Editor’s Note: This story is dependent on the absentee ballot count. However, in considering the absentee ballots collected so far and factoring in the margins of victory, KCP feels most of the unofficial winners of the primary will hold up. However, as in the case of Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz victory following the absentee vote count against Tiffiany Caban last year, one never knows until all the absentee ballots are counted. These ballots must be postmarked June 23, election day, and returned to the Board of Elections. The BOE will begin this recount on July 1.
Winners
The Democratic Socialists of America: KCP has cast a wary eye on this mainly white-run socialist organization that fields, financially supports and puts their exceptional organizational skills behind candidates of color in gentrifying neighborhoods, but there is no denying they are a local and national political force to be reckoned with.
Their candidate, Jabari Brisport, won the 25th District Senate race, and they came close to winning in fielding candidates against Assemblymember Walter Mosley and Felix Ortiz. Additionally, State Sen. Julia Salazar romped in her primary.
It will be interesting to see how Brisport reacts to issues on the ground during his first term. Will he toe the DSA party line or support issues for which communities of color have real concern. For example, if there is a serious rise in crime in some neighborhoods, will he work with police and allow more of a police presence? Or if traditional public schools in some economically disadvantaged neighborhoods remain poor, will he back local parents clamor for more choice for charter schools? Or will he support the DSA agenda toward nationalizing housing and giving it to local non-profits, when as KCP has documented in their Third Party Transfer series the lowest-hanging property fruits for such nationalization is property rich, cash poor people of color?
One political pundit told KCP, the driving force of the DSA is more generational than ideological and what the younger generation doesn’t understand is that it is not the older generation’s job to simply get out of the way. One must always be wary of becoming Boxer in Animal Farm, the loyal comrade, who was ultimately sold to the knacker and turned into whiskey for the pig hierarchy.
Assemblywoman Diana Richardson: The dynamic, in-your-face, strong, take-no-prisoners Richardson is a force to be reckoned with. She thoroughly demolished former State Sen. Jesse Hamilton in the primary and look for her to be a driving force, along with State Sen. Zellnor Myrie and Assemblymembers Walter Mosley and Latrice Walker in reshaping Black politics in Brooklyn.
U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke: After coming close to losing to Adem Bunkeddeko two years ago, Clarke came roaring back with new energy in soundly defeating Bunkeddeko this time out. It showed in her legislative skills. It showed in an improvement in constituent services and it showed with a solid well-organized campaign and team. A special mention here to Krysten Copeland, a PR entrepreneur on the rise.
Assemblymember Walter Mosley: Mosley had a tough fight in defeating DSA Candidate Phara Forrest in a district that is rapidly gentrifying. After the rise of Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte as Kings County Democratic Party Chair and the coalition of black leadership supporting Assemblywoman Tremaine Wright for the senate seat he was eyeing, Mosley could have wilted. Instead, he rolled up his sleeves and fought for his re-election. And after he won last night, he told KCP he plans to win over the people and represent the people who didn’t support him as much as the people who did. For a politician, Mosley has high character and he’s resilient. Somebody well worth watching.
Assemblymembers Joe Lentol and Felix Ortiz: Both these veteran lawmakers had tough races and both appeared to have won. In politics, the phrase status quo is often thrown around with negative connotations, but having institutional knowledge in government is as important as bringing in new faces. Lentol and Ortiz are both very good on the issues and in crafting reasonable legislation.
Losers
Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte: Still in her early stages of being the county boss, Bichotte’s failure to back Richardson and her hedging her bets on the Clarke race with tepid support while her cousin and male district leader counterpart Josue Pierre, backed Bunkeddeko could make her growing machine vulnerable.
As KCP has written before, Bichotte has a habit of making you a friend when she needs you, while ignoring or writing you off at the slightest disagreement when she doesn’t need you. This can be a dangerous game because people remember these things.
The Mosley/Richardson/Myrie bloc is growing, while Bichotte lost two key supporters – Tommy Torres and Olanike Alabi – who both were upset in their district leader races. Additionally, Monique Chandler-Waterman campaigned hard for Clarke and remains close to Public Advocate Jumaane Williams – yet another one-time ally that she turned into a political enemy. If Black Lives Matter Brooklyn President Anthony Beckford and Chandler-Waterman can come to some kind of understanding, this could make Bichotte’s top lieutenant City Councilwoman Farah Louis vulnerable next year in the city council race.
Additionally, Josue Pierre is eyeing the term-limited City Councilmember Mathieu Eugene‘s 40th District seat, which is in the heart of Richardson’s district. Richards, Myrie and company will likely back Brian Cunningham.
Bichotte loves a good political fight and she is a warrior in the political arena, so yesterday’s primary didn’t doom her. But if it’s a fight she picked, it’s a fight she’ll get and you never know what can happen once the fists start flying.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams: Adams and company took a big chance in encouraging Jesse Hamilton to run against Richardson and lost big. He also has hitched his wagon to Bichotte and the Democratic Party machine. As a state senator and borough president, he never really had competitive races and this could hurt in his mayoral run. He needs to shore up his Brooklyn support. If Jumaane Williams runs that will put a large dent in Adams’ black base. Additionally, Richardson’s win could very well benefit Comptroller Scott Stringer’s move to build an inclusive coalition.
Brooklyn’s Jewish Community and Israel: Progressives and the DSA are no friends to the large religious Jewish community. Richardson has not thrown many olive branches to the Lubavitch community in her district, and Clarke is not likely to be a big supporter of Israel in Congress, particularly as President Donald Trump ardently supports Israel. Like police brutality cases against Blacks, antisemitic incidents against Jews are up, and with animosity against police at an all-time high, religious Jews will not get the same protections they have traditionally enjoyed.
The Vanguard Independent Democratic Association (VIDA): This longtime Bed-Stuy Democratic Club has lost some steam with Wright losing the senate seat and Stefani Zinerman winning Wright’s Assembly seat, but not overwhelmingly, against Justin Cohen. This will make next year’s city council race for term-limited City Councilman Robert Cornegy‘s seat that much more competitive.
VIDA President and Community Board 3 District Manager Henry Butler won his Democratic District Leader race in a landslide and remains the frontrunner in the city council race, but look for several challengers to come out of the woodwork for the open seat. Also lurking is the DSA, who will likely field a candidate in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood.
