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Meeks secures 8th term in Congress

Meeks voting
Photo courtesy of Congressmember Gregory Meeks’s office

Incumbent Congressmember Gregory Meeks slid smoothly into victory on Tuesday, November 6, defeating challenger Allan Jennings in the 5th Congressional District.

Meeks, who won with 88.6 percent of the vote according to unofficial results, will kick off his eighth term in the House, now representing the newly drawn 5th District, encompassing all of southeast Queens and some of Nassau County.

“I have three most foremost goals,” said the incumbent. “The first is to effectively help [my] constituents resolve whatever federal issues they may have, like problems with medicare, social security, medicaid [and] immigration.”

The Democrat’s other goals relate to job creating legislation, by both supporting and introducing bills that spark employment, and also working locally to develop his district into a “more cohesive and innovative economic engine.”

“With JFK Airport, Resorts World, Belmont Racetrack, Green Acres Mall, hospitals … and a skilled workforce, the 5th CD has assets that could become job creating hubs and corridors of entrepreneurial innovation,” he said.

Meeks came out on top of challenger Jennings, who ran on the Republican line though he is a registered Democrat. Jennings also ran in the Democratic primary, but was defeated by the congressmember. He then re-entered the race on the Republican ticket.

Jennings, a former Councilmember, has repeatedly run unsuccessfully for office since the loss of his council seat in 2005.