What Was Important About New York's Primary Results Yesterday? (Not Cuomo's Win)

Cuomo won but time is up for his IDC allies

Cuomo's establishment Dems won across the board at the top of the ticket in New York yesterday-- he, himself (the avatar for corruption), Kathy Hochul (a hair away from being a Republican), and Letitia James (his hand-picked candidate, chosen to keep his criminal activities as governor from being investigated by Zephyr Teachout). Cuomo won with 975,552 votes (65.6%) against Cynthia Nixon (34.4%). Jumaane Williams did better, winning decisively in Brooklyn and Manhattan, but losing to Hochul 731,459 (53.3%) to 640,530 (46.7%). In the 4-way Attorney General race Letitia James led the field with 578,412 votes (40.6%) to Teachout's 442,567 (31%), Sean Patrick Maloney did his job for the establishment by splitting the upstate vote with Teachout. He wound up third with 356,702% (25%). If he kept her out of Cuomo's hair, there is at least the satisfaction of knowing he will probably lose his House seat in November.

But lower down the ballot... nirvana! "Years of anger," according to the NY Times, "at a group of Democratic state senators who had collaborated with Republicans boiled over on Thursday, as primary voters ousted nearly all of them in favor of challengers who had called them traitors and sham progressives."

Blue America has been working for years to help oust IDC leader Jeffrey Klein. Yesterday, with help from the SEIU, Alessandra Biaggi beat him, 53-47%. 6 of the 8 IDC assholes were defeated-- as well as the entrenched and powerful Marty Dilan who has been playing footsie with the IDC for years.

SD 11 (Queens)- John Liu beat Tony Avella
SD 13 (Queens)- Jessica Ramos beat Jose Peralta
SD 18 (Brooklyn)- Julia Salazar beat Marty Dilan
SD 20 (Brooklyn)- Zellnor Myrie best Jess Hamilton
SD 31 (Manhattan, West Side)- Robert Jackson beat Marisol Alcantara
SD 34 (Bronx)- Alessandra Biaggi beat Jeffrey Klein
SD 53 (Syracuse)- Rachel May beat David Valesky

Normally a member of the legislature in New York has to be found guilty of a crime-- or at least be indicted-- to lose reelection. To see 6 of the most conservative Democrats in the state Senate all go down at once is miraculous. Mayor de Blasio helped Myrie to beat Hamilton and , shockingly, Gillibrand endorsed Biaggi against Klein. All the victors had taken inspiration from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The only IDC creeps left are Diane Savino (Staten Island north shore, Brooklyn south shore) and David Carlucci (Rockland County + Ossining). “We will not tolerate the same old way of doing politics,” said Alessandra Biaggi, who defeated Mr. Klein. “Enough.”

Democrats must still pick off at least one Republican seat this fall to seize the State Senate majority. But if they do, the party will be represented by a drastically different cast of characters.

“Some of the elements that won’t be around anymore were sources of division,” said Senator Michael Gianaris of Queens, who feuded with Mr. Klein. “It should be more unified.”

If you'd like to help these progressives win in November, please consider clicking on the 2018 state legislative ActBlue thermometer right above. Some may even face the opponents they beat yesterday running on third party slates. Others will have to beat back Republicans. All of them can use some help.