Council member Shekar Krishnan secured a decisive victory Tuesday night in the Democratic primary for District 25, defeating challenger Ricardo J. Pacheco with more than two-thirds of the vote, according to unofficial results released by the New York City Board of Elections.
With 92.55% of scanners reporting, Krishnan received 8,971 votes, or 67.21%, compared to Pacheco’s 4,279 votes, or 32.06%. Just 97 write-in votes were recorded, accounting for 0.73% of the total. Krishnan’s lead is wide enough to avoid any additional rounds under the city’s ranked-choice voting system.
District 25 includes the neighborhoods of Jackson Heights and Elmhurst in western Queens. The district is heavily Democratic in registration, and Krishnan’s victory in the primary all but ensures he will win re-election in the November general election.
Following the unofficial results Tuesday night, Krishnan released a statement thanking voters and reaffirming his priorities for the district.
“I’m honored to win re-election! From the bottom of my heart, thank you to each and every one of you who voted,” Krishnan wrote in a social media post. “Our victory tonight is a mandate to continue working for our district and delivering real results, increasing green space, protecting immigrant rights, and making our community more affordable.”
He added, “Over the next four years, we will continue to do what my office has done best: serve our community, listen to our neighbors, and fight for New Yorkers at City Hall.”
First elected in 2021, Krishnan became the first Indian-American to serve on the City Council. A civil rights lawyer by training, he previously co-founded Communities Resist, a legal services group focused on tenant rights and racial justice. On the Council, he serves as chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee and was instrumental in passing the city’s largest parks budget to date.
Krishnan campaigned on expanding green space, improving public housing conditions, supporting immigrant families, and ending solitary confinement on Rikers Island. He has also advocated for relief for New York’s taxi drivers and worked to increase access to language services in city government.
His opponent, Ricardo J. Pacheco, is a former NYPD officer, Marine veteran, and community advocate who also ran in the 2023 primary. Pacheco, who is openly gay and of Latino heritage, focused his campaign on public safety and bridging divides within the community. He improved his vote share compared to his previous campaign but fell far short of unseating the incumbent.
District 25 is one of several Queens races being closely watched this election cycle, though Krishnan’s victory was expected by many political observers. He is likely to face little opposition in November, though minor party candidates could still appear on the general election ballot.
Final certified results will be released by the city Board of Elections in the coming days.
