Previewing the 2020 New York Primaries

The 2020 legislative session is only weeks-old, but many New York state lawmakers have a reason to look beyond the legislative session to their primaries. This year’s primaries (excluding the presidential, which is set for April 28th) are scheduled for June 23rd, falling about three weeks after the legislative session ends in the first week of June. 

In 2018, New York politics underwent a tectonic shift. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated now-former Congressman Joe Crowley in June of that year. Then a few weeks later, several progressive challengers defeated former members of the Independent Democratic Caucus. Then, in November, Democrats gained eight seats in the State Senate, holding the governorship and majorities in both state legislative houses for the first time in almost a decade.

This new control allowed New York Democrats to pass dozens of bills, many of which were on the progressive agenda for years, but were blocked in the Republican-controlled State Senate. The State Legislature passed rent regulations, bail reform, congestion pricing, electoral and ethics reform, the Child Victims Act, updates to sexual harassment and rape laws, emissions targets, and driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants, among other initiatives.

However, state lawmakers didn’t go far enough for some progressives, namely failing to pass marijuana legalization and single-payer health care (i.e., the New York Health Act). Automatic voter registration had also failed last session, but was recently passed at the beginning of the 2020 session.

Leftist Groups Back Challengers

Many progressives and democratic socialists dissatisfied with the pace of Albany’s legislative agenda. The New York City chapters of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) backed Julia Salazar in her successful 2018 State Senate race and Tiffany Caban in her 2019 Queens District Attorney race. State Senator Jessica Ramos is also aligned with the group, but not a member. The DSA have endorsed five primary challengers to Democratic incumbents in state legislative races, one in the Senate and four in the Assembly.

The DSA’s sole State Senate endorsement is Jabari Brisport, in the 25th District (Fort Greene). The eighteen-term incumbent Velmanette Montgomery recently announced her retirement and one of her former staffers, Jason Salmon, is also vying for the open seat.

In Queens, the DSA has endorsed Zohran Mamdani, a housing counselor and political organizer, in the 36th Assembly District (Astoria and Long Island City) against incumbent Aravella Simotas. Assemblymember Simotas was a co-sponsor of rent regulation bills and sexual harassment reform last session. Mamdani is running on a housing-focused platform, calling for a homes guarantee.

In Brooklyn, there are three challengers with DSA endorsements primarying Assembly incumbents. In the 51st District (Sunset Park), Marcela Mitaynes is challenging Assemblymember Félix Ortiz, the Assistant Speaker of the Assembly. In the 54th district (Cypress Hill), Boris Santos, a Salazar staffer, is taking on Assemblymember Erik Martin, the son of Martin Dilan, who now-Sen. Salazar defeated in a 2018 primary to win her seat. In the 57th District, Phara Souffrant Forrest is challenging incumbent Walter Mosley.

No IDC NY, a campaign group that organized against former IDC members in the 2018 primaries, has turned its attention to the Assembly. So far, the group has made only one endorsement for the 2020 cycle, Jonathan Soto, against incumbent Assemblyman Michael Benedetto in the 82nd district (Throggs Neck). Assemblymember Benedetto has been criticized for accepting donations from President Trump and support of the Trump Golf Course in his district.

Another group, Our Progressive Future, has backed both Mitaynes and Souffrant Forrest in their respective races, as well as Mary Jobaida in her race. Jobaida is running against incumbent Cathy Nolan in the 37th District (Long Island City and Sunnyside), whom she criticized for supporting Amazon’s HQ2 plans in Queens. Nolan is the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly.

Additionally, in the 38th Assembly District, five-term incumbent Michael Miller, a Democrat who has been backed by the Conservative Party, faces a challenge from Jenifer Rajkumar, an immigration lawyer. Assemblymember Miller has notably voted against same-sex marriage and gender pay equity.

Ambitious Politicians Defending Home Turf

Two state legislators with their eyes on 2021 municipal races in New York City are also facing primary challengers. Dan Quart has already announced his plans to run for Manhattan District Attorney, but will first have to fend off a challenger from 22-year-old first-time candidate Cameron Koffman to hold his Assembly seat in the 73rd District (Upper East Side).

State Senator Kevin Parker, who has formed a committee to run for New York City’s Comptroller, will face a primary challenge from Josue Pierre, a staffer for the current Comptroller Scott Stringer, for his 21st District seat (Flatbush). State Senator Parker has faced criticism for past outbursts and threatening staffers.

Conservative Challengers

While most primary challenges are coming from the left, several candidates are running to the right of incumbents in their districts. These contenders face an uphill battle as conservatives running it a city that is moving increasingly to the left. Justin Potter, a small business owner, will challenge State Senator Michael Gianaris, disagreeing with the incumbent’s stance against Amazon’s HQ2. State Senator Julia Salazar faces a challenge from Andy Marte, a former aide to Vito Lopez. Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou faces a challenge Grace Lee, another small business owner who’s focusing her campaign on local issues such as brownsites.

No IDC NY are still in the decision-making process on whether to make additional endorsements. New York State’s primaries (excluding the presidential race) will take place on June 23rd.