41st District City Council Race
With Brownsville City Councilwoman Darlene Mealy term-limited out of office next year, the race to replace her is expected to be highly competitive.
Besides Brownsville the district also cuts across several assembly district lines including patches of East Flatbush, Crown Heights, Canarsie and Bed-Stuy. Thus far the frontrunners have been Alicka Samuel, whose base is Brownsville, and who is a former female Democratic District Leader and Assemblywoman’s Latrice Walker‘s Chief of Staff, along with Community Board 3 Chair Henry Butler, whose base is the Bed-Stuy portion of the district.
However, KCP has learned from several sources that Cory Provost, the male Democratic District Leader of the East Flatbush’s 50 Assembly District is also highly likely to throw his hat in the ring.
While roughly 50 percent of the district is in Brownsville, there will likely be one or two other candidates from Brownsville jumping into the race, which could dilute Samuel’s vote.
The key to this election in the largely African- and Caribbean-American district, may be the 43rd Assembly District portion, which includes Crown Heights and the Jewish vote. In total, this is between 12-15% of the district.
Reynoso Might Face Challenge From Torres
Tommy Torres, the Male Democratic District Leader of the 53rd Assembly District is currently lining up support for a possible challenge to City Council Member Antonio Reynoso (Bushwick, Williamsburg) in what could be a fairly competitive race.
Torres, an assistant principal at the Grand Street Campus High School, is said to be huddling with 53rd District Assemblywoman Maritza Davila about challenging Reynoso as well as making the rounds at local NYCHA tenants meetings, and through his sitting on the Woodhull Hospital Advisory Board and being an active member of Community Board 1.
Davilla spokeswoman Rachel Fuentes said the Assemblywoman is currently not thinking about endorsing anyone, and in general she is looking to unite the people of north Brooklyn and put an end to old wars.
Ortiz Considering A Challenge To Menchaca
Several sources say that Assemblyman Feliz Ortiz is weighing a challenge to City Council Member Carlos Menchaca (Sunset Park, Red H0ok).
Ortiz has been in the assembly for 22 years, where he is currently the assistant speaker. As he was re-elected this year, he wouldn’t have to give up his seat to challenge Menchaca in the September 2017 City Council Primary so it would be something of a free run.
Menchaca has shown a strong independent streak in the Council, but does have his share of political enemies. It doesn’t help that he supported the sale of the Sunset Park Library, but then again he hasn’t supported the proposed BQX Trolley line which would span the waterfront portion of his district. The de Blasio Administration isn’t helping his case by continually placing homeless shelters in Menchaca’s district.
The Battle of The Borough Presidents
As unlikely as it sounds, one source told KCP during the recent holiday weekend, that former Borough President Marty Markowitz was considering coming out of elected office retirement and challenge current Borough President Eric Adams.
Markowitz, who was term limited out in 2013, can run for the office again as he sat out of elected office for one full term. A matchup between the two borough presidents would make for an exciting race. Markowitz did not return calls to KCP to confirm or deny his interest in again becoming borough president.
Adams ran unopposed in 2013, and it will be interesting to see if anyone – Democratic or Republican – will challenge him for re-election next year.
