Politics East Flatbush

Farah Louis wins City Council primary

Chandler-Waterman comes in second — in a replay of the special election results.

June 26, 2019 Paula Katinas
Farah Louis won her second election in two months when she emerged victorious from the Democratic Primary on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Louis’ campaign
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Helped by an 11th hour endorsement from Mayor Bill de Blasio, Brooklyn Councilmember Farah Louis easily won the Democratic primary in her Central Brooklyn council district Tuesday night, earning more than 50 percent of the total votes cast.

“WE DID IT!” Louis tweeted to her supporters after her big victory in the primary in the 45th District. “I am humbled to serve as your representative. Let’s continue the work!”

With 97.8 percent of the scanners counted, Louis earned 4,548 votes for 50.30 percent of the vote total, according to the New York City Board of Elections.

The council seat was once held by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, for whom Louis served as deputy chief of staff. Williams resigned from the City Council when he won a special election to become public advocate earlier this year. He later endorsed Louis’ opponent, Monique Chandler-Waterman.

The 45th Council District includes East Flatbush, Flatbush, Flatlands, Canarsie and parts of Midwood and Marine Park.

Louis won a special election on May 14 to fill her former boss’s council seat. But in a quirk of the election schedule, Louis was forced to defend her seat almost immediately in a June 25 primary. The special election in May was held to fill the seat for the remainder of 2019. The general election on Nov. 5 will determine who will hold the office until 2021.

Chandler-Waterman, an East Flatbush civic leader who came in second to Louis in a special election on May 14, also finished second to her in Tuesday’s primary. She earned 3,887 votes for 42.99 percent of the vote total. There were 9,042 votes cast in the primary.

The mayor endorsed Louis a week before the primary, giving the freshman lawmaker a major boost as she fought to hold onto the council seat.

“Farah Louis is an impressive, hard-working leader in her community. I have witnessed her strength in serving her community and her work in the City Council. I look forward to our partnership in making our city a fairer and safer place to be,” de Blasio said in his endorsement statement.

Williams’ endorsement of Chandler-Waterman — first in the special election and later in the primary — surprised the political world. But the public advocate later sought to strike a unifying tone after watching his preferred candidate go down to defeat for the second time in two months.

“Council Member won Farah Louis won a second very tough race. The 45th District has clearly spoken again. As the community heals after this election, let’s all work to help her serve the community we all love,” Williams wrote on Twitter.

Louis faced the same seven candidates in the primary that she beat in the special election last month.

Along with Louis and Chandler-Waterman, the other names on the ballot were Anthony Alexis, Victor Jordan, Jovia Radix, Xamayla Rose, L. Rickie Tulloch and Adina Sash. However, only Louis, Chandler-Waterman and Rose actively campaigned in the primary.

No other candidate came close to Louis and Chandler-Waterman in Tuesday’s election:

  • L. Rickie Tulloch received 155 votes (1.71 percent)
  • Xamayla Rose received 151 votes (1.67 percent)
  • Jovia Radix received 123 votes (1.36 percent)
  • Adina Sash received 80 votes (0.88 percent)
  • Victor Jordan received 47 votes (0.52 percent)
  • Anthony Alexis received 41 votes (0.45 percent)

Chandler-Waterman led the pack with fundraising in the final days heading into the primary. She qualified for the maximum, $142,500, in matching funds in the city’s campaign finance program, according to figures provided by the New York City Campaign Finance Board.

Louis, the only other candidate in the race to qualify for matching funds, received $131,392.

In order to get matching funds from the city, a candidate must receive campaign contributions from at least 75 people who live in their district. The candidate must also have generated at least $5,000 in contributions from residents citywide. 

Because the 45th Council District leans heavily Democratic, Louis is seen as likely to cruise to victory in the general election on Nov. 5.





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