Key 2017 New York election races to watch
Albany, New York (Sean Pavone/Shutterstock)
Don’t believe the downplayers. While the New York City mayoral race may be lacking that open seat electricity, there’s no such thing as a boring race in the greatest city in the world. And there are a number of other intriguing races across the city and the state as well, from a state senator challenging the state’s Republican standard-bearer in Westchester County to a former hardcore punk singer hoping to keep a purple New York City Council district in Democratic hands. Here’s what to watch on Nov. 7.
Outside New York City
Nassau County Executive
Laura Curran (D, WFP, Women’s Equality Party) vs. Jack Martins (R, C, Reform, Tax Revolt)
Several scandals loom over the Nassau County executive race, as departing County Executive Edward Mangano is under federal investigation for bribery charges, and another Long Island Republican, former state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, recently had his corruption charges vacated. Democrat Laura Curran and Republican Jack Martins have both made ethics a centerpiece of their campaigns, with plans for reform – and by knocking their opponents as corrupt. Martins and his supporters have criticized Curran for hiring BerlinRosen, a consulting firm involved with the investigations into New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. Meanwhile Curran, who has enjoyed a fundraising advantage over Martins, has tried to tie her opponent to Skelos, noting his initial support of the disgraced former state Senate majority leader after his arrest. Also on the ballot is Green Party candidate Cassandra Lems.
Westchester County Executive
Rob Astorino (R, C) vs. George Latimer (D, WFP, Women’s Equality Party, Independence, Reform)
Republican County Executive Rob Astorino is looking for a third term, but Democratic state Sen. George Latimer has been running a close race against Astorino, who is hoping for a convincing win as he considers another challenge against Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Democrats have a 2-to-1 registration advantage among active voters in the county, but the suburbs have been kind to Republican elected officials in the past. Additionally, Astorino has a big fundraising advantage, with the incumbent having $1.7 million on hand a month before the election, while Latimer had $500,000. In the home county of Hillary Clinton, Latimer is hoping voters reject Astorino, who supported President Donald Trump, but the main focus of the race has been on fiscal issues like property taxes.
Rensselaer County Executive
Steven McLaughlin (R, C, Independence, Reform) vs. Andrea Smyth (D, WFP, Women’s Equality Party)
Republican Assemblyman Steven McLaughlin was able to secure the Republican Party line for county executive in the primary, and obtained the Independence Party nomination through some backroom party negotiations. An audio recording was also leaked of McLaughlin harassing a top aide in September. Democrat Andrea Smyth nevertheless faces an uphill battle against McLaughlin as retiring County Executive Kathleen Jimino, a Republican, served four four-year terms. Also on the ballot is Green Party candidate Wayne Foy.
Syracuse Mayor
Juanita Perez Williams (D) vs. Ben Walsh (Reform, Independence, Upstate Jobs)
Syracuse voters are looking for change, and they’re guaranteed to get it, with Mayor Stephanie Miner reaching the office’s term limit. One recent poll shows a relatively close race between Democrat Juanita Perez Williams and Ben Walsh, an independent running on the Reform Party, Independence Party and Upstate Jobs Party lines. Perez Williams, a lawyer and U.S. Navy veteran, is hoping to be Syracuse’s first Latina mayor, but has trailed Walsh, a former city commissioner, in fundraising throughout the race. Also on the ballot are former school superintendent Laura Lavine on the Republican line, perennial Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins and Joe Nicoletti, the Working Families Party nominee who has stopped campaigning and endorsed Perez Williams.
New York Citywide/Boroughwide
New York City Mayor
Bill de Blasio (D, WFP) vs. Nicole Malliotakis (R, C, Stop de Blasio)
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is doing his best to cruise to a second term, but six other candidates are vying for the seat and earning varying levels of attention. Republican Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis has to overcome a number of challenges, from party identification to fundraising, but most of all her lackluster polling. Private eye and political gadfly Bo Dietl is running on the Dump the Mayor ballot line and has earned some attention in the race for all the wrong reasons, including his provocative comments, but has struggled to earn support despite strong private fundraising. A distant runner-up in the Democratic primary, former City Councilman Sal Albanese is back again in the general on the Reform Party line. Also running are Akeem Browder of the Green Party, Libertarian Aaron Commey and Michael Tolkin on the Smart Cities line.
New York City Public Advocate
Letitia James (D, WFP) vs. Juan Carlos Polanco (R, Reform, Stop de Blasio)
Republican Juan Carlos “J.C.” Polanco is challenging incumbent Democrat Letitia James for the public advocate post, but it seems unlikely that his underdog campaign will succeed. Polanco currently has less than $8,000 in cash on hand, while James has more than $1 million. In the 23 years since the first public advocate was elected, there has never been a Republican to hold the position. Despite Polanco’s disadvantages, he has waged a policy-oriented campaign, as seen in the surprisingly civil public advocate debate. Other candidates include Michael O’Reilly on the Conservative Party line, Green Party candidate James Lane and Libertarian Devin Balkind.
New York City Comptroller
Scott Stringer (D, WFP) vs. Michel Faulkner (R, C, Reform, Stop de Blasio)
The Rev. Michel Faulkner began the 2017 election cycle running as a Republican candidate for mayor, but he dropped out soon after Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis announced her candidacy. He quickly recast himself as the opponent to Democrat Scott Stringer, the incumbent and occasional de Blasio foil. Although both candidates seemed to table mayoral ambitions to compete for comptroller, Stringer and Faulkner have little else in common. In their debate on Oct. 17, Stringer endorsed closing Rikers Island in three years, while Faulkner opposed shutting it down. Stringer also has the advantage in cash on hand, with roughly $1.5 million, while his opponent’s expenditures have outpaced his fundraising. Also on the ballot are Julia Willebrand of the Green Party and Libertarian Alex Merced.
Manhattan District Attorney
Cyrus Vance Jr. (D)
There’s little to no chance that incumbent Cyrus Vance Jr. could actually lose his unopposed re-election bid, but everyone will be watching this race to see how much of a dent write-in candidates Marc Fliedner and Peter Gleason can make in Vance’s vote total. Vance, the Manhattan district attorney since 2010, has come under scrutiny for taking campaign contributions from lawyers who had worked for de Blasio, the Trump family and movie producer Harvey Weinstein. Vance’s office neglected to prosecute any of those power players despite having open investigations into their crimes. Vance, a Democrat, has suspended fundraising while an outside group reviews the practice.
New York City Council
District 1
Margaret Chin (D, WFP) vs. Christopher Marte (Independence)
The incumbent lower Manhattan City Councilwoman Margaret Chin just barely escaped defeat in the Democratic primary, eking out victory over local activist Christopher Marte by just 200 votes. Now Marte is back in the general, running on the Independence Party line. But with Chin outraising and outspending Marte while earning de Blasio’s and the Working Families Party’s backing, Marte may not be able to keep it as close on a busy ballot. Attorney Aaron Foldenauer is also running on the Liberal Party line, and Bryan Jung is running as a Republican.
District 4
Rebecca Harary (R, Women’s Equality Party, Reform, Stop de Blasio) vs. Keith Powers (D)
As term limits prevent sitting City Councilman Dan Garodnick from running again, this relatively centrist eastern Manhattan district is now a battleground for Democrat Keith Powers and Republican Rebecca Harary. Powers, a former legislative aide and lobbyist, defeated eight other candidates in the Democratic primary, but faces a challenge from Harary, who ran unsuccessfully for an Assembly seat in 2016. Harary and her supporters may be able to inspire turnout on the Upper East Side, where a large swath of voters opposed de Blasio in the 2013 mayoral election. Rachel Honig, who was a distant third place in the Democratic primary, will also be in the general election on the Liberal Party line.
District 30
Elizabeth Crowley (D, WFP, Women’s Equality Party) vs. Robert Holden (R, C, Reform, Dump de Blasio)
Incumbent Democrat Elizabeth Crowley received a moderate challenge for her Queens seat in the Democratic primary, with professor and local civic association leader Robert Holden earning 36 percent of the vote. Now Holden’s back in the general election, running on a number of lines, including as a Republican. Holden has a decent war chest, but Crowley has more money and the backing of the powerful Queens Democratic Party, which should have her well-positioned against Holden, even in this district with a conservative bent.
District 40
Mathieu Eugene (D) vs. Brian Cunningham (Reform)
Democrat Mathieu Eugene had one of the tougher primary races, getting just 41 percent of the vote to Brian Cunningham’s 30 percent. Now Cunningham’s back for the general election, running on the Reform Party line and earning the backing of the influential Working Families Party. Cunningham, who has worked for state Sen. Kevin Parker and City Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo and in the affordable housing sector, will have an uphill battle against Eugene, who has been in office since 2007, earned de Blasio’s endorsement in the primary and had nearly double the cash on hand of Cunningham, as of the most recent filing. But progressives in the Central Brooklyn district think Cunningham could win over discontented voters. Conservative Party candidate Brian Kelly will also be on the ballot.
District 43
Justin Brannan (D, WFP) vs. John Quaglione (R, C, Independence)
In the race to fill the seat left open by City Councilman Vincent Gentile, Democrat Justin Brannan is squaring off against Republican candidate John Quaglione. Brannan is the founder of the Bay Ridge Democrats – and a hardcore rock band – while Quaglione is a staffer for GOP state Sen. Marty Golden. Bay Ridge and Southwest Brooklyn is one of few areas where Bob Capano, another candidate who is running on the Reform Party line, has struggled to raise his campaign’s profile, and he was not invited to a recent candidate forum. Same for Angel Medina, who is running on the Women’s Equality Party line.
District 44
Yoni Hikind (Our Neighborhood) vs. Kalman Yeger (D, C)
The race to replace retiring City Councilman David Greenfield in Central Brooklyn has become somewhat of a proxy war, with Greenfield’s preferred candidate Kalman Yeger taking on Yoni Hikind, the son of Greenfield’s political rival Assemblyman Dov Hikind. Yeger, an election lawyer, earned the Democratic nomination and had more than $140,000 on hand at the latest filing, but Hikind, a former social worker and Assembly aide, outraised Yeger and still had nearly $90,000 on hand. Harold Tischler is also on the ballot, with the School Choice Party.