Nine Democrats are running to replace Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel and five more on Long Island are competing for Rep. Steve Israel’s seat in New York congressional primary elections Tuesday.
Rangel and Israel are among the four New York congressmen retiring at the end of the year, guaranteeing new faces in the 27-member delegation. Primary contests also are being held Tuesday in the districts of the two outgoing upstate Republicans: Hudson Valley Rep. Chris Gibson and central New York Rep. Richard Hanna.
Rangel, who is backing Assemblyman Keith Wright, has served 23 terms in a New York City district that has remained a stronghold for black politicians even as the number of Latinos has grown.
State Sen. Adriano Espaillat, who failed to knock off Rangel twice before in Democratic primaries, is making his third run. The crowded field also includes Adam Clayton Powell, the son of the charismatic congressman Rangel defeated in a primary 46 years ago: Adam Clayton Powell Jr.
In Long Island, former Nassau County executive Thomas Suozzi is seeking a political comeback with his run for Israel’s seat. He was defeated in his re-election bid for the county post in 2009, several years after an unsuccessful run for governor. The other candidates are Jon Kaiman, Steve Stern, Anna Kaplan and Jonathan Clarke.
Gibson’s retirement from his eastern New York seat has led to Democratic and Republican primary races.
Democrat Zephyr Teachout, who mounted a surprisingly strong primary challenge to Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2014 by promoting progressive issues, is running against farmer Will Yandik. Teachout, a Fordham University law professor, is ahead in the polls and has support from deep-pocketed donors like George Soros.
Yandik has played up his local roots.
On the Republican side, former state Assemblyman and gubernatorial candidate John Faso faces first-time candidate Andrew Heaney. In a bare-knuckled race, Heaney has played up Faso’s past as a political insider and lobbyist while Faso has spotlighted Heaney’s New York City roots and a 2007 campaign contribution to Barack Obama.
Polls show Faso with a commanding lead.
In central New York, Hanna’s retirement has set up a three-way GOP primary race among Syracuse-area businessman Steve Wells, Utica-area Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney and Binghamton-area history teacher George Phillips.
There’s also a hard-fought Democratic primary on the eastern end of Long Island for the opportunity to take on Republican first-term Rep. Lee Zeldin in November. Former Southampton town supervisor Anna Throne-Holst and venture capitalist David Calone had raised $3 million combined by this month.
In the Syracuse area, three Democrats are fighting for the chance to take on Republican first-term Rep. John Katko. Colleen Deacon, a former aide to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, faces Eric Kingson, a social work professor at Syracuse University and Steve Williams, an attorney and Navy veteran.
(AP)
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4 Responses
There is a primary today to retire Boro park congressman Jerold nadler who voted for the Iran deal. Oliver Rosenberg is running to displace nadler, Google him before you vote for him.
Yes I googled him. I can’t believe it. The guy rosenberg advertises himself as an orthodox gay. What’s crazier is that all the chassidisha mosdis put an ad saying in yiddish that he has our beliefs. Where are the leaders of the twenty mosdis to speak out. In the luach bulletin they have a list of everyone be from satmar to bobov to skulener. Now I understand why the young kids are drifting away or becoming just dressed up religious without davening.
Rosenberg might be toeiva but Nadler long ago abandoned out frum needs despite going to yeshiva. Vote Rosenberg.
It’s better to vote nadler even though he supports gays then someone who is gay and advertises himself as orthodox and gay in the west side and on the Internet. Soon young chassidic kids will say you can be frum and gay. Look we have an orthodox gay congressman. Feh.