Democrat Andrew Gounardes scored an upset victory in a tight race against eight-term incumbent state Sen. Marty Golden on Nov. 6 (R–Bay Ridge), winning the race to represent the 22nd state Senate district, which includes Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach, Gravesend, and parts of Sheepshead Bay, Borough Park, and Midwood, by more than 1,100 votes (“Gounardes defeats Golden after tight campaign,” by Julianne McShane, online Nov. 7).
The born-and-bred Ridgite won the race with 31,168 votes to Golden’s 30,039, the state Board of Elections reported the following day.
But Golden refused to concede, according to his campaign spokesman, who said that the pol was waiting to make sure all votes were counted.
The race was contentious, with the candidates sparring — and sometimes screaming — over their divergent visions for the district. But on election night, Gounardes thanked Golden for his more than 20 years of public service — first as a police officer, and then as a Ridge councilman, before his 16-year reign in the upper chamber.
Readers sparred online:
Eleven polling sites across Brooklyn had issues throughout Election Day — I’d recount every ballot, especially when a candidate backed by Gillibrand and Cuomo wins!! They all complained about healthcare, but forgot to tell everyone, that’s why Trump tried to rid the country of Obamacare, but was voted down.
Now there’s no excuses no more, Democrats control NYC, maybe they’ll fix trains, housing, homeless crisis, or drug crisis, but since eight years under Cuomo and six under DeBlasio didn’t get anything done, let liberals come up with more excuses, which seems to be their greatest asset.
When NYC is worse then San Francisco in two years, remember this post.Hughie Gallagher from Bay Ridge
All is fine, as long as they DO NOT enact Congestion Pricing. Of course, no matter what the MTA or NYCTA says, there is absolutely nothing that would prevent these bastards from still cutting subway service — or especially bus service.
That’s exactly what happened the last time there was one party of all New York state government. I’m referring to the major MTA and NYCTA service changes back in June 2010. Hey, ”snowflakes,” give up your Ubers and Lyfts first. SCR from Realityville
I wish more people lived in realityville.Bernie from Bellevue
I know it’s tough for Trumpkins to understand — the idea of a person holding two opposing ideas in his or her head at the same time is so foreign to them — but one can be a die-hard NYC liberal (like me) and still despise Bill DeBlasio.
That said, the fact that Max Rose and Gounardes and Delgado and all these other Blue candidates ousted Red candidates all over the city and state and USA? That’s a cause for celebration, and might finally place a check on the racist autocrat, serial bankrupt, pathological liar, tax cheat, and lifelong con man in the White House.
That’s just basic math, baby.
Benny from Park Slope
All political parties should be abolished. Continuing on this path will only continue to divide this country even further and makes us even weaker in the world arena.
We are now The Divided States of America. The land where we are not free nor brave and people vote to spite each other instead of dealing with the real issues.Mike Huntington from Bay Ridge
It’s a shame Golden was the only politician out there that I see gave 100 percent to try to help Sandy victims out and make sure that we weren’t being taken advantage by the city of New York.
Andrew did not mention once anything about Sandy and the work that is going on in the neighborhood. Never seen this guy before, so I don’t know who he is. He looks like he’s just interested in Bay Ridge, but he needs to go everywhere just like Marty Golden did.
We don’t need somebody just sitting in the office and
collecting a paycheck.Jack from Gerritson Beach
There should be term limits, but failing that, a time comes for pols to simply depart, regardless of their record or popularity. It is not a lifetime Supreme Court position, and a new perspective is needed in order to better govern in changing times.
Golden was way past his expiration date, and unfortunately needed to be pushed out instead of retiring with dignity.Billy from Sunset Park
I’m fine with this, except for this congestion pricing. What a drag that would be. Quite honestly, most of you are just whining about nothing except for that “BOOHOO ANOTHER CANDIDATE.” Get real. Also, Andrew did help during Sandy, so it would appear some of you are misinformed. I’ve compiled a list of things I would like to see.
1. Wheelchair accessible stations in Bay Ridge.
2. Better services for the Homeless in Bay Ridge and in other communities. (no more shelter hotel bandaids).
3. EVERYONE TO GET OVER IT AND BE NICE TO EACH OTHER.
Tony T from Bay Ridge
Actually, Andrew founded Bay Ridge Cares after Sandy and served 25,000 meals. He’s been serving his community his entire life. Who cares what party he’s from? The 22nd elected a good person committed to helping the community and solving problems. We are all welcome to participate.Jake from The 22nd
Way to go Andrew!! See what happens, people, when younger and progressive voters pay attention to who their local elected officials are on off-year elections, and not just pay attention to who is in the White House?
Barry from Bay Ridge
Contract got it wrong
To the editor,
P.T. Barnum had it so right — there’s a sucker born every minute. In this case, the suckers are the United Federation of Teachers membership, 87 percent of whom voted for a contract that says virtually nothing regarding class size and lack of discipline in the schools. Show the membership $10 more in salary and they will vote for anything.
Sorry for the 13 percent who voted against it but are now stuck with what it says.
Teachers are smart people, but after this vote you have to begin wondering about that.
The contract talks about having more desks in the room to accommodate the extra students. That’s ridiculous. Make more classes.
This contract again proves that there should be term limits within our city unions. Unity Caucus has been the representative for UFT teachers for nearly 60 years now and its accomplishments have been to negotiate contracts that keep giving back items as the years go on. I am sure that many UFT members are unaware of the fact that their Unity leaders are collecting double pensions.
Though not teaching, the leaders get credit as if they’re back in the classroom, as well as a pension paid for by the membership.
The State Attorney General’s office should look into the union. They’re getting away with plenty.
Ed Greenspan
Sheepshead Bay
Never forget vets
To the editor,
I enjoy reading your pages.
My brother Roy and myself were invited to be on the Veterans Day parade on Fifth Avenue by my friend Ray Albele, who is the president of the Bay Ridge parades.
We are trying to get the WWII memorial at Cadman Plaza opened again. It was built in 1950 by Robert Moses. Marty Maher, parks commissioner, Toba Potosky, and Borough President Adams are trying to help us.
On the walls are 12,000 that gave their lives for us. Many of them we grew up with and played ball.
There are plenty of our veterans that need help. This past year, me and my brother Roy were invited on the Big Apple Flight to Washington by Brian Malter and his wife Becky that took care of the program for WWII veterans.
We got off the plane and there were about 100 small children 3- to 6-years-old to honor us. I had tears in my eyes. The kids were great.
Thank you for all the things you write about our veterans.
We had four brothers in WWII that served, only Jack and Roy are alive. Jack Vanasco
Marine Park
Get Cuomo off air
To the editor,
Election Day has come and gone, and reminds me of “The Outer Limits” 1960s television show. With the end of ’round-the-clock commercials by politicians, political parties, unions, and pay-for-play special interest groups, we now return control of your television back to you until the next election cycle.
Now if only Gov. Cuomo would do the same. When will he direct the Empire State Development Corporation to stop running its wasteful “public service” advertisements? After eight years in office, Cuomo has had this quasi independent state agency spend several hundred million in taxpayers dollars to pay for these “feel-good” commercials. They were clearly designed to assist him in greasing the wheels of another term in office and raise his profile in preparation for a Presidential run in the Democratic Party 2020 Primary. These commercials periodically run in heavy rotation on many stations several times per hour day and night.
Diogenes is still waiting for State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins, State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, or a brave member of the State Legislature to come forward and challenge Emperor Cuomo to end this waste, fraud, and abuse of public monies.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
