Party Designating petitions were filed at the NYC Board of Elections on Thursday and it is time for my annual report on this year’s likely upcoming Primary contests in the City.
When I know something about the candidates and the political situation, I will include some of that information in this report.
All of my information are as of Friday afternoon, so some of this will change as some candidates will decline and will either be replaced or not, some candidates will be removed from the ballot because of insufficient signatures or some other error and there may have been a clerical error or two by Board of Elections’ personnel in listing the candidates.
I exclude any contests for Judicial Delegates & Alternates and County Committee as they are so obscure that even political junkies don’t usually care about them. And I’m not listing any possible races that are in districts that include NYC and either Nassau or Westchester as those petitions are filed in Albany.
Bronx
Democrats
State Senate
32nd SD Senator Ruben Diaz is opposed by former Council candidate Elliot Quinones & by Jason McNeill.
33rd SD Senator Gustavo Rivera is being challenged for the 2nd time by Councilman Fernando Cabrera & by Leonel Baez who received 11% of the vote a few weeks ago when he ran for Congress.
Assembly
77th AD Assemblywoman Latoya Joyner opponent is District Leader Bernard Wilkerson.
78th AD Assemblyman Jose Rivera faces a challenger from former County Party Executive Director Ischia Bravo.
80th AD Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj has 2 opponents – schools activist Iris Rosario & minister Irene Estrada.
84th AD Assemblywoman Carmen Arroyo has 2 opponents –Community Board Member Jackson Strong & Carmen Muniz
85th AD Assemblyman & County Leader Marcus Crespo is opposed by former Council candidate William Moore.
86th AD Assemblyman Victor Pichardo has a rematch with former District Leader Hector Ramirez, who Pichardo narrowly defeated in 2014.
87th AD Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda is opposed by schools activist Pamela Stewart-Martinez.
City Council
17th CCD Councilman Rafael Salamanca, Jr., who won a Special Election earlier this year is opposed by union activist Helen Hines & Ralph Poinvil.
Civil Court
Countywide Court Attorney Patsy Gouldborne is opposed by John Rivera, a lawyer who lives in Westchester
District Leader
77th AD Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson is opposed by Maxine Turner.
78th AD Nilda Velazquez is opposed by Samelys Lopez
79th AD Incumbents Cynthia Cox & John Tucker are opposed by Juanita Martinez & Wilfredo Perez.
80th AD Community Board member Andrea Siegel has 2 opponents – Roxanne Delgado & Erica Estrada-Bukowieoki & Marcus Sierra has one – Marques Haynes.
84th AD Former Councilwoman Maria Del Carmen Arroyo is opposed by Yolanda Garcia & Former Assemblyman Israel Martinez is opposed by Bernie Sanders’s campaigner Shannon Olivaria
85th AD 85th AD Assemblyman & County Leader Marcus Crespo has 2 opponents – Michael Beltzer & Joseph Cepeda & District Leader Antonia Figueroa has one – Simone Simmons
86th AD District Leader Yudelka Tapia is opposed by Rosanna Hernandez & Timothy Tapia, an aide to Leticia James is opposed by Steve Santana.
87th AD Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda is opposed by Omar Adams & incumbent Leader Julia Rodriguez faces Sarah Alleyne.
State Committee
77th AD Jose Morell vs Juan Rojas & Evelyn Rivera vs former Assembly candidate Verdell Mack.
79th AD Incumbents Mark Haynes & Diana Diaz are opposed by Antonio Jaquez & Awilda Brito.
80th AD Incumbent Joe McManus is opposed by Jesus Ramos & Assembly staffer Nathalia Fernandez is opposed by Bianca Elias.
85th AD Assembly staffer Matthew Shuffler faces Richard Russo & Nelly Medina faces Aziza Lawrence.
86th AD Incumbent Bernice Williams is challenged by Yocasta Polanco.
87th AD Rosemary Ordonez-Jenkins is opposed by Sarah Alleyne & Julian Sepulveda (son of the Assemblyman) is opposed by Carl Johnson.
Brooklyn
Democrats
State Senate
18th SD Senator Martin Malave Dilan faces a re-match with former candidate Debbie Medina.
19th SD Senator Roxanne Persaud is opposed by former Council candidate Mercedes Narcisse.
25 SD Senator Velmanette Montgomery is being challenged by former Congressional aide Michael Cox.
Assembly
42nd AD Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte is opposed by former candidate Victor Jordan.
43rd AD Assemblywoman Diana Richardson who as elected in a Special Election as the WFP candidate is being opposed by Guiellermo Phillpotts, who was supposed to be the Democratic candidate in that Special Election but was disqualified from running.
44th AD Attorney Robert Carroll is running to replace retiring Assemblyman Jim Brennan with Brennan’s support against Occupy Wall Street activist Troy Odendhal & teacher Robert Curry-Smithson.
45th AD Assemblyman Steve Cymbrowitz is opposed by Russian/Georgian journalist George Tsikhiseli.
46th AD Assemblywoman Pamela Harris, the winner of a Special Election to replace Alec Brook-Krasny is opposed by former Brook-Krasny Chief of Staff Katie Cucco.
53rd AD Assemblywoman Maritza Davilla is opposed by lawyer Kenneth Belkin.
54th AD Assemblyman Erik Dilan is being challenged by Deonn Foster.
55th AD Assemblywoman Latrice Walker is facing a contest with Councilwoman Darlene Mealy.
56th AD Community Board Chair Tremaine Wright & former Congressional aide Karen Cherry are running to replace retiring Assemblywoman Annette Robinson, who is backing Wright.
59th AD Assemblywoman Jaime Williams was opposed by Nicholas Pierre but he declined to run. No replacement has been named yet.
State Committee/District Leader
41st AD Incumbent Laurie Garson is being challenged by Lori Maslow.
42nd AD Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte & Community Board member Josue Pierre are opposed by Rashida Wright & Victor Jordan, who is also running for Assembly.
43rd AD District Leader Geoffrey Davis is opposed by Guillermo Phillpotts, who is also running for Assembly.
44th AD District Leader Jacob Gold is opposed by Robert Curry-Smithson, who is also running for Assembly.
46th AD Incumbent Delia Schack is challenged by Coney Island activist Brigitte Purvis, while City Councilman Mark Tryger is opposed by campaign manager Chris McCreight.
47th AD Incumbent Charles Ragusa is being challenged by Chinese community leader Billy Thai
50th AD District Leader Linda Minucci is opposed by Emily Gallagher, backed by New Kings Democrats.
53rd AD Assemblywoman Maritza Devilla is opposed for State Committee by housing activist Carmen Bonilla.
55th AD Former Assembly staffer Darma Diaz vs community activist Denise Felipe-Adams.
55th AD District Leader Anthony Jones vs Shawn Francis & Councilwoman/District Leader/Assembly candidate Darlene Mealy vs former candidate Shermene Minter.
57th AD Incumbent Olanike Alabi is opposed by former Leader Renee Collymore & Veronca Avei, Political Director at Planned Parenthood.
59th AD County Leader Frank Seddio was opposed by Nicholas Pierre but he declined to run. No replacement has been named yet, while incumbent Roberta Sherman is opposed by State Senate candidate Mercedes Narcisse.
60th AD Leader Joy Simmons is opposed by former Council candidate Nikki Lucas.
Civil Court
Countywide Court Attorney Consuela Mallafre Melendez is opposed by Odessa Kennedy, an attorney at a law firm.
3rd JD Court Attorney Susan Quirk & Edward Irizarry, an attorney in private practice are running.
5th JD Private practice attorneys Morton Avigdor & Rachel Freier & Court Attorney Jill Epstein are running.
Republicans
Assembly
46th AD District Leader Lucretia Regina-Potter is opposed by lawyer Mikhail Usher.
49th AD District Leader Steve Maresca vs. Rosemary Mangino
Manhattan
Democrats
State Senate
30th SD Senator Bill Perkins has an opponent, Raphael Pierre, but I was told by a Board of Elections employee that the Pierre petition may have set a record for fatal errors on it.
31st SD Former Councilman Robert Jackson, former aide to Eric Schneiderman Micah Lasher, former District Leader Marisol Alcantara & former Senate candidate Luis Tejada are running to succeed future Congressman Adriano Espaillat.
Assembly
65th AD Assemblywoman Alice Cancel, the winner of the Special Election to replace Sheldon Silver is opposed by former Assembly aide Yue-Line Niou, who was the WFP candidate in the Special, District Leaders Paul Newell & Jenifer Rajkumar, Community Board Chair Gigi Li & former City Hall staffer Don Lee.
66th AD Assemblywoman Deborah Glick was opposed by District Leader Arthur Schwartz but he declined to run. No replacement has been named yet
67th AD Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal is challenged by Eugene Byrne.
68th AD Assemblyman Robert Rodriguez’ opponent is businesswoman Tamika Mapp.
69th AD Assemblyman Danny O’Donnell is challenged by educator Steven Appel.
72nd AD Assemblyman Guillermo Linares has 2 opponents – Council aide Carmen De La Rosa & former Community Board Chair George Fernandez.
74th AD Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh is opposed by former candidate Juan Pagan.
Civil Court
6th JD 2 Housing Court Judges – Sabrina Kraus & Susan Avery & attorney Leonard Silverman are running. Full disclosure – Prime New York is consulting for Judge Kraus’ campaign and I urge anyone in the district to vote for Judge Kraus.
State Committee
65th AD 4 candidates are running for the Male position – District Leader Pedro Cardi, Lee Berman, Local Co-Op Board member, Community Board Member Dodge Landesman & Christopher Marte, who dropped down from an Assembly candidacy.
66th AD Former District Leader John Scott opposed Young Democrats leader Ben Yee.
68th AD Incumbents Senator Bill Perkins & District Leader Peggy Morales each have opponents. District Leader Johnny Rivera against Perkins & former District Leader candidate Nylissa Whitaker versus Morales.
69th AD State Committee man Dan Cohen is opposed by former candidate Thomas Lopez-Pierre.
72nd AD Incumbent Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez is opposed by Bernie Sanders volunteer Ting Barrow & Julio Peguero, while incumbent Argentina Cruz is opposed by Maria Rodriguez & Nayma Silver.
76 AD Former District Leader Frank Wilkinson & former State Committee candidate Jonathan Piel are running.
Queens
State Senate
10th SD Senator James Sanders, Jr. is opposed by Community Board Chair Adrienne Adams.
16th SD Senator Toby Stavisky has a rematch with former opponent S.J. Jung.
Assembly
29th AD Incumbent Alicia Hyndman has 2 educators opposing her – Lorraine Gittens-Bridges & Linda Guillebeaux.
30th AD Incumbent Marge Markey has 2 opponents – former Council aide Brian Barnwell & former Council candidate David Rosasco.
31st AD Assemblywoman Michele Titus is opposed by former Congressional aide Nigel Loncke.
32nd AD Assemblywoman Vivian Cook is opposed by PTA President Rodney Reid.
33rd AD 6 candidates filed petitions to replace the late, Assemblyman Barbara Clark. Community Board Chair Bryan Block, Haitian leader Sabine French, local NAACP head Leroy Gadsen, former School Board member Roy Paul, former candidate Clyde Vanel & Assembly aide Nantasha Williams.
District Leader
29th AD, Part A District Leader & former Councilman Archie Spigner & his wife Leslie Spigner are opposed by Kevin Rucker & Ruth Campbell.
31st AD, Part A Incumbents Robert Simmons & Valerie West are challenged by youth activist Milan Taylor & Lakia Echols.
32nd AD, Part B Leader Anthony Andrews, Jr. is opposed by former candidate Clinton Diaz.
33rd AD, Part A Councilman & Leader Daneek Miller is challenged by former Leader candidate Oster Bryan & 3 candidates are running to succeed Barbara Clark – Dymitra Etienne, Senate aide Lois Menyweather & Roslin Spigner.
33rd AD, Part B Congressman Greg Meeks is opposed by Anthony Rivers
35th AD, Part A Incumbent George Dixon faces former Councilman & Senator Hiram Monserrate.
State Committee
31st AD James Gulston vs Khaleel Anderson & Betty Leon vs Silaka Cox.
Staten Island
Republicans
Assembly
62nd AD Assemblyman Ron Castorina, Jr. is opposed by former candidate Janine Materna.
Reform Party
Some petitions have been filed to create some write-in Primaries in the City for the recently created Reform Party. I believe these are part of publicity stunt by a radio talk show host and I have decided not to contribute to that effort, which not only wastes the time of Board of Elections staff but cost the City money, by listing any of the “contests”.