An ecstatic and victorious Hakeem Jeffries makes his way to the front of the crowd. Forum Newsgroup photo by Patricia Adams.
Taken by storm. Landslide victory. Crushed by the opposition.
Any one of those phrases might have been dancing around in Charles Barron’s head Tuesday night after a stunning defeat by Hakeem Jefferies in the Democratic primary for the 8th Congressional District.
Incumbant Congressman Ed Towns threw his support behind Barron after announcing his retirement after thirty years, but voters rejected Barron at the polls ––in historic proportions.
Capturing more than 70% overall, Hakeem Jefferies garnered more than 95% of the vote in Howard Beach and brought extremely high percentages out of nearby Ozone Park as well.
And as hundreds of supporters celebrated, waiting anxiously at the Sanders Studio in Clinton Hilan exhuberent, yet pensive, Jefferies made his way through a frenzied crowd to speak to the people he said, “who got me here.”
In front of family, supporters, staff and the media, Jefferies began, “The political pundits said that this was going to be a close race, but that was before the people had spoken.”
A cheering crowd quieted to hear Jefferies’ brief outline for the future.
“Our communities are tired of promises that are never delivered. Today, the people of the Eighth Congressional district sent a decisive message. They want a serious legislator for a serious job so we are going down to Washington to stand up for working families, our seniors
Hakeem Jeffries’ wife Kennisandra and two sons Jeremiah 10, and Joshua 8, at the party celebrating dad’s big victory. Forum Newsgroup photo by Patricia Adams.
and our children. We are going to stand up for our President.”
For Barack Obama, Jefferies told supporters, “help is on the way.”
The recent reapportionment of the 8th district saw the addition of new communities and increased the diversity of the district. Because of the overwhelmingly Democratic enrollment within the new 8th, Tuesday night’s primary is considered by most as the equivalent of election.
Jefferies has developed legislative credits since his election to the Assembly in 2007. His agenda has included a diversity in focus and has been concentrated on working families, tenent regulations, civil liberties and state government reform.
Among the political supporters on hand to congratulate whom they referred to as “Congressman-to-be” were former Comptroller Bill Thompson, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, City and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio.
But perhaps the most faithful support was voiced in a small waiting space at the exit of the studio. Kennisandra Jefferies waited for her husband while their two sons beamed over compliments paid their dad. “We are elated,” she said with a larger than life smile, “now he goes to Washington. He’s going to do the people’s work.”
By Patricia Adams
