Emily Gallagher and Kristina Naplatarski Win Elections, Upsetting Longtime Incumbents

Change is in the air in North Brookyln as the absentee ballot count for New York’s 2020 democratic primary elections boosts upstart progressive candidates to victory, unseating longtime representatives.

Greenpoint activist Emily Gallagher upset 47 year incumbent Joe Lentol to win the state assembly race in NY’s 50th District after the absentee ballots were tallied on Tuesday, the NY Post reports.

“With the in-person vote include, we’re now ahead by 265. And our lead is growing,” Gallagher tweeted on Tuesday night.

Lentol was ahead by nearly 1,800 votes after the in-person vote in June, but an explosion in mail-in voting due to the challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic delayed the final results by nearly a month.

“Board of Elections insiders confirmed Tuesday night that Gallagher’s claim of pulling away from Lentol were accurate,” according to the NY Post.

Gallagher is part of a lawsuit that was brought last week against Governor Cuomo and the New York State Board of Elections over the invalidation of thousands of absentee ballots.

Lentol has conceded to @em4assembly .
His 48-year career in the Legislature is the third-longest tenure in New York history, trailing only John Marchi (50 years) and Dick Gottfired (who’ll hit, and presumably pass, the 50 year mark in a few months) pic.twitter.com/eTwpqLju93

— Bill Mahoney (@mahoneyw) July 22, 2020

Another Greenpoint progressive in the 50th District also declared victory on Tuesday over a longtime incumbent.

Kristina Naplatarski defeated 36 year incumbent Linda Minucci to become the District Leader in Greenpoint and Williamsburg.

I am incredibly humbled to declare victory tonight. We did it. After 36 years, the 50th Assembly District has a new District Leader. I promise to make my community proud.

— Kristina Naplatarski (@kristina_nap) July 22, 2020

Naplatarski, who also trailed her opponent with in-person votes leading up to the absentee ballot count, tweeted on Tuesday night: “I promise to make my community proud.”