New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, 59, made history last night by becoming the first woman, and the first woman of color, in New York State history to get the Democratic Party nod for state Attorney General.
According to the unofficial results with 97% of the vote counted, James received 553,846 votes or 40.4% percent of the electorate in the hard-fought four-person contest. Zephr Teachout came in second with 31.1% of the vote followed by Sean Patrick Maloney with 25% of the vote and Leecia Eve with 3.4 percent of the vote.
“I want to thank my opponents who were all well qualified,” said James in her victory speech before several hundred raucous supporters at the Milk River on Atlantic Avenue in James’ home district on the Prospect Heights/Clinton Hill border. “They were all well-qualified candidates. Our fundamental values were the same, but the difference was in our approach.”
James said the race was never about her, but about the people and most importantly about “that man in the White House,” who can’t go a day without putting down immigrants and other marginalized people.
“We’re all part of one human family and we as a country can do better than that,” she said.
“And to all the individuals who did not vote for me, I hope you give me a chance to earn your respect, and I promise you that I’m an independent individual that I’ve been for the past 20 years. I’m known as the people’s lawyer and I will continue to be the people’s lawyer,” she said.
James warned that nobody should lose site of the November election where she will face Republican Keith Wofford.
“These next two months are just as important as the last three. I have an opponent who voted for Donald Trump,” she said.
Among the Brooklyn elected officials helping James celebrate were City Council Members Alicka Ampry-Samuel, Assembly Members Tremaine Wright, Latrice Walker and Jo Anne Simon; and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
Should James win in November, it will open up a spirited race for her public advocate seat early next year.
The general election is Nov. 6.
