By Phil Corso
Northeast Queens has its fair share of turnover with four City Council races in November, but one crowded district has been making headlines since its incumbent was arrested on corruption charges in early April.
In the 19th Council District, which includes Little Neck, Bayside, Douglaston, North Flushing, Whitestone, Auburndale and College Point, five Democrats and one Republican have stepped up to replace embattled Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone).
Halloran was arrested in April and faces a federal indictment charging him with using bribery to try and inject Democratic state Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-Hollis) onto the GOP line in the upcoming mayoral election.
The Democrats who will face off in a September primary include Douglaston attorney John Duane; Flushing urban planning consultant Paul Graziano; Bayside native and former government spokesman for the Empire State Development Authority Austin Shafran; party-backed Flushing attorney Paul Vallone; and former Halloran Chief of Staff Chrissy Voskerichian, of Flushing.
On the Republican side, the GOP chose to back Douglaston attorney Dennis Saffran for the ticket just days before Halloran announced he would not seek re-election.
Shafran, who has collected endorsements from various labor groups like 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the Working Families Party and the Hotel Trades Council, has led in the fund-raising efforts of all six candidates, the city Campaign Finance Board said.
But last week, the Democratic Party voted to endorse Vallone for the seat.
Just a few communities west, the 20th District, representing Flushing, Queensboro Hill, Mitchell Gardens, Kissena Park, Harding Heights, Auburndale and part of Whitestone, also found itself in a three-way race for the seat currently held by Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing).
Koo, who also received an endorsement from his party, will be facing Green Party candidates Evergreen Chou and Republican Sunny Hahn in November. He has served as chairman of the Council Waterfronts Committee and also sits on the Council’s Aging, Land Use, Oversight and Investigations, Transportation and Youth Services committees and leads the three in fund-raising by a significant margin.
In the 23rd District, Councilman Mark Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens) has represented the neighborhoods of Hollis Hills, Queens Village, Little Neck, Douglaston, Bayside, Bellerose, Floral Park, Glen Oaks, New Hyde Park, Hollis and Fresh Meadows since he was elected in 2009. The official is up for re-election in November, but no bona fide opponents have stepped up to challenge him yet.
But just one district over, Councilman James Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows) will be term-limited out of office come November and that has attracted a four-way race for the seat.
Candidates vying for the 24th District spot, which represents Briarwood, Fresh Meadows, Jamaica Estates, Jamaica Hills, Kew Gardens Hills and parts of Forest Hills, Flushing, Jamaica and Rego Park, include former state Assemblyman Rory Lancman, retired Flushing cancer researcher Isaac Sasson, Briarwood community activist Andrea Veras and Republican-backed Alex Blishteyn.
The Queens Democratic Party-backed Lancman, who ran for Congress and lost last year in a Democratic primary against U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing). He leads the fund-raising by a wide margin in the race. He will face off against the other two Democrats in a September primary.
Reach reporter Phil Corso by e-mail at pcorso@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4573.
