After a race characterized with innuendo, personal attacks and the spending of thousands of dollars of political Action Committee money, Incumbent Assemblywoman Pamela Harris soundly defeated Kate Cucco in the 46th Assembly district Democratic Primary tonight.
According to unofficial results with 99 percent of the election districts reporting, Harris garnered 64 percent or 3,091 votes to Cucco’s 36 percent or 1,740 votes. The district includes Coney Island, Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights.
“They used my cancer against me. They used my financial misfortune against me but I kept praying,” said Harris, alluding to points in the campaign Cucco’s team smeared Harris name and reputation on several fronts. “Now I know you all keep hearing me say I’m not politically savvy, but mark my words I will be your strongest representative when it comes to policy. I’ll learn it backwards and forwards because our district from 3rd Avenue to Mermaid Avenue deserves every cotton pickin thing we have not gotten. It’s that simple. Being your assemblywoman takes heart, passion and love for your district. It’s that simple and I have a love for my district and I had it since I was a kid.”
Winning alongside of Harris and on the same slate was City Council Member Mark Treyger as male Democratic District Leader and Dilia Schack as female Democratic District leader, which went against the Cucco slate that included Chris McCreight for male district leader and Brigitte Purvis for female district leader.
Treyger wound up garnering 64 percent of the vote to McCreight’s 36 percent, while Schack beat Purvis 55 percent to 45 percent.
Some questioned Treyger’s move to run for the unpaid Democratic district leader position as possibly overextending himself politically, but Treyger showed a resiliency of crossing from his council district which includes Bensonhurst and Coney Island to that as district leader, which also includes Bay Ridge.
And Treyger’s win, coupled with Chinese-American Billy Thai‘s loss to incumbent Democratic District Leader Charlie Ragusa in the neighboring 47th Assembly district, puts his political star clearly on the rise. Already, one source said Treyger is showing the kind of base that could leapfrog him to Brooklyn Borough President in 2021.
“Many questioned the political intelligence of this candidacy to begin with but what they don’t understand which the voters helped them understand today it’s not where your from, the color of your skin or the faith you believe in. It’s about your commitment to help and serve the people. That’s what it’s about. You don’t impress me if you build a website before you build a track record in the community,” said Treyger.
