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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsQueens Democratic machine threatened by AOC but refuses to change
It was an incredible moment, and it was as important as AOCs victory, said a political strategist active in Queens and the Bronx. Suddenly, people smelled blood. Insurgent candidate and lawyer Lumarie Maldonado Cruz, 47, beat Wyatt Gibbons, 56, with nearly 62% of the vote compared to 38% for Gibbons, a Queens attorney. AOCs victory reminded me of my obligations to stand up for what is right, Maldonado Cruz said when she entered the race earlier this year.
Still reeling from the victory of Ocasio-Cortez over Crowley, a 10-term Congressman and longtime Queens party boss who was also chair of the House Democratic Caucus, the party was again caught asleep at the wheel with no discernible strategy during the June primaries, said the strategist. He, like many of the political consultants and elected officials interviewed by The Post, did not want to be identified for fear of antagonizing the Queens party or AOC.
They hate AOC, said Baruch College political scientist Doug Muzzio, referring to the leaders of the Queens County Democrats. She killed their meal ticket.
But as they battle for relevancy against a progressive wave, the moderate Democrats in the Queens party are still mired in the past, observers say. The party is still controlled by Crowleys old backers the three white men in the room who have controlled Queens politics for more than three decades and reaped the benefits...In March, party delegates elected a scandal-scarred lawmaker as the new kingmaker. But observers told The Post that Rep. Gregory Meeks, an 11-term Congressman from southeast Queens, is a lightweight. Meeks is essentially a backbencher in Congress, who lacks Crowleys gravitas, Muzzio told The Post. Hes their puppet.
...Although some members of the Queens County Dems once floated the idea of setting up their own opponent in a primary against Ocasio-Cortez, the idea was quickly abandoned, said a political observer who is close to the party. That would be political suicide at this point, Muzzio said. Now, the partys leader has his own AOC-style challenger. Next year, (Gregory) Meeks will face insurgent Democratic candidate Shaniyat Chowdhury, 27. The former bartender and Marine who grew up in Queens, worked on Ocasio-Cortezs campaign. The party in Queens has harnessed power for themselves for a generation, and they have failed to recognize and nurture young people from different backgrounds, Chowdhury told The Post.
Chowdhury said he was inspired by AOCs win. She proved that the grassroots could win, and thats what we are doing: Appealing to the voters, he said.
More at https://nypost.com/2019/10/05/queens-democratic-machine-threatened-by-aoc-but-refuses-to-change/
NCLefty
(3,678 posts)betsuni
(25,643 posts)BeyondGeography
(39,382 posts)TidalWave46
(2,061 posts)Good pointing out they went a step further than normal.
BeyondGeography
(39,382 posts)The article is spot-on. Guys like Meeks arent owed lifetime tenure. No one is. Let them compete for their jobs like everyone else. If they lose, tough darts.
RandySF
(59,264 posts)Remember, she only represents a portion of Queens.
George II
(67,782 posts)"He, like many of the political consultants and elected officials interviewed by The Post, did not want to be identified..."
The Queens Democratic Party isn't "threatened" by anyone, and they have no need to change. They don't "hand-pick" candidates, that's why there are primaries!
This one really stumps me:
How is it that a Hispanic woman from the BRONX ran for a seat on the QUEENS county Civil Court?
TidalWave46
(2,061 posts)Built up a lot of clout. Seems the Queens establishment had installed one of
our best.
I love AOC but the narrative outline in the op is a complete joke. An attempt to
divide the left.