What started as a bloated race between seven rivals vying for the Queens District Attorney’s Office later became a contentious blowout after frontrunners Borough President Melinda Katz and public defender Tiffany Cabán each declared herself the Democratic nominee.
After a celebratory primary day in June, a recount in July and a legal motion to validate dismissed ballots earlier this week, Cabán conceded at a gastropub in Astoria on Tuesday and acknowledged that while the race was over, her work as a progressive activist was not over.
“To every young person, to every woman, to every person of color, to every Queer person, every single human being who was inspired by the campaign we built – you are next. And I promise I will be the first one knocking doors for you,” Cabán tweeted on Aug 6. “We need to keep campaigning, electing and supporting people from our communities. Leaders who look like us – who come from our neighborhoods – who reflect our city.”
Katz promptly thanked Cabán for putting an end to the race on Tuesday.
“From the beginning of this race, I have been committed to bringing fundamental change to the District Attorney’s office. With the horrors of this past weekend still in my mind, I believe we need to focus on reducing gun violence and put an end to the proliferation of hate crimes,” said Katz. “Too often, the process of primary campaigns obscures the vast commonalities we share as Democrats and reformers. We all want a safe Queens where everyone is treated equally.”
Over the weekend, there were two mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas that were 13 hours apart, which many have blamed on President Donald Trump’s divisive racial rhetoric.
Since declaring her candidacy in December 2018, Katz had campaigned on decreasing gun violence and enforcing hate crime laws.
On Wednesday, at a press conference on the steps of Queens Borough Hall, Katz reemphasized her commitment to investing in mental health and working with community partners to stop gun violence.
“In order truly get the reform we need to cure violence and help the mental health community,” said Katz “you need to know the neighborhood, you need to know the community and you need to have deep ties with these organizations in order to get it right.”
Going forward, the borough president is looking forward to the general election.
“As it stands right now the general election is in November,” said Katz. “There is a Republican candidate that is on the line and I look forward to the race.”
The GOP candidate in the race is attorney Daniel Kogan.
The general election is Nov. 5.
