or any of the other candidates who ran, it was about the people but, most importantly about that man in the White House, who can’t go a day without threatening our fundamental rights,can’t go a day without threatening the rights of immigrants, can’t go a day without dividing us” she told the crowd, surrounded by supporters.
Current AG Barbara Underwood took over in May after her predecessor Eric Schneiderman resigned amid allegations of brutality against women.
James, casting her vote Thursday morning in Brooklyn, pledged to target the National Rifle Association, the White House and state corruption if she emerges victorious.
“I can’t wait to wake up each and every day, go to the office, sue somebody and then go home,” she said at Public School 11 in Clinton Hill.
James received a small round of applause after arriving at the polls. She received high-profile endorsements from Gov. Cuomo, rapper Nicki Minaj and several influential unions.
Teachout campaigned frequently with fellow political outsider Cynthia Nixon, the actress who lost to Gov. Cuomo in his bid for reelection. The James campaign ran alongside the incumbent governor, even running ads promoting the ticket with the two of them.
Third place went to openly gay candidate Maloney, 52, is a three-term congressman from the Hudson Valley, with 23.8% of the vote. Verizon executive Eve collected just 3.25% of the vote.