A longtime politician and a veteran prosecutor are vying to succeed a New York City district attorney who handled the investigation into the police chokehold death of Eric Garner.

Republican Joan Illuzzi and Democrat Michael McMahon are running in Tuesday’s election on Staten Island.

It comes a year after then-District Attorney Daniel Donovan empaneled a grand jury that didn’t indict a white police officer in the death of Garner, an unarmed black man. The decision helped propel a national debate about how the criminal justice system treats black men.

Donovan later won a congressional seat.

McMahon is a former congressman and city councilman. He has practiced civil and criminal law but hasn’t been a prosecutor.

Illuzzi was a Manhattan assistant prosecutor for 27 years. She’s a political novice.

(AP)