Winners & Losers 9/16/16

Hillary Clinton probably wasn’t the only New Yorker who was sick this week after we had our third primary of the year. And a statewide illness would be a convenient excuse for the dismal voter turnout this cycle (again). So hopefully the Empire State’s voters follow Clinton’s lead and take some time to recuperate before yet another election in November. And what better way to spend a day of rest than to vote for this week’s Winners & Losers!

WINNERS

Marisol Alcantara & Yuh-Line Niou – The two winners to come out of this week’s most closely watched state legislative primaries could bring big changes to New York politics. Alcantara’s state Senate win not only signals the growing Dominican power base in upper Manhattan, but her decision to caucus with the IDC gives the breakaway group more leverage in power-sharing talks. Downtown, Niou’s Assembly victory wipes away a remnant of former Speaker Sheldon Silver’s influence and cements the power of the Asian-American community in the district, which includes Chinatown.

Joe Errigo – It may be insensitive to make someone a winner as a result of a tragic death, but that’s what three Republican officials just did. When Assemblyman Bill Nojay died days before the primary, word went out that voters should stick with him over his primary rival – and when Nojay won, the local GOP got to pick his replacement. So while other candidates had to win over voters, Errigo, a former assemblyman, was simply selected by three county chairmen in a room.

Jeff Klein – While no one can predict what will happen to the state Senate majority this November, political observers are saying everything so far is coming up roses (or Milhouse) for the leader of the Independent Democratic Caucus. After the IDC-backed Alcantara won her primary race this week, the media was abuzz over the strengthened negotiating position Klein will have after the general election.

Doris Ling-Cohan – The Manhattan judge had plenty of help presenting her case – and it proved successful. The Manhattan Democratic Party’s screening panel had decided not to nominate the incumbent, contending she was “lazy” and “slow” in handling her caseload. But as the first Asian woman elected to the state Supreme Court and a jurist who upheld same-sex marriage in 2005, Ling-Cohan had cultivated a following that spoke out against the panel’s decision. In response, the party reversed its decision and determined the panel did not follow its own rules when considering her.

Jack Martins – With a federal appeals court flipping an earlier decision, “Flip” Pidot lost his chance at a special GOP primary in Long Island’s Third Congressional District. Martins can now fully focus on taking on his general election opponent, Tom Suozzi. That’s gone well this week too, as Martins got a Suozzi ad pulled from TV after calling it out for “inventing quotes” and not following federal disclosure rules – and the state senator also got Suozzi to drop his bid for a third-party line.

LOSERS

Bill Bratton – The commissioner retires from the NYPD this week in a way befitting his tenure: lower crime rates, but a lot of outraged progressives. It turns out cop Daniel Pantaleo, whose controversial use of a chokehold contributed to the death of Eric Garner, got a serious bump in pay since being transferred to desk duty. And that’s about all we know about the NYPD’s treatment of Pantaleo, since the department won’t release his disciplinary record. Quite a welcoming gift for Jimmy O’Neill.

Camille Siano Enders – When you’re asking voters to elect you to a state Supreme Court post, rumors swirling about why you were recently fired from a high-level state job are never helpful. Enders suspended her campaign for a spot on the bench late last week amid stories that the reason she had been fired from the state Department of Taxation and Finance was related to her campaigning on state time. It will be interesting to see if her efforts resume.

Jen Hensley – LinkNYC this week announced it will be disabling Web browsing on the city’s free internet kiosks in the wake of reports of “lewd acts.” But really – how did no one predict this was going to happen? Just ask virtually any teenage boy left alone with a computer. On that note, why disable all web browsing? Can’t they create some kind of parental control blocking for New York City residents?

Guillermo Linares & Margaret Markey – Leaving at the top of your game is easier said than done for long-time pols. After nearly two decades in the Assembly, Markey said she was shocked that a novice toppled her in the primary, a defeat that comes after she was jeered by her community for not being more involved in opposing a planned homeless shelter. Meanwhile, Assemblyman Guillermo Linares, a fixture in uptown Manhattan’s Dominican community, appears to have lost his seat to a Carmen De La Rosa, chief of staff to local Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez and an ally of Linares rival Adriano Espaillat.

Michael Flaherty & Kristy Mazurek – The acting Erie County district attorney’s failed bid to hold the Democratic line in this week’s primary, along with the failed campaign of Democratic Assembly candidate Mazurek, may be a sign that the final nail has been hammered into the Steve Pigeon Era. The two were linked to the indicted political operative by the county committee – a group chock full of Pigeon enemies – as some of Flaherty’s petitions were carried by Pigeon associates and Mazurek has long been a confidant of the former county party chairman.