By Alexander Dworkowitz
Despite Julia Harrison’s failed bid for the state Senate, her political club fielded a district leader and state committeewoman who went on to victory without the backing of the Queens Democratic Party.
Harrison, Flushing’s longtime former councilwoman, won the race for one of the district leader slots in the new 22nd Assembly District. Loretta Weiss, another member of Harrison’s Democratic Club of Flushing, was elected to a state committee position.
The Queens Democratic machine backed Harrison’s rival, state Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Flushing), in last week’s primary for the newly created 16th Senate District.
There are two district leaders — a man and a woman — from the Democratic and Republican parties representing half of each assembly district, which has a total of eight. Each district elects one man and one woman from the two main parties to the state committees.
The Queens Democratic Party supported Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing), who made a successful run for district leader in the new assembly district, and Donald Henton, who won his state committee race.
The Democratic Club of Flushing supported John Rosario for district leader against party-backed Terence Park in a contest that was still too close to call as of press time.
Martha Flores Vazquez, a Democratic candidate running without endorsements from either the Democratic Club of Flushing or the Queens Democratic Party, took the final race for district leader in the new Flushing assembly district.
There were no Republican races in the 22nd Assembly District for district leader or state committee, according to the Board of Elections.
Run by Harrison, the Democratic Club of Flushing has recently stood at odds with the Queens Democratic Party. The divide between the two groups is in part due to Harrison’s decision to run against Stavisky, an old political rival.
In the major assembly race, the Queens Democratic Party threw its weight behind political aide Barry Grodenchik, who defeated three other candidates in his bid to become the assemblyman for the new district centered in downtown Flushing.
Grodenchik defeated Jimmy Meng, John Albert, and Ethel Chen, a member of the Democratic Club of Flushing and Harrison’s main political ally.
Although they receive less media attention than state senators and assembly representatives, district leaders and state committee representatives play key roles in state government.
Because the redistricting process created the 22nd Assembly District earlier this year, several of the district leader and state committee races within the district were considered wide open.
District leaders have the power to appoint poll inspectors and make recommendations for judicial appointments. They also can advise Queens Democratic Party Chairman Tom Manton on which candidate the party should support, although the final decision rests with him.
State committee members, on the other hand, vote on which statewide candidates to back.
The state committee also makes policy decisions, such as whether or not to draft a resolution in support of President George W. Bush’s push to invade Iraq.
The city Board of Elections began counting absentee ballots for the 22nd Assembly District Tuesday and expected to have the final results Friday.
According to unofficial results in the Democratic district races, Liu defeated James Wu, Ethel Chen’s son, with 973 votes to Wu’s 314 in the male race for part A.
Vazquez garnered 463 votes in the female race in Part A. Democratic Club of Flushing member Sally Kahn earned 408 votes, while party-backed Jacqueline Lavalle had 248 votes.
In the closest district race, Rosario led Park, 386 votes to 379, in the male race for Part B, although officials said the counting of absentee ballots could change the result.
Harrison won the woman’s side of the contest race for Part B with 656 votes. Party-backed Ellen Young had 474 votes.
In the male state Democratic committee race, Henton had 906 votes to Democratic Club of Flushing member John Henry Byas’ 722 votes.
In the female state Democratic committee race, Weiss beat party-backed Verga Fogelman, 979 votes to 675.
Reach reporter Alexander Dworkowitz by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300 Ext. 141.
