Queens Councilmember John Liu won the Democratic nomination for Comptroller, beating out Brooklyn Heights resident/our Councilmember David Yassky in a run-off election tonight.
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Liu trumped Yassky, 56 to 44 percent. Only 227,489 votes were cast in the race, less than 10 percent of the city’s registered Democrats, according to the Associated Press.
Liu managed to win the election without an endorsement from the city’s three major papers, all of whom backed Yassky. Today’s run-off was held because two weeks ago neither candidate received the 40 percent necessary to win. Liu will face Republican candidate Joseph Mendola on November 3.
Yassky’s defeat will keep him out of elected office this term (he gave up the chance to run for his council seat for a third term in order to focus on running for Comptroller).