Biaggi, Jackson, Myrie, Salazar Win Senate Races; Barnwell, Cruz & Epstein Victors in Assembly Primaries
Congratulations to the winners of last night's primary elections, and especially to Democratic State Senate Primary winners Alessandra Biaggi, Robert Jackson, Zellnor Myrie and Julia Salazar, and Democratic Assembly Primary victors Brian Barnwell, Catalina Cruz and Harvey Epstein, all of whom we were proud to endorse. Congratulations, too, to the two other endorsees who had primary races yesterday – Ethan Lustig-Elgrably, whose 46th Assembly District race is still too close to call, and Blake Morris, who ran a spirited though ultimately unsuccessful challenge – against long odds – to speed-camera villain Simcha Felder. Win or lose, they can all take pride in their efforts.
Overall, StreetsPAC-endorsed candidates won seven races last night, and lost one, with one yet to be decided. As we saw with last year's City Council contests, in which StreetsPAC-endorsed candidates won 16 of 23 primary races, voters clearly care about making streets safer and transit more reliable. And, if you'll forgive us for tooting our own horn, the results demonstrate that our in-depth questionnaire and interview process works, and leads us to support talented and viable candidates for public office.
None of this would be possible without your generous financial backing, and without your retweets, likes and shares of our social media content, as we continue to build a political movement for safer streets and better transit. Thank you for your faith in StreetsPAC!
One last time, here are the candidates whom we endorsed in yesterday's primary. Congratulations to all!
Blake Morris, 17th Senate District, Brooklyn (Runner-Up) – Morris, an attorney who lives in Ditmas Park, can be very proud of his effort to unseat Simcha Felder, a Democrat who caucuses with Republicans in the State Senate and was responsible for bottling up in committee a bill that would have reauthorized, and increased the number of, speed safety cameras in New York City. We look forward to Blake's next move in public life.
Julia Salazar, 18th Senate District, Brooklyn (WINNER) – Salazar defeated incumbent Senator Martin Malavé Dilan in North Brooklyn's 18th District. She's committed to improving the transit system, including upgrading bus service in the district, accelerating the MTA's station-accessibility efforts, and ensuring that every resident of North Brooklyn has ready access to public transit during the L train shutdown. She'll also vote to reinstate and expand the city's speed camera program, and will support a congestion-pricing plan that funds a better transit system while protecting low-income drivers who have no other means of getting to work.
Zellnor Myrie, 20th Senate District, Brooklyn (WINNER) – Myrie, a lawyer and activist, unseated Jesse Hamilton, who was a member of the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference. Myrie supports congestion pricing, and plans to advocate for implementation of Select Bus Service in East Flatbush and Brownsville. He will also back legislation that would limit the ability of consistently dangerous drivers to remain behind the wheel, if it contains a restorative justice component. He'd also like to see Linden Boulevard redesigned with pedestrian safety upgrades and protected bike lanes, and supports a Vision Zero makeover for the irregular triangles at the confluence of Howard, Pitkin and East New York Avenues in Brownsville.
Robert Jackson, 31st Senate District, Manhattan (WINNER) – Jackson, who ran for this seat two years ago, defeated first-term State Senator Marisol Alcantera, who was a member of the Independent Democratic Conference that caucused with Republicans. Jackson is a backer of congestion pricing, and supports residential parking permits as a means of combatting the influx of park-and-ride drivers who routinely flood upper Manhattan. He also wants to see the city's lapsed speed camera program renewed and expanded, and is committed to pursuing improvements to the Hudson River Greenway.
Alessandra Biaggi, 34th Senate District, Bronx (WINNER) – Biaggi won last night's biggest upset, knocking off deep-pocketed incumbent State Senator Jeff Klein, who led the Republican-caucusing Independent Democratic Conference for the past seven years. She's pledged support for a comprehensive congestion-pricing plan consistent with the Move NY and FixNYC proposals, and wants to see Albany pass legislation that would increase penalties for hit-and-run drivers. She will also advocate for reinstatement and an increase in the number of speed cameras authorized for New York City, as well as the elimination of restrictions governing their operation.
Brian Barnwell, 30th Assembly District, Queens (WINNER) – Barnwell, one of the younger members of the Assembly, secured a second term by handily winning his primary race. He supports implementation of Select Bus Service on major avenues in Maspeth and Middle Village, and wants to see the city's school speed safety camera program renewed and expanded. He's also been working with the MTA to implement transit improvements in his district using state multi-modal transportation funds.
Catalina Cruz, 39th Assembly District, Queens (WINNER) – Cruz, the first DREAMer to run for office in New York State, defeated Assemblymember Ari Espinal, who had only just won the seat in an April special election. Cruz supports congestion pricing, and reinstatement and expansion of the city's speed camera program. She wants to see Select Bus Service implemented along Junction Boulevard, and supports passage of legislation that would increase penalties for drivers who flee crashes. She also believes that New York City should have control of the subways and city buses.
Robert Carroll, 44th Assembly District, Brooklyn (Uncontested) – Carroll, who won his Assembly seat in 2016 with StreetsPAC's backing, has quickly established himself as a transit and safe-streets champion. He's pledged to continue to lead the fight for passage of a comprehensive congestion-pricing plan, and is committed to working to bring runaway MTA capital costs in line with those of other major transit systems. He supports reinstatement and expansion of the city's speed camera effort, and will continue to advocate for legislation aimed at getting dangerous drivers off the road. Carroll did not have a primary opponent.
Ethan Lustig-Elgrably, 46th Assembly District, Brooklyn (Too Close to Call) – Lustig-Elgrably, running for the open seat in the 46th District, served as Legislative Director and Chief of Staff for City Council Member Mark Treyger prior to a stint at the Parks Department. He's committed to improving bus service in the district, especially along the B36 and B74 routes, and plans to advocate for expanded express subway service. He also views improved subway and bus accessibility as a key issue, including level boarding for buses.
Jo Anne Simon, 52nd Assembly District, Brooklyn (Uncontested) – Simon is running for election to a third term in the Assembly, where she serves on the Transportation Committee, and she's been an advocate for safe streets and better transit for decades. She's an original co-sponsor of the bill supporting the Move New York congestion-pricing plan, and is adamant about the need to reinstate and expand New York City's speed-camera program. In addition, Simon is the lead sponsor of a bill that would authorize the city of New York to establish a residential parking-permit system. Simon did not have a primary opponent.
Harvey Epstein, 74th Assembly District, Manhattan (WINNER) – Epstein, who won a special election in April to succeed Brian Kavanagh in this east side district, was victorious in a three-way primary, winning a significant majority of the votes. Prior to his election to the Assembly, he had a distinguished career as a public-interest lawyer and community organizer. Epstein has already made his mark in Albany by introducing a bill that would remove caps on the number of bus-lane and red-light cameras in New York City, and he supports congestion pricing and the renewal and expansion of the city's speed-camera program. He's also an advocate for a robust plan for dealing with the impending L train shutdown.
