The Latest: NY senator who led splinter Dems loses to Biaggi

[Julian Englis]

Source: ABC News

An attorney who worked for Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Hillary Clinton has beaten the former leader of a Democratic splinter group that helped Republicans keep control of New York's state senate

Alessandra Biaggi defeated Bronx Sen. Jeff Klein on Thursday in the Democratic primary for the 34th state Senate district.

Biaggi challenged Klein, saying more progressive leaders were needed in office.

Klein formerly led the senate's Independent Democratic Conference. The group of eight Democrats broke with their party for years to support Republican control of the chamber.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/latest-cuomo-nixon-vote-ny-primary-election-57801095

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The IDC is getting crushed in the primaries.

Link to tweet

Current IDC count: Avella -- losing Peralta -- LOST Hamilton -- LOST Savino -- WON Alcantara -- LOST Klein -- losing Carlucci -- losing Valesky -- winning

[Renew Deal]

1. It's a beautiful thing

[RandySF]

2. Are these districts now vulnerable?

[rpannier]

5. Probably not

But since the IDC has spent the last 7 years caucusing with the republicans, it means very little (IMO)

[Power 2 the People]

11. EXACTLY!

[rpannier]

19. I did some checking. 2 do not have opponents in the GE

Zellnor Myrie and Jessica Ramos definitely have no Republican opponent
Rachel May - Janet Berl Burman (R). May also got the WP endorsement, so unless Valesky can run as an independent it will be a two person race
Robert Jackson - Melinda Crump (R). Jackson also got the WP endorsement and Crump got the Reform Party. No other candidate. Crump appears to run whenever the seat comes up. I am guessing that means the Republicans view this Senate seat as a lost cause
Biaggi is pretty much a shoo-in. Barring something unknown coming up, which I doubt, she should win. She is a former Cuomo staffer. There is a third candidate, Antonio Vitiello, think a less polished and more obnoxious Carl Paladino


Hope that helps a little.

[JHan]

3. best news of the night tbh.

[rpannier]

4. Makes me happy

on edit
According to https://nyenr.elections.ny.gov/MyTrackedContest.aspx

158/158 precincts reporting
May 50.47% Valesky 46.66%

[DinahMoeHum]

6. Down goes the IDC kingpin!!!

And as far as I know so far, 6 out of the 8 IDC people were just handed their walking papers tonight.

For the record, I canvassed and postcarded for Alessandra Biaggi's campaign.

[rpannier]

8. Probably 7 will be gone

https://nyenr.elections.ny.gov/MyTrackedContest.aspx

May is winning

[deurbano]

10. Yay, you! Thanks very much!

[GP6971]

9. Good to hear. n/t

[Power 2 the People]

12. If you don't act and vote like a Democrat hit the bricks.

[LiberalFighter]

13. Good riddance.

[SergeStorms]

14. Excellent news!

It's about time that "gang of eight" got their asses handed to them. Now real Democrats control the state senate.

[Cha]

15. ".. more progressive.. " How about Acutual Real Dems?!

Thank Goodness AB Won!

[rpannier]

18. Not hard to be more progressive when you run against Dems who caucus with repubs

It is good that 6 were kicked to the side of the road. The worst of the group did win. He won both the Democratic and republikkan primary.
Which means he will go back to caucusing with the republikkans

[watoos]

16. Maybe you can herd cats. (Democrats)

It's nice to see we are getting our act together. We need to weed out the imposters and expose them as fakes and be watchful in the future.

[calimary]

21. YES. If you SAY you're a Democrat, then BE a Democrat, Dammit!

If you’re gonna play footsie with the GOP then you might as well just go be one. Sleeping with the enemy is not a good attribute for being a Democrat.

[Scurrilous]

17. New York voters reject some Democrats who broke off to give state senate control to the Republicans

<snip>

"Democratic voters got payback in the New York state primary on Thursday against some of the renegade Democrats who broke away from their party and allied themselves with Republicans in New York’s state senate.

Six of the eight members of the now-disbanded Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) have lost against more progressive challengers. That includes the powerful leader of the group, Sen. Jeff Klein (D-Bronx), who was unseated by challenger Alessandra Biaggi, a lawyer who worked on Hillary Clinton’s campaign.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo may have easily escaped his primary challenge, but the ousting of IDC members may be a sign that power structures are shifting in Albany.

The IDC disbanded in April, but it was one of the weirder institutions in the already strange world of New York politics: eight state senators, elected as Democrats, that broke off to caucus together and team up with Republicans.

The group was formed in 2011 and strengthened GOP power in the state Senate, stymieing progressive legislation from getting to the senate floor."

https://www.vox.com/2018/9/13/17858140/new-york-idc-independent-democratic-conference-state-senate-republicans

[Mr. Sparkle]

20. Valesky just lost to Rachel May, thats another IDC member gone !

[lagomorph777]

22. Wooh! Yeah!

[David__77]

23. Good news. Maybe New York will elect a Democratic majority in the state senate next year.

And this is good news for progressive legislation, such as law recognizing abortion rights. It has struck me as so odd that the Republicans have had effective veto power over New York legislation.

[CrispyQ]

24. PostcardsToVoters.org had a big campaign for the True Blue Democratic candidates.

I sent cards to Biaggi, Lui & May.


https://postcardstovoters.org