By Rich Bockmann
City Councilman Ruben Wills (D-Jamaica) fended off a strong challenge from public defender Hettie Powell to secure himself a second term in southeast Queens.
Wills, who first won the seat in a 2010 special election and then successfully defended it the following year, pulled in 48.6 percent of the vote to Powell’s 32.8 percent, according to the Associated Press with 97 percent of the vote counted.
Wills has had his name linked to a number of scandals and earlier this year his former boss, ex-state Sen. Shirley Huntley, pleaded guilty to two separate public corruption charges.
Powell was able to flex some might with her checkbook, having raised $23,000 more than Wills was able to once the city’s public matching funds were distributed.
Eugene Evans, a small business owner from Rochdale Village, garnered 10.7 percent of the vote, according to the AP.
David Kayode, a minister and an addiction counselor for the city’s Department of Homeless Services, earned 7.8 percent of the votes, the news agency reported.
Reach reporter Rich Bockmann by e-mail at rbockmann@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.
