While we’re still reeling from last night’s shocker in the presidential election, the results in local races were a lot more predictable. Yuh-Line Niou was elected to serve the Lower East Side in Albany. She will succeed Sheldon Silver in the 65th Assembly District, after winning the Democratic Primary in September.
According to the State Board of Elections, Niou was the choice of 67% of those voting yesterday in Lower Manhattan. She collected 27,679 votes, while Republican Bryan Jung was the choice of 13%. He pulled in 5411 votes. The 65AD seat is currently held by Alice Cancel, who won a special election in April but lost the primary election earlier this fall. Cancel ran yesterday on the Women’s Equality Party line, attracting just under 5% (2031 votes). Manny Cavaco of the Green Party picked up 3%, or 1273 votes.
Niou is a resident of the Financial District and formerly served as chief of staff to Assemblyman Ron Kim of Queens. Her election is precedent-setting. Niou will join her former boss (Kim is a Korean American) as only the second person of Asian descent in the New York State Legislature. Silver, convicted last year on federal corruption charges, served the Lower East Side in Albany since 1976.
Niou celebrated her victory last night with supporters at Hotel Chantelle, the Ludlow Street night club.
In other political news, Daniel Squadron coasted to victory last night in the 26th Senate District (he ran unopposed). Squadron represents Lower Manhattan and sections of Brooklyn. Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh easily defeated his Republican challenger, pulling in 74% of the vote.
At the federal level, Congresswomen Nydia Velazquez and Carolyn Maloney were easily re-elected.
