NYC: How Insurgent Chris Banks Toppled the Barrons' Stronghold in East New York -- For Now
The first time Chris Banks, a lifelong East New York resident, challenged the Barron political family, he was a 28-year-old working at an after-school program in the Pink Houses. It was 2012 and Banks had decided to run against Inez Barron, wife of Charles Barron, for the state’s 60th District Assembly seat.
“Her first year and a half she was just nowhere to be seen,” Banks told THE CITY. “We were getting absentee representation and I wanted to change that.”
He ran — and lost, by 598 votes out of 5,314 cast.
But Banks wasn’t deterred. Over the next decade he challenged the Barrons another four times in elections for Assembly and district leader seats, culminating in what appeared to be a victory over Charles Barron Tuesday evening for a City Council seat in District 42.
Unofficial election night results from the New York City Board of Elections had Banks up by 437 votes above Barron, of 5,958 ballots cast.
https://www.thecity.nyc/2023/6/28/23777813/chris-banks-charles-barrons-east-new-york