Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine declared victory within the race for metropolis comptroller after preliminary tallies from the New York Metropolis Board of Elections confirmed him with a commanding lead.
Levine joined his supporters as they gathered in power at his outcomes watch occasion, which his marketing campaign hosted in downtown Manhattan’s Houston Corridor. Round 150 folks cheered the outcomes as Levine got here out onto the ground.
Levine thanked supporters for his or her work, saying they have been the explanation he might champion his platform throughout town.
“You gave the voters of this city hope that we can build affordable housing, we can fix the mental health system, fight back against the madman in the White House,” Levine stated. “That was you.”
“New York, welcome to my bar mitzvah,” Levine added.
Preliminary voting outcomes from the Board of Elections confirmed Levine main Brooklyn Metropolis Council Member Justin Brannan, his chief rival, 48%-34%, with over 94% of in-person voting scanners reporting, as of 11:05 p.m.
The Related Press has not but independently referred to as the election for Levine.
Levine informed New York News he’s most pleased with the various coalition his marketing campaign constructed.
“This is the diversity of New York at its best, from all five boroughs, all walks of life, all faith backgrounds,” Levine stated. “We’ve come together because people are upset. They’re worried about the affordability crisis, about not feeling safe, about the threat from Trump, and we’ve come together to unite, to say New York can and must do better.”
Levine centered his comptroller marketing campaign on defending New York Metropolis from federal overreach as fears over President Donald Trump dominated the race, in addition to pledging to help reasonably priced housing and high quality of life points.
Tibita Kaneene, whom Levine appointed to Manhattan’s Neighborhood Board 7, informed New York News he attended the watch occasion as a result of Levine is the strongest candidate for housing improvement.
“Levine supported more kinds of housing, including market-rate housing and affordable housing,” Kaneene stated, evaluating Levine to Brannan. “He has more creative solutions.”
“As borough president, he’s been a great partner for us all these years, and we’re excited about his candidacy,” Kaneene added. “I think he’d be a great comptroller.”
As Manhattan Borough President, Levine championed reasonably priced housing — working with native councilmembers and metropolis officers to determine websites for brand spanking new developments — created a low-interest mortgage program for small companies and launched a borough-wide tree-planting marketing campaign.
Levine began his metropolis political profession representing Manhattan’s District 7 in Metropolis Council, chairing the council’s Committees on Parks and Well being. Earlier than politics, he labored as a bilingual math and science trainer within the South Bronx, which helped him earn the highly effective endorsement of the United Federation of Lecturers (UFT) on June 11.
Brannan, the progressive candidate endorsed by the Working Households Celebration, ran on a platform together with common free little one care, divestment from Elon Musk-owned electrical automotive firm Tesla and tackling authorities corruption. Levine additionally battled state Sen. Kevin Parker (D-21) and metropolis administrative employee Ismael Perez, whose campaigns had restricted visibility subsequent to Brannan and Levine’s contest.
“We were always going to be the underdogs, the working class, out-of-borough candidate up against the Manhattan elite,” Brannan stated to supporters at his marketing campaign occasion in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. “Tomorrow, I will go back to work and continue being the Finance Chair because we have to pass a budget in a week, and I’m happy to do it, but I’m really excited tonight about Kayla.”
Levine will advance to the November normal election, the place the Democratic candidate is closely favored in a metropolis the place Democrats outnumber Republicans six to 1. If he wins, he’ll turn out to be town’s chief monetary officer, overseeing town’s $112 billion finances, auditing each municipal company and managing pension funds.
Levine stated in his speech that he hopes to create a New York that’s accessible to everybody.
“I have come to believe in the essential community of New Yorkers who have this common dream that they want to live in New York City and their family here to be a part of our family history,” Levine stated.
This 12 months’s major was largely a contest between Brooklyn Metropolis Council Member Justin Brannan and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, each of whom campaigned as skilled fiscal stewards ready to supervise a $115 billion finances, handle 5 pension funds, and audit the operations and efficiency of metropolis businesses.
Brannan and Levine ended the race with comparable political help, with endorsements from elected officers, labor unions, and advocacy teams break up down the center. Restricted public polling earlier than June 24 confirmed Levine with a slight edge, however the margin tightened nearer to election day.
Additionally showing on the poll have been Brooklyn State Senator Kevin Parker and Ismael Malave Perez, an worker of the Division of Citywide Administrative Providers. Nonetheless, each ran campaigns that largely flew below the radar, failed to fulfill fundraising thresholds required to qualify for the official debates, and obtained a small share of the vote — Perez had 10.11% and Parker had 7.79%, respectively, in accordance with the BOE’s preliminary depend.
