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Three run against Meeks in 5th Congressional District

Three run against Meeks in 5th Congressional District

Four candidates are running in the Democratic Primary for the congressional seat, held by U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks.

Allan Jennings

Allan Jennings was elected in 2001 to the City Council’s 28th District, covering Jamaica, South Jamaica and South Ozone Park, where he served until 2005. He labels himself an independent Democrat and is running in both the Democratic and Republican primaries. Since losing his re-election bid, Jennings has run unsuccessfully for the Council and state Assembly. He worked as a mortgage banker for seven years.

Joseph Marthone

Joseph Marthone is an accountant who graduated from Springfield Gardens High School and went on to Queensborough Community and Queens colleges. He served three terms as chairman of the southeast Queens advisory board for the city Department of Youth and Community Development. Marthone has been active in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and worked as a community organizer for tenants in Rochdale Village.

Gregory Meeks

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks has represented southeast Queens in the House of Representatives since 1998. He is a member of the Committees on Financial Services and Foreign Affairs and is a member of the US/Russian Trade and Economic Relations, Services and Organization of American States caucuses. Meeks grew up in Far Rockaway and, after graduating from law school, worked as an assistant district attorney in Queens.

Mike Scala

Rosedale resident Mike Scala is a graduate of Polytechnic University and Brooklyn Law School. He advocated for end-of-life care with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and worked with city educators at the New York State United Teachers union. He founded the Solid Ground movement, which fights for the middle class. A hip-hop artist, he became a fan of the genre while riding dollar vans to Cardozo High School.