Primary Endorsements
Even in a pandemic, democracy marches on. Polls are open Tuesday for party primaries, from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday is the last day to postmark a mail-in absentee ballot. The Post urges readers to cast their ballots against extremism and corruption.
US House of Representatives 16th Congressional District (Bx/W’chester)
Veteran Rep. Eliot Engel, the Foreign Relations Committee chairman, faces Jamaal Bowman, a former Bronx middle school principal who until recently was a member of the Independence Party and is strongly backed by the Democratic Socialists of America and other far-left groups. Naturally, he’s joined the recent calls to “defund the police.” Engel is a voice of calm reason who has always delivered for his district and a firm backer of Israel. Supporting him is an easy call.
14th CD (Bronx/Queens)
Former cable newswoman Michelle Caruso-Cabrera has rightly slammed incumbent Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for leading opposition to the Amazon HQ project — a “victory” that cost the district thousands of jobs that it sure would like to have now. The frosh is a national media star, but that does her constituents no good. Caruso-Cabrera is the moderate that our times demand.
11th CD (Staten Island/Brooklyn)
In a rare Republican primary, Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis faces off against prosecutor
Joe Caldarera to determine who takes on first-term Democratic incumbent Rep. Max Rose in the general. Malliotakis has shown herself an able legislator and community advocate, and is far better suited to win centrist votes in the general.
NY State Assembly 35th Assembly District (Queens)
Vote for veteran Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry over disgraced pol Hiram Monserrate, who’s making yet another comeback bid in the East Elmhurst/Corona district. Having done hard time for corruption in a previous public office, Monserrate is a no-go.
73rd AD (Manhattan)
Vote for moderate progressive newcomer
Cameron Koffman over Assembly hack Dan Quart, who tried unsuccessfully to keep his young rival off the ballot claiming he didn’t reside in the district while attending college. When not advocating for releasing violent felons, Quart’s top issue is “no rollbacks” on bail reform ever. He doesn’t even intend to serve out his term if he wins, but will immediately focus his energies on a run for Manhattan DA, rather than serving the district.
79th AD (Bronx)
Corrupt ex-Assemblyman Eric Stevenson is running for his old seat, left open as incumbent Michael Blake runs for Congress. Blake staffer Chantel Jackson is the best of the pack.