By Alex Robinson
State Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Flushing) is poised to return to Albany for her eighth term after she successfully fended off a primary challenge from Flushing activist S.J. Jung.
With all votes counted, Stavisky had 57 percent of the ballots cast to 43 percent for Jung, according to the Associated Press.
The two squared off for District 16, which is 53 percent Asian, 23 percent white and 17 percent Hispanic, according to census data, and includes parts of Flushing, Bayside, Whitestone, Elmhurst, Woodside, Rego Park and Forest Hills.
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) introduced Toby Stavisky at her victory party in a Flushing restaurant, saying “she has just won by a landslide.”
Stavisky began by thanking her team, including Meng, state Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Flushing) and City Council members Peter Koo (D-Flushing) and Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills).
“I will do the best I can to make sure my constituents get everything they deserve,” she said.
Two blocks away at the Sheraton Flushing, Jung told a roomful of dejected campaign volunteers that they may have lost, but they gained respect.
“Ours was a true grassroots campaign,” he said. “We didn’t rely on outside political forces. We should keep our chins up for what we accomplished.”
Stavisky vowed to fight for the Women’s Equality Agenda, the Dream Act and an increase in the minimum wage. Jung, a Flushing activist and business owner, put together a campaign that drew few endorsements to take on Stavisky, a veteran senator with Democratic Party support.
The Korean immigrant and activist campaigned mainly in the Asian community, where the base of his support was.
Stavisky is also popular among her Asian constituents and was supported by her ally Kim, the first Korean American elected to the state Legislature.
The race was fairly civil compared to the one in the district next door between Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) and former city Comptroller John Liu.
Throughout the campaign, Jung refused to criticize Stavisky, who in turn declined to comment on her opponent’s campaign other than to say he was fairly quiet on women’s issues.
Jung stepped down as president of Flushing’s MinKwon Center for Community Action in May to challenge the incumbent, who followed suit and launched her own campaign within days of Jung’s announcement, rolling out endorsements from the party brass.
Using the help of an army of volunteers and interns, Jung announced a number of policy priorities, which include cleaning up Albany, revitalizing the Flushing waterfront and raising the minimum wage.
Stavisky ran on her record as a state legislator and said that if re-elected she would work toward passing the Dream Act, the Women’s Equality Act and campaign finance reform.
She is not facing any challengers in the November general election.
Reach reporter Alex Robinson by e-mail at arobinson@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4566.
