By Sarina Trangle
It is a case of fresh vs. familiar in the 30th state Assembly District primary.
Dmytro Fedkowskyj, a Community Board 5 member, is challenging 16-year-incumbent Margaret Markey in the Sept. 9 primary in the western Queens district.
Fedkowskyj’s campaign has largely hinged on his education work, first on the District 24 Community Education Council and then as Queens’ representative to the city Panel for Educational Policy.
But in recent weeks he has taken to calling the incumbent ineffective.
Meanwhile, Markey has brandished support from the Queens County Democratic Party, established elected officials and dozens of unions while her campaign touts her experience and described Fedkowskyj as out of touch.
It has been difficult to suss out where the two diverge on policy.
The state Board of Elections says about 34,589 registered Democrats live in the 30th Assembly District, which includes Maspeth, Woodside and portions of Astoria, Long Island City, Middle Village and Sunnyside.
Markey has not faced a competitive primary since she was elected in 1988. City BOE results show Queens Assembly districts attracted between roughly 3,500 and 7,160 voters in the 2002 Democratic primary, the most recent to fall on a non-presidential election year and also have an incumbent governor in a race.
Fedkowskyj, a Middle Village accountant, said he met many while campaigning who were unaware of Markey.
“If I’m in office for 15 years, people are going to know who I am,” he said.
Markey campaign spokesman Michael Armstrong countered that Fedkowskyj seemed unaware of how Albany works — so much so that he failed to show face in much of the district and publicly railed against Markey over a gifted program at an Astoria school outside her district.
“This guy doesn’t even have a map,” Armstrong said, before rattling off a list of what he described as accomplishments of Markey’s role on the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee, including funding for universal pre-kindergarten, a larger education budget, money for commemorative World’s Fair events and refurbishing a Long Island Rail Road locomotive.
Markey, who also chairs the Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development, has received endorsements from a slew of unions and has amassed about $15,506 in her war chest.
Fedkowskyj is going up against her with $13,938 in his campaign coffers and endorsements from the city Fire Marshals Benevolent Association, National Latino Officers Association and CEC leaders.
Reach reporter Sarina Trangle at 718-260-4546 or by e-mail at strangle@cnglocal.com.
