‘Central Pk. 5’ pol’s primary shocker
New York City’s primary election had an anemic turnout — less than 5% — yet produced two likely astonishing upsets Tuesday.
Yusef Salaam, a political newcomer and a member of the exonerated Central Park Five, finished well ahead of two members of a powerful New York City political machine in a bid to represent Harlem on the Democratic ballot for City Council in the general election.
Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, one of the council’s best-known lefty firebrands, Charles Barron, was fighting for his political life while a longtime Democratic operative held a commanding lead in the hard-fought open seat to represent Sunset Park, according to results late Tuesday that provided exclamation points to an otherwise lackluster series of primary contests across the city this year.
Salaam — wrongfully convicted, eventually exonerated and now in politics — held 50.01% of firstround votes for District 9, with 97% of the scanners reporting, according to the Board of Elections.
That put him well ahead of two members of the state Assembly — Inez Dickens and Al Taylor — and potentially gave him a large-enough margin to avoid a runoff under the ranked-choice voting system. Salaam will need to secure 50% in the
final count not to have a runoff.
“He is a native son of Harlem. He’s now the prodigal son who has returned,” Manhattan Democratic Party chairman Keith Wright, who backed Salaam, said on NY1.
Across the East River, another political earthquake was brewing as incumbent Councilman Barron — who along with his wife has represented East New York for more than two decades — sat in
second place primary.
Challenger Chris Banks, who netted several key union endorsements, scored 50.54% of the firstround vote with 92% of the precinct’s scanners reporting.
Barron was several percentage points behind with 43%, while Jamilah Rose had 5%. Banks, too, looked likely to avoid a runoff.
Both Banks and Salaam would likely roll to victory in the November general election in their heavily Democratic districts.
the Democratic
The fierce fight to represent the newly created 43rd district — anchored in Sunset Park and includes Bensonhurst and Dyker Heights — turned into something of a blowout in the end.
Longtime Democratic operative Susan Zhuang held a commanding 58% in the first round of voting, easily topping the two other AsianAmerican candidates vying for the Democratic nomination, with 87% of the scanners reporting.
Turnout was light across the amid an overall rinky-dink primary race to grab the attention of voters — many of whom live in districts where the only races on the ballot were for judges or local political party functionaries.
Fewer than half of the 51 members of the City Council drew a primary and just a handful of those races were considered serious by experts and observers. On Staten Island, there were no races for city office at all.
Queens and Bronx DAs
Meanwhile, registered Democrats had a chance to render their verdicts on incumbent DAs Melinda Katz of Queens and Darcel Clark of The Bronx in primaries.
Katz easily dispatched both of her challengers from the right and the left, scoring 71% of the vote.
Clark cruised as well, defeating defense attorney Tess Cohen by nearly 50 percentage points as she scored 73% of the vote.