Brooklyn proves unfriendly to election challengers

Incumbents post easy wins across the board

November 9, 2016 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

State Sen. Marty Golden was one of several incumbents who ran unopposed for re-election on Tuesday. Eagle photo by Paula Katinas

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A closer look at the results from Tuesday’s election shows that once again Brooklyn was inhospitable territory to challengers seeking to oust incumbents.

All of the incumbents running for re-election posted easy victories and a handful of lawmakers, Democrats and Republicans alike, had an easier time than most because they ran unopposed.

Democratic state Sens. Simcha Felder (District 17), Martin Dilan (District 18), Roxanne Persaud (District 19), Diane Savino (District 23) and Daniel Squadron (District 26) all ran with no opposition on Nov. 8.

“You have the fact that Democrats traditionally dominate Brooklyn politics. That makes it hard for a potential challenger to rise up,” one political observer told the Brooklyn Eagle on Wednesday morning. “But you also have the fact that incumbents enjoy tremendous name recognition. Voters tend to vote for people whose names they know.”

Democrats weren’t the only incumbents enjoying a relaxing election night.

State Sen. Marty Golden, a Republican representing the 22nd district, also got a free ride, running with no opponent facing him. Another Republican, Assemblymember Nicole Mallitotakis, who represents the 64th Assembly District (AD), also ran unopposed for re-election.

Can a newcomer ever come out of nowhere and knock off an incumbent in Brooklyn? “Not likely,” said the political observer.

Here is a roundup of election results:

In the U.S. House of Representatives, all of the Democratic incumbents from Brooklyn won.

Nydia Velazquez trounced Republican Allan Romaguera 91 percent to 9 percent in the 7th Congressional District (CD), Hakeem Jeffries, who represents the 8th CD, earned an impressive 93 percent of the vote to Conservative opponent Daniel Cavanagh’s 7 percent. In the 9th CD, Yvette Clarke won another term in office, sailing past Conservative challenger Alan Bellone 92 percent to 8 percent.

Jerrold Nadler garnered 77 percent of the vote to win re-election in the 10th CD. Republican Philip Rosenthal earned 23 percent.

Freshman Republican Dan Donovan won re-election in the 11th CD over two challengers. Donovan posted 62 percent of the vote. Democrat Richard Reichard earned 32 percent while Green Party candidate Henry Bardel had 2 percent.

In the state Senate, races in three Brooklyn districts involving Democratic incumbents were all landslides.

Jesse Hamilton glided to a big win over Republican Menachem Raitport 94 percent to 6 percent in the 20th Senate District (SD) Kevin Parker earned 96 percent of the vote to Conservative candidate Brian Kelly’s 4 percent in the 21st SD. And longtime state Sen. Velmanette Montgomery (25th SD) easily beat back two opponents. Montgomery earned 93 percent. Republican Mamie Rose and Independent Michael Cox each had 3 percent.

Here are the results in state Assembly races around the borough:

41st AD: Democrat Helene Weinstein (78 percent), Republican Ramona Johnson (22 percent).
42nd AD: Democrat Rodneyse Bichotte (90 percent), Republican Matthew Williams (10 percent).
44th AD: Democrat Robert Carroll (85 percent), Republican Glenn Nocera (15 percent).
45th AD: Democrat Steven Cymbrowitz (79 percent), Conservative Boris Gintchanski (21 percent).
46th AD: Democrat Pamela Harris (57 percent), Republican Lucretia Regina-Potter (34 percent), Conservative Mikhail Usher (5 percent), Green Party candidate Patrick Dwyer (4 percent).
47th AD: Democrat Bill Colton (89 percent), Conservative Malka Shaher (11 percent).
49th AD: Democrat Peter Abbate (76 percent), Republican Rosemary Mangano (24 percent).
51st AD: Democrat Felix Ortiz (88 percent), Republican Henry Lallave (12 percent).
52nd AD: Democrat Jo Anne Simon (92 percent), Republican Daniel Ramos (8 percent).
54th AD: Erik Dilan (95 percent), Republican Khorshed Chowhury (5 percent).
55th AD: Democrat Latrice Walker (98 percent), Republican Berneda Jackson (2 percent).
59th AD: Democrat Jaime Williams (78 percent), Republican Jeffrey Ferretti (22 percent).
60th AD: Democrat Charles Barron (97 percent), Conservative Ernest Johnson (3 percent).