By Patrick Donachie
In the most contested congressional primary in the borough, former Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi won the Democratic primary, beating four challengers. He will face Republican Jack Martins in the general election in November in a bid to succeed outgoing U.S. Rep. Steve Israel (D-Melville).
Turnout was low in the primary elections held throughout Queens Tuesday.
Suozzi garnered 35.5 percent of the vote, AP reported, with 99.8 percent of precincts reporting. For much of the night, Suozzi and Suffolk County Legislator Steve Stern were locked in a tight contest, but Stern eventually ended up tied with North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman with 22.9 percent of the vote. North Hempstead Town Councilwoman Anna Kaplan received 15.3 percent of the vote, while attorney Jonathan Clarke got 4.9 percent of the vote.
According to AP vote totals, 18,385 ballots were cast in the primary race. The 3rd District includes parts of Bay Terrace, Little Neck, Glen Oaks, Floral Park and Whitestone, as well as sections of Nassau and Suffolk counties in Long Island.
Incumbents won the three other Queens primaries. U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Jamaica) bested challenger Ali Mirza in the CD 5 primary with 81.8 percent of the vote, while U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-Brooklyn) beat Jeffrey M. Kurzon and Yungman Lee with 61.9 percent in the CD 7 race. U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-(Astoria) won in the CD 12 primary with 90.3 percent of the vote, beating challenger Peter Lindner.
Reach reporter Patrick Donachie by e-mail at pdona
