News Americas, BROOKLYN, NY, Weds. June 27, 2012: Caribbean American Congresswoman, Yvette D. Clarke, won a Primary challenge to her Brooklyn, NY seat Tuesday.
The congresswoman, a third term incumbent, was facing a challenge from attorney and Reverend Sylvia Kinard, the former wife of former NYC Comptroller, Bill Thompson, who was running on a platform of more visibility and inclusiveness for the communities included in what is now the 9th District.
Clarke won with 88 percent of the vote, besting Kinard who claimed only 12 percent.
Meanwhile, long-time 82-year-old Congressman, Charles Rangel won over a tough challenge from Adriano Espaillat, who had dreams of becoming the first Dominican in Congress. Rangel netted about 45% of the vote, compared to Espaillat’s 40%.
Also in New York City, New York state Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries easily turned aside primary opponent and controversial New York City Councilman Charles Barron on Tuesday and is a shoo-in to replace retiring Rep. Ed Towns (D-N.Y.) in November.
Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) easily won a primary against New York City Councilman Erik Dilan, who got the backing of Brooklyn power broker Vito Lopez in a district that took in significant chunks of Brooklyn in redistricting.
* State Assemblywoman Grace Meng won the Democratic primary for retiring Rep. Gary Ackerman’s (D-N.Y.) seat, beating fellow Assembly member Rory Lancman by 22 points with 89 percent of precincts reporting. Meng is now primed to be New York’s first Asian-American member of Congress.
* Businessman Matt Doheny easily won the GOP nomination to face Rep. Bill Owens (D-N.Y.) in a 2010 rematch.
* Former Erie County executive Chris Collins won the Republican nod to face Rep. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.) in an upstate district that Democrats won in a 2011 special election.
* Attorney Julian Schreibman won the Democratic primary to face Rep. Chris Gibson (R).
* Bill Clinton-backed Sean Patrick Maloney won the Democratic primary to face Rep. Nan Hayworth (R), defeating Cortlandt Town Councilman Rich Becker.
* Special election-winning Rep. Bob Turner lost the GOP Senate primary handily to attorney Wendy Long. Long was leading 51 percent to 36 percent with 96 percent of precincts in. Turner’s Queens-based district, where he succeeded disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner (D) in a 2011 special election, was eliminated in redistricting, forcing him into the Senate race. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) is not considered vulnerable.
