BY JACKSON CHEN | The local political landscape in Midtown and on the Upper East and Upper West Sides will largely remain status quo as all incumbent elected officials earned another term on November 8.
In the State Senate’s District 31, which runs uptown from the Upper West Side, an open seat was contested by four candidates but easily captured by the Democrat, Marisol Alcantara, who garnered roughly 90,000 votes, or 77 percent of the total, according to the State Board of Election’s unofficial numbers.
Adriano Espaillat, who surrendered the State Senate seat to pursue the 13th District US House of Representatives seat being vacated by Charlie Rangel – which includes the Upper West Side, Morningside Heights, and Harlem – also easily won, with more than 187,000 votes, or 81 percent of the total.
Espaillat endorsed Alcantara to succeed him. Espaillat is the first Dominican-American elected to Congress, while Alcantara will become the first Dominican woman in the State Senate.
“I want to thank all of those in the 31st Senate District who supported me,” Alcantara said in an email. “I am glad that our diverse and progressive district elected me as the first Dominican woman to the New York State Senate. I will work tirelessly to bring resources back to our district and serve as a strong advocate for our needs.”
Even before she won election, Alcantara announced she would caucus with the Independent Democratic Conference, a rump faction of her party, now numbering seven including her, that has led the Senate in coalition with the Republicans serving as its senior partners. Depending on the outcome of two tight races on Long Island currently too close to call, the IDC might be in a position to play kingmaker in the next session of the Legislature by deciding whether to return to the Democratic fold to give that party the majority or continue to sit with the Republicans and deny the Democrats the majority they would otherwise enjoy.
Two House veterans – West Sider Jerry Nadler, who also represents portions of Brooklyn, and Carolyn Maloney, whose district includes the East Side and portions of Queens and Brooklyn – both won handily in the 10th and 12th Districts, respectively.
State Senators Brad Hoylman of the West Side’s 27th District, Liz Krueger, who represents 28th District on the East Side, and José Serrano in the 29th District further uptown all also easily won two-year terms by comfortable margins.
Area state assemblymembers were also returned to Albany, with West Siders Dick Gottfried, Linda Rosenthal, and Daniel O’Donnell, easily winning by racking up vote percentages in the high 70s and low 80s. Races were a bit more competitive in the 73rd District that covers the Upper East Side from Third Avenue to Central Park and the 76th District that encompasses the Upper East Side east of Third Avenue as well as Roosevelt Island.
Democratic incumbent Dan Quart of the 73rd District won with 58 percent of the vote, earning more than 32,000 votes, while his opponent, Republican Rebecca Harary, tallied a large chunk of votes at 34 percent, or more than 18,000, according to the BOE’s numbers.
Unofficial numbers show Republican challenger Jonathan Kostakopoulos, with 25 percent, or 13,000 votes, against Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright, who won a second term, in the 76th District. The incumbent, with more than 37,000 votes, garnered 69 percent of the total.
“I am very grateful for the 37,082 votes I received — far exceeding the total votes from two years ago and representing a higher percentage of voters who cast their ballots,” Seawright said in a statement. “This stronger-than-ever show of support will enable me to keep fighting the good fight in both our community and in Albany for the budgetary resources we need to maintain and enhance the quality of life on the Upper East Side, Yorkville, and Roosevelt Island.”
