BY EMMA MILLER
Queens and the rest of New York state were indeed hit by a “blue wave” of Democratic voters during Tuesday’s midterm election.
Andrew Cuomo and Kathy Hochul were re-elected for another term as governor and lieutenant governor, respectively. Public Advocate Letitia James made history as the first African-American woman elected as New York State attorney general. And a slew of Democratic victories across the state — including Queens, Brooklyn and on Long Island — gave the party a sizable majority in the State Senate.
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand were also easily re-elected to their posts.
Among the local races, Democrat Tom Suozzi was re-elected for a second term representing the 3rd Congressional District with 21,312 votes or 67.2 percent according to the Board of Elections. The district includes Bay Terrace, Bellerose, Douglaston, Glen Oaks, Little Neck, North Shore Towers and Whitestone as well as northern Nassau and northwest Suffolk counties. Suozzi beat Republican Dan DeBono who received less than half as many votes: 10,361 or 32.7 percent.
In the four-way race for the 11th State Senate District seat, Democratic nominee John Liu won with 39,571 votes or 53.5 percent. Republican nominee Vickie Paladino got 17,950 votes or 24.3 percent, incumbent State Senator Tony Avella got 15,343 votes or 20.8 percent and Conservative Simon Minching got 1,035 votes or 1.4 percent. Liu will represent the 11th Senatorial District covering Bayside, Bay Terrace, College Point, Douglaston, Little Neck, Fresh Meadows and Whitestone.
State Senator Joe Addabbo was re-elected to his sixth term representing the 15th Senatorial District, which includes Ridgewood, Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Forest Hills Rego Park, Woodhaven, Ozone Park, Howard Beach, Richmond Hill and the Rockaways. Addabbo received 44,279 votes or 63.8 percent while Republican Tom Sullivan got 25,092 votes or 36.2 percent.
Catalina Cruz was the only major party candidate running in the 39th Assembly District. She won with 12,820 votes or 87.6 percent and became the first DREAMer to be elected to NY State Assembly. Incumbent Assemblywoman Ari Espinal ran as a third-party candidate after losing the Democratic primary and brought in 1,525 votes or 10.4 percent. Reform Party nominee Bobby Kalotee got 254 votes or 1.7 percent. The district covers Corona, Elmhurst and Jackson Heights.
Stacey Pheffer Amato also won another term in her district with 19,105 votes or 67.8 percent. Matthew Pecorino got 9,042 votes or 32.1 percent of the 23rd Assembly District that includes Ozone Park, Howard Beach, Broad Channel and most of the Rockaways.
Democratic incumbent Ed Braunstein regained his seat representing the 26th Assembly District with 20,426 votes or 65.3 percent. David Bressler got 10,850 votes or 34.7 percent. The district covers Auburndale, Bayside, Bay Terrace, College Point, Flushing, Glen Oaks, Little Neck, North Shore Towers, Murray Hill and Whitestone.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman to ever be elected to Congress when she won the 14th Congressional District with 100,044 votes or 77.9 percent. Republican nominee Anthony Pappas got 17,762 votes or 13.8 percent. Despite losing the Democratic primary and later withdrawing from the campaign, 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley still received 8,505 votes or 6.6 percent. Conservative Elizabeth Perri got 2,028 votes or 1.6 percent. The district includes parts of Corona, College Point, East Elmhurst, Flushing, Jackson Heights, Woodside and the Bronx.
Other big winners on Election Night were:
- Incumbent Congresswoman Grace Meng of the 6th Congressional District, who received 103,823 votes or 90.4 percent, while Green Party candidate Thomas Hillgardner got only 10,514 votes or 9.2 percent. The district covers parts of Ridgewood, Forest Hills, Middle Village, Glendale and Maspeth.
- Carolyn Maloney also won her seat back by a landslide when she received 194,974 votes or 86.1 percent. Eliot Rabin got 27,838 votes or 12.3 percent in the 12th Congressional District that includes Astoria, Long Island City and a part of Woodside as well as parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
- Jessica Ramos ran basically unopposed for the 13th Senatorial District seat and won with 41,214 votes or 89.6 percent. The district covers Corona, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Willets Point and Woodside.
- Toby Ann Stavisky also easily beat a third-party candidate with 39,918 votes or 95 percent. Vincent Pazienza ran with the Reform Party and received 1,905 votes or 4.5 percent from the 16th Senatorial District which includes parts of Bayside, Elmhurst, Flushing, Kew Gardens Hills, Pomonok and Woodside.
- Democrat Brian Barnwell won a second term in the 30th Assembly District by a landslide with 19,864 votes or 75.7 percent. Republican Eric Butkiewicz got just 6,313 votes or 24.1 percent. The district covers Long Island City, Maspeth, Middle Village and Woodside.
- Andrew Hevesi won the 28th Assembly District with 21,962 votes or 72.8 percent. He faced Danniel Maio who got 8,159 votes or 27.1 percent. The district covers parts of Glendale, Forest Hills, Middle Village and Rego Park.
- Clyde Vanel won the 33rd Assembly District by a landslide with 31,542 votes or 91.7 percent. Republican nominee Lalita Etwaroo received just 2,816 votes or 8.2 percent. The district includes Bellerose, Cambria Heights, Hollis, Queens Village and St. Albans.
- Ron Kim won another term in Flushing’s 40th Assembly District with 10,833 votes or 87 percent. Jon Scandalios of the Reform Party got 1,569 votes or 12.6 percent.
