Williamsburg Councilmember Antonio Reynoso officially declared victory in the Democratic primary for Brooklyn Borough President. The announcement came last Wednesday, after rank choice voting and absentee ballots had been properly fully and properly counted.
Reynoso took an early lead back on primary day, when only first choice ballots were counted. At that time, Reynoso led the race with 28.2 percent of the vote. Bed-Stuy Councilmember Robert Cornegy was in second place with 19.2 percent of the vote, while Carroll Gardens State Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon was not far behind with 17.6 percent.
Yet as more ballots were counted, things tightened up significantly. Jo Anne Simon soared to 45.2 percent, thanks largely to a strong showing with mail-in ballots. However, Reynoso still managed to hold on, ultimately securing 54.8 percent, a majority that officially won him the Democratic nomination.
“Our campaign was always about building a Brooklyn for all of us — no matter your race, your background, or what zip code you live in — and I’m so honored by the support that brought us to this victory today,” Reynoso wrote in a statement declaring his victory.
Reynoso served as the Councilmember for District 34, which represents parts of Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Bushwick, and Ridgewood. His council seat will be filled by Jennifer Gutierrez, one of his former staffers who won with an impressive 80.1 percent of first place votes.
Both Reynoso and his successor are considered to be more to the left than many of the other candidates they ran against. Both candidates received endorsements from the Working Families Party and from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Political Action Committee.
