Democratic incumbent City Councilmember Leroy Comrie emerged as the victor in the 27th Council District primary, earning 62 percent of the vote over his challenger Clyde Vanel’s 38 percent.
Comrie – whose district encompasses neighborhoods including St. Albans, Hollis, Cambria Heights, Jamaica, Queens Village, Rosedale and Springfield Gardens – won in an election that centered on education, unemployment, foreclosure, overdevelopment, predatory lending and infrastructure needs.
According to his chief of staff, Rance Huff, the Councilmember celebrated his victory at the Guy Brewer Democratic Club, thanking members of the club, elected officials across southeast Queens and “the young, diverse people who were inspired after last year’s historic presidential race” for their support.
“Community service is a privilege that I take seriously and I will continue to work hard each day to make sure our city receives its fair of city services,” Comrie said in a statement. “There is much work to be done,” he added.
Comrie has served in the Council for eight years and is the chair of the Consumer Affairs committee and a member of various other committees including Cultural Affairs; Libraries and International Intergroup Relations; Finance; Housing and Buildings; Land Use; Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses; and Rules, Privileges & Elections.
In deciding to run against the incumbent, Vanel, an attorney, cited in an August interview with The Courier a need for change in the local leadership, adding that it has “been the same for the last 35 years.”
In the end, however, Vanel’s 3,242 votes – before any absentee ballots were counted – were overshadowed by Comrie’s 5,393 and proved insufficient to make that change happen.
