By Michael V. Cusenza
As of Wednesday afternoon there still was no clear winner of the race for the presidency. However, while President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden continued to trade jabs well while waiting for the bell—which might not come for several weeks—campaigns for South Queens seats weren’t nearly as nail-biting.
As expected, State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) defeated his opponent, Tom Sullivan, by a margin of 49,382 votes to 38,205, according to the City Board of Elections.
Incumbent Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach) earned 22,727 votes, while her opponent, Peter Hatzipetros notched 14,530.
Southeast Queens Councilman Donovan Richards (D-Laurelton) defeated civic leader Joann Ariola 380,449-153,987.
And U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) crushed opponent Tom Zmich, 95,351 to 57,591.
“I thank the voters of the 6th District for once again selecting me to be their voice in Washington. I am deeply honored and humbled by the overwhelming show of support, and the trust and confidence that my constituents continue to have in me.
“These are very challenging times for our nation. There is much work that needs to be done and many issues that need to be addressed. We must continue to do everything possible to combat COVID-19 and get our economy back on track, and I remain committed to doing all I can to achieve these vital goals.
I will also continue to fight tirelessly for those I am privileged to represent. I will continue working to pave the way for a better future for our country and make Queens an even better place for our borough’s working families,” Meng said Tuesday night. “I thank my wonderful and dedicated team, all of our hard-working volunteers, and the many Queens residents who made their voices heard at the ballot box. In the Presidential race, we continue to watch the election returns come in from across the nation. With a record number of mail-in ballots, it is critical that every vote is counted, and I remain hopeful of a Biden-Harris victory.”
And, as the accompanying pictures illustrate, borough voters turned out in droves to cast their ballots early this campaign season. According to BOE, 250,083 eligible Queens residents voted during the nine days of early voting.
Photos Courtesy of the Queens Borough President’s Office
and City Councilman Bob Holden’s Office
