Pass the jalapenos and hot sauce because I hate the taste of crow, but eat it I shall.
That after KCP Editor-in-Chief Stephen Witt (Me) jumped the gun in writing a winners and losers column after Assemblywoman Mathylde Frontus and State Sen. Andrew Gounardes both behind Republicans challengers Mark Szuszkiewicz and Vito Bruno by several thousand votes after Election Day, Nov. 3. Both Frontus and Gounardes wound up winning after the mail-in ballots were counted.
So thus, besides the pre-Thanksgiving Day meal in which I am currently partaking, an updated and revised political Winners & Losers Column is in order:
Winners
Kings County Democratic Party Chair and Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte: She’s tough, hardworking and went to bat big time in bringing out the Democratic operatives to the Board of Elections mail-in count office in Sunset Park. As a result, there wasn’t a vote left uncounted that should have been counted. Win, lose or draw, Bichotte is the leader you want with you in a foxhole during a political battle.
City Council Member Justin Brannan: The double Democratic Party win, and particularly Gournardes victory showed that Brannan and the Bay Ridge Democrats operation is as powerful as ever. Also adding a lot of help was Assembly Member Peter Abbate (D-Bensonhurst, Sunset Park) and his Stars and Stripes Democratic Club, which sources say gave a big boost of votes from the Bensonhurst side of the district. Brannan is a team player and also has a good relationship with Bichotte. Make no mistake, though, Bay Ridge is no Prospect Heights. Next year’s election still won’t be a cakewalk for Brannan, particularly if crime remains high, and the Dems far-left pressure Brannan into taking up for some of their far causes.
Brooklyn’s Republican Party: The GOP put up a good fight and U.S. Rep.-Elect Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten island, Southern Brooklyn) won big over Incumbent U.S. Rep. Max Rose as did Republican Michael Tannousis, who is replacing Malliotakis in her 64th District Assembly seat (Staten Island, Bay Ridge), although with redistricting, that seat may become all Staten Island. And between COVID, the looming fiscal crisis, the uptick in crime and the battle over specialized high school entrance exams (SHSAT), some conservative values will continue to resound to a number of centrist voters.
Jessica Thurston: Thurston is the vice president for political affairs of the New Kings Democrats (NKD) political club. She is outspoken and smart as to the ways of the Kings County Democratic Party machinery. The NKD has been busy recruiting county committee members throughout Brooklyn. She, along with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), who are supporting several city council candidates, are great organizers and money raisers. These progressives, socialists and party reformers were a small but key part to Frontus and Gounardes win. Love ’em or hate ’em, their clout is growing in this one-party borough.
Democracy and free elections: Southern Brooklyn Voters came out in droves and the election process for all its hiccups was run fairly. Congrats to the hard-working City Board of Elections.
Losers
Donald Trump: Any hope that President Trump would leave a lasting legacy in a good way such as bringing out more voters than ever, along with some policies, have been dashed with his refusing to concede the election to President-elect Joe Biden. Trump is a hopeless loser and if he has to be physically dragged out of the White House come January, so be it!
Brooklyn’s Chinese-American Community: Despite being one of if not the fastest-growing immigrant communities in several parts of Southern Brooklyn, the Chinese-Americans still have little political clout and no elected legislators. Their bread and butter issue is SHSAT. A progressive recently elected to county committee from Assemblymember William Colton‘s district told a progressive media outlet he never even heard of SHSAT in a story critical of Colton for sending out letters of wariness to support progressive county committee nominees with no understanding of the community.
It is said that Brooklyn’s Chinese-American community is a political sleeping giant. Perhaps it is time they wake-up or issues near and dear to them could be cast aside.
Editor’s note: In reviewing the copy for this story, KCP found and fixed a number of typos. We regret this sloppy editing.
