Letitia James
While the mayoral race dominated the spotlight Tuesday night, Public Advocate-elect Letitia James reportedly landed more supporters at the polls than Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio.
According to unofficial election results, James, a Democratic Brooklyn councilwoman who made history by becoming the first black woman to be elected to citywide office, garnered the votes of 770,764 people – a whopping 83.5 percent of the vote. De Blasio also fared well, receiving 73.34 percent of the vote – or 752,604 votes.
James trounced her Conservative challenger, Robert Maresca, who landed 112,967 votes – which represented 12.25 percent of those who came out to support the candidates for public advocate. Green Party candidate James Lane came in third, with 1.74 percent of the vote – or 16,088 votes.
“Yes, this is indeed historic, because our government must be representative of all New Yorkers,” James said in her victory speech Tuesday night.
“What I’m really proud of is the fact that we ran a campaign centered on progressive ideas,” the councilwoman continued.
Scott Stringer with his wife, Elyse Buxbaum, and their two sons, Maxwell and Miles. File Photo
After defeating former Gov. Eliot Spitzer in September’s Democratic primary, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer easily won his bid to become the city’s next comptroller.
Stringer landed even more votes than de Blasio or James, with 782,703 ballots cast for him – representing 80.53 percent of the vote. Republican John Burnett came in second with 161,608 votes, or 16.63 percent. Green Party candidate placed third with a little more than 2 percent of the vote – or 19,544 votes.
“Thank you New York, thank you,” Stringer told supporters, including his wife Elyse Buxbaum, at a TriBeCa bar Tuesday night. “I want everyone in this city to know that I will be a comptroller who will serve this city with honesty and integrity.”
After lauding de Blasio for his decisive win, the Manhattan borough president went on to speak about his vision for the new job.
“We have an opportunity to chart a new course for New York – an era when government works for working families, provides opportunity for all and protects our fiscal future,” Stringer said.
By Anna Gustafson
