Republicans win 4 NYC council seats
Four contested Brooklyn City Council races were won by Republicans. Staten Island had a chance to win a fifth.
Pro-Trump Republican Inna Vernikov thumped her Democratic opponent Steve Saperstein for an open seat In southern Brooklyn’s 48th Council district by nearly 30 points.
With 87 percent of the vote in, Vernikov, a 37-year-old lawyer and Ukrainian native, garnered 10,768 votes, or 65 percent of the vote, to 5,870 votes, or 35 percent, for Saperstein.
She will succeed ex-Councilman Chaim Deutsch, who forfeited his seat earlier this year when he was convicted of tax fraud.
Many Russian-speaking and Jewish immigrants live in the district, including those from Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach and Sheepshead Bay.
Vernikov ran for office as an unabashed Trump supporter. Donald Trump Jr. also supported her in a robocall to voters. She opposed mandates for coronavirus vaccine.
“I’m very excited. This election victory shows that the people are fed up with the progressive policies that have destroyed our city and district,” Vernikov told The Post last night.”
“I hope to open the door for other Republicans and serve the district with honor and integrity.”
Joann Ariola, however, kept the 32nd District which included the beach communities of eastern Queens, in Republican hands.
Ariola, Queens Republican leader and Howard Beach civic activist was defeated by Felica Singh, lefty Democratic Progressive with 16,040 vote, or 67 per cent, to 7,443 votes for Singh (or 31 percent). Singh was supported by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.
Political insiders said Singh’s support for defunding the police and her criticism of Israel were losing positions in the district.
Eric Ulrich, a Republican Councilman with a term limit, will be succeeded by Ariola.
Meanwhile, in Staten Island’s Mid-Island 50th Council District, Republican David Carr defeated Democrat Sal Albanse, a former Brooklyn councilman who moved to the borough five years ago.
Carr won 99 percent of the vote, compared to Albanese’s 10,082 votes or 32 percent. George Wonica, Conservative Party candidate received 2,273 votes, or 7 percent.
Carr, who was the chief of staff for outgoing Councilman Steve Matteo’s, will succeed his boss.
Albanese had the support and cooperation of law enforcement and other unions, but the red tide on the Island overwhelmed him.
Meanwhile, a Republican candidate won the 19th Councilman District in northeastern Queens.
Vickie Paladino was the former Democratic Councilman Tony Avella’s leader with 99 percent of votes in. Paladino received 12,143 votes (or 50 percent) to Avella’s 10,490 (or 43 percent). John-Alexander Sakelos received 1,729 votes or 7 per cent.
Another shocking development is that Justin Brannan (Democratic Councilman) is running for the office of Speaker of the Council. He is fighting for political survival.
Brannan won 95 percent of the vote and was tied with Republican Brian Fox for the 43rd congressional district, which includes Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights.
Fox, who ran a law and order campaign, had 11,589 votes to 11,568 for Brannan — a difference of just 21 votes.