Photos Courtesy of Michael V. Cusenza and the Ulrich Campaign
By Michael V. Cusenza
After an intriguing race that featured everything from issue-evolutions to obscene rhyme schemes, incumbent City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) on Tuesday easily earned a third – and final – four-year term representing the 32nd Council District, defeating Democrat Mike Scala by a margin of 7,147 votes (66 percent to 34 percent).
“What a great victory tonight,” Ulrich said at his Election Night party at Russo’s on the Bay in Howard Beach. “A tremendous win—not just for myself, but for this district.”
The 32nd CD is composed of the communities of Howard Beach, Lindenwood, Ozone Park, Belle Harbor, Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Lindenwood, Neponsit, Richmond Hill, Rockaway Park, Roxbury, South Ozone Park, West Hamilton Beach and Woodhaven.
“A job well done brings success,” said Queens County Republican Party Chairwoman Joann Ariola, “and Eric Ulrich has done a great job.”
The councilman made a point to thank “those very courageous and brave Democrats for Ulrich,” the group of area pols from the other side of the aisle who campaigned for the incumbent, regardless of party affiliation.
“This community votes for people, not party,” Ulrich noted on Tuesday.
Before delivering his remarks at Russo’s, Ulrich asked all of his campaign staff and volunteers to join him on stage so that they could be recognized for “working their tails off.”
“I knew that we could win and win big,” an ebullient Ulrich added. “We proved that you can build coalitions in every corner of the district, and that’s what we set out to do, and we did it.”
With an eye on the next four years, the councilman said he had “big plans” for south Queens.
“Not one neighbor, not one community, not one constituent will be ignored,” Ulrich noted. “It’s not about the past, but about the future of this district. We are going to show that we can lead and we can govern—and when we do that, we show that we can win.”
The councilman tipped his cap to Scala for a hard-fought race.
“I’m sure that he has a bright future,” Ulrich said.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Mayor de Blasio crushed all competition on his way to four more years in Gracie Mansion. Melinda Katz also earned another term as president of the World’s Borough.
The city’s most hotly contested race – City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Glendale) vs. community activist Bob Holden in the District 30 race – was still too close to call Wednesday afternoon, with the latest numbers showing Holden holding on to a slim 133-vote lead with absentee ballots still left to be counted.
