By Jyoti Thottam
Vice President Al Gore won a decisive victory over former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley in the New York Democratic primary on Tuesday, according to preliminary results, thanks in part to the solid backing of the Queens Democratic machine.
The state's Republican primary was less conclusive, with Arizona Senator John McCain losing the popular vote by a wide margin but picking up about 26 delegates for the party's nominating convention.
Gore won 63 percent of the vote in the Democrats' winner-take-all primary, based on early results from the New York City Board of Elections.
In districts where the party is strongest in Queens, Gore won by an overwhelming margin. About 78 percent of voters in southeast Queens and 72 percent of those in western Queens chose Gore, according to unofficial results reported in Newsday.
Gore made several campaign stops over the last several weeks in Queens, drumming up support among the party faithful. Other congressional districts in the borough more closely matched the statewide total.
Turnout statewide was pegged at about 35 percent, according to early returns.
At the polls in the Queens School For Career Development in South Jamaica, several voters said they had pulled the levers for Gore.
“He helped the poor people when most politicians won't,” said Kirwin Thomas, who said Gore's position on civil rights won his vote.
Ann Ehrlein, a retiree and registered Democrat from Sunnyside, said she likes everything about Bradley but voted for Gore because he was the candidate backed by her party. Come November, though, Ehrlein said she will make her own decision.
“There really is nothing for seniors,” she said. “Nobody really gives a damn.”
Gore was also popular among Hispanic voters interviewed in Flushing Tuesday afternoon outside the polls at PS 20.
Marion Hernandez, a Gore supporter, said she came out to vote because the Hispanic community needs more support from the federal government.
“I believe in Al Gore,” said Miriam Desilva. “I believe in Democrats….This is very important for the Spanish people in this country.”
Henry Tan, the Board of Elections coordinator at PS 20, said Hispanic voter turnout appeared higher this year than ever before.
“I have never seen that many Hispanic people come out,” Tan said.
Among registered Republicans in Queens, character and the candidates' position on taxes seemed to influence the voting. While McCain lost the overall popular vote in the New York state primary, he did pick up 26 delegates for the Republican nominating convention through victories in individual districts.
The two Republicans split Queens' congressional districts, with Bush winning in western Queens and southeast Queens and McCain winning northeast Queens, according to unofficial results reported in Newsday.
McCain also was leading in the 14th Congressional District, which straddles Queens and Manhattan; and the 9th CD, which includes Brooklyn and a small part of Queens.
James Don of Flushing said he voted for McCain because he liked his stance on taxes.
Irving Figueroa, 48, a registered Republican in Sunnyside, said he voted for Bush and hopes the Texas governor will help build more schools in Queens if he is elected in November.
McCain's recent criticism of Bush for speaking at a college with anti-Catholic views worked against him with Figueroa.
“A politician should say who he is, not burn the other politician,” he said said.
Kevin Doyle, a member of Community Board 2 from Sunnyside, said he recently switched parties to become a Republican, but he still liked many of the positions Gore has taken, particularly on health care and the environment.
While Doyle said the impeachment of President Bill Clinton in 1999 may have diminished the presidency, it did not necessarily eliminate his support for Gore.
“There's no reason they can't start anew,” he said.
