By Adam Kramer
Padavan defeated Lancman by a margin of about 64 percent to 36 percent, according to unofficial results.
The race, which heated up over the last month, has been called Padavan's toughest campaign battle since 1992 when he ran against Jeremy Weinstein, a veteran state senator from Howard Beach whose district was redrawn.
Democrats pumped money and time into three state senate races in the five boroughs in an attempt to seize control of the Albany Senate, where the Republicans now have a six-seat majority. The races targeted in the city were Padavan vs. Lancman, state Sen. Guy Vellea (R-Bronx) vs. Lorraine Koppell and state Sen. Roy Goodman (R-Manhattan) vs. Liz Krueger.
Control of the state Legislature was important to both parties because it will redraw the U.S. congressional districts with the new 2000 census numbers.
“For the last 10 days we have been subject to a Democratic mailing that was the most vicious tirade I have ever seen in my 28 years, but it did not work,” Padavan told a crowd of more than 100 supporters who cheered him at the New Reception House. “They brought in high Democratic officers – first Schumer, second Andrew Cuomo and then Vallone … but it didn't work.”
Padavan said he and his campaign workers did what they had to do, which was to “make people remember what we have been doing for 28 years.”
He told the crowd that winning the district, which has a Democratic majority, for the 15th time was quite remarkable.
In their effort to take the 11th Senate District, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by slightly more than 2-to-1, both candidates fought a strong battle to gain control of the seat, which represents the area from College Point to Bayside, and from Little Neck to Glen Oaks as well as covering Bellerose, Floral Park and parts of Queens Village.
Of the 157 registered voters in the 11th Senate District, 82,456 are Democrats and 36,355 are Republicans, according to the state Board of Elections.
“I voted for Padavan because of his long support of the community from the L.I.E. HOV lanes, fighting against St. John's and championing the Cross Island YMCA,” said Kevin Forrestal of Hillcrest Estates, co-chairman of Democrats for Padavan. “His strong support of the community is independent of the issues supported by the Republicans.”
Lancman's campaign was buoyed by the 1998 state senate race when Democratic contender Morshed Alam stunned the political establishment in Queens by capturing 41 percent of the vote against Padavan even though the Queens Democratic Party machine failed to back his candidacy.
At Yeats Tavern, on Northern Boulevard in Bayside, Lancman graciously conceded defeat to Padavan. Entering the smoky, dimly lit bar to a round of applause, Lancman walked over to each of his two dozen or so supporters gathered there and shook their hands. Lancman said he did everything possible to win, from fund-raising to telephone drives, from handing out leaflets to posting campaign placards throughout Padavan's district. But in the end, he said, Padavan's 28 years of experience dwarfed his efforts.
“It's a testimony to his years of service, and obviously the esteem in which his constituents hold him, and my hat is off to him,” Lancman said. “He worked very, very hard. He worked harder than he ever had to work, and I commend him for working so hard.”
In this year's race where Padavan campaigned by himself the Democrats came out in force – U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Bayside) and City Council Speaker Peter Vallone (D-Astoria) – to support and campaign for Lancman
The state Board of Elections, which tracks campaign finances for each candidate, listed the contributions to Padavan's campaign as totaling $247,783 in the period from January 1999 to Oct. 27, 2000 vs. $141,453 for Lancman's campaign.
Political observers had said the demographic changes in the district due to the recent influx of immigrants have shrunk Padavan's voter base. Padavan disagreed and brought up to the podium an Asian and South Asian immigrant who he said were instrumental to his campaign.
“The claim we are not sympathetic to our immigrant friends could not be further from the truth,” he said.
It was expected that Lancman's quest for his first elected office would be bolstered by a heavy Democratic turnout for presidential contender Al Gore and U.S. senate candidate Hillary Clinton, who both won by large margin in the 11th district.
“Padavan is a wonderful senator,” said Mary Hartin of Little Neck. “No one could beat him as a senator. He's a hard act to follow.”
Dennis McGivney of Little Neck said he thought Padavan was very effective over the past 28 years he has held office. He said there was no reason to replace the man who has done so much for the Queens communities he represents.
–
