Election Night Roundup: Lower East Side Democrats Win Handedly

Lower East Side elected officials cruised to easy victories in last night’s General Election. Here’s a look at the unofficial results:

Silver, the longtime Assembly Speaker, was elected to a 20th term, vanquishing Republican challenger Maureen Koetz.  The Battery Park City resident hoped to tap into anger regarding Silver’s handling of the Vito Lopez sex harassment scandal and other Albany controversies. She made women’s rights a pillar of her campaign. Last night, Silver released a statement congratulating statewide victors, including Governor Andrew Cuomo.  The Speaker did not mention his own campaign.

This election offered voters a stark choice – should we continue to build on our successes and work for a better future or will we allow far right wing politicians to assume control of our state government? Once again, voters overwhelmingly chose to continue moving New York forward and I offer my sincere congratulations to Governor Cuomo and Lieutenant Governor-elect Kathy Hochul on their victory. Congratulations as well to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli on their resounding victories. They have fought hard to protect and improve the lives of New Yorkers and I look forward to working with them over the next four years to continue building on this significant progress. On behalf of my Assembly Majority Democratic members, we look forward to working with Governor Cuomo and with all our colleagues to continue the fight for a higher minimum wage, a DREAM Act for our children, increased funding for our neediest schools, the creation of jobs throughout upstate and the enactment of the full Women’s Equality Agenda, including protecting a woman’s right to choose. These and other issues important to our state’s residents must be addressed to build up the middle class and truly keep the Empire State as a beacon of hope and opportunity for people from around the globe.

Democrats hoped to take the state Senate, which has been controlled in recent years by Republicans and a coalition of five independent Democrats. But riding a national wave of discontent with the Democratic Party, the state GOP appears to have gained a 32-seat majority.  Affordable housing advocates on the Lower east Side and throughout New York City hoped a Democratic Majority in the Senate would result in a stronger rent regulation law. Those aspirations are now dashed.