By: Nicholas Scotchie, Political Reporter
Incumbent State Senator Tony Avella faces a primary challenge from John Liu, a former City Comptroller and previous challenger to Avella in 2014.
Senator Avella is running on his record, highlighting votes to lower taxes for middle class families, give property tax breaks to co-op and condo owners, and getting funds to improve parks and repair potholes. Avella has also empathized his more progressive positions, such as his votes for marriage equality, minimum wage increases, and gun control measures.
Liu has challenged Senator Avella from the left, running on a progressive platform that supports universal healthcare and the New York State DREAM Act. Liu has also thrown his support behind the Reproductive Health Act, a bill that would codify the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade into state law.
Both campaigns have played hardball. Liu has criticized Senator Avella’s participation in the now dissolved Independent Democratic Conference, a group of Democratic state senators that allied with the Republicans, an arrangement Liu believes helped Republicans block progressive legislation. Avella has hit back, putting light on scandals from Liu’s 2013 run for the mayorship of New York City which involved fraud and campaign finance violations.
The primary is scheduled for September 13th.