Rep. Meeks prevails in low-turnout primary

Rep. Meeks prevails in low-turnout primary

Shortly after polls closed at 9 p.m. on June 28, it became clear that Elmont businessman Ali Mirza had failed in his bid to unseat incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks in the 5th Congressional District primary. Meeks, who has been in office since 1998, received over 80 percent of the vote, dwarfing Mirza’s 18 percent.

Two and half percent of the registered Democrats have decided who our next congressman will be.”

Ali Mirza Primary candidate for Congress

Shortly after polls closed at 9 p.m. on June 28, it became clear that Elmont businessman Ali Mirza had failed in his bid to unseat incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks in the 5th Congressional District primary. Meeks, who has been in office since 1998, received over 80 percent of the vote, dwarfing Mirza’s 18 percent.

But the actual vote totals were not as indicative of a landslide. Though there are over 300,000 registered Democrats in the district, only 7,395 votes were cast. There are nearly 32,000 registered Democrats in the Nassau County portion of the district, but only 541 voted in the primary. Mirza lost to Meeks in Nassau by just 126 votes, and in Queens by 4,528.

“Two and a half percent of the registered Democrats have decided who our next congressman will be,” Mirza said, alluding to the strong Democratic makeup of the district. “It’s a very sad situation, and it shines a light on the problem that money has made it impossible for the right people to come forward, and failed people keep getting re-elected.”

The 5th District consists mostly of minority and immigrant voters in Jamaica and southeastern Queens, but also incorporates Elmont and portions of Valley Stream and Inwood.

Mirza began the campaign with poor name recognition and little money to spend. Over the course of race, his campaign raised less than $60,000, while Meeks’s campaign accumulated more than 10 times that total.

Throughout the race, Mirza took shots at Meeks for the ethics investigations the congressman has faced. Meeks has also been criticized for what have been described as questionable expenses, but he has never been charged with a crime.

“I am honored I get to continue doing what I love: working tirelessly to improve the lives of all of the people of the 5th Congressional District, as I have done for nearly two decades,” he said in a statement following his primary win. “I very much look forward to helping build prosperity in the 5th Congressional District.”

While he acknowledged his disappointment with the outcome, Mirza said he took solace in the role his campaign had in exposing Meeks as a flawed public servant. Meeks’s vote total on June 28 was his lowest since the former 6th District became the 5th in 2012. Mirza attributed that to the message he offered during the campaign.

“We definitely shined a light on these issues, and I think he was sort of scared that I was talking about his record, and he himself realized that his record and his scandals are an embarrassment for him,” Mirza said. “He ran a very aloof race that relied heavily on the southeastern Queens party machine.”

Going forward
According to Meeks, he will address many of the issues that are facing his district if he is re-elected. Among them, he said, are affordable housing, gun violence and police-community relations. Meeks joined his Democratic colleagues in the 26-hour “No Bill, No Break” House floor sit-in on June 23 as a protest against gun violence following the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., on June 12.

He also expressed a need to develop the communities that surround two of the major hubs in his district, Kennedy Airport and Belmont Park. Elmont residents are currently awaiting movement from the state on four proposals for the south lot at Belmont. Three feature big-box anchor retail along with restaurants and community space. The fourth, submitted by professional soccer team the New York Cosmos, includes a 25,000-seat stadium and a 175-room hotel along with restaurant and retail space.

“As we await the results of a government decision regarding Elmont’s horseracing track, we should also build up the communities surrounding it, such as Valley Stream and Inwood,” Meeks said. “One of the primary ways to develop the economy and create good jobs in our district is through investing in our infrastructure. By repairing and building infrastructure, we’ll put people to work and provide local residents the opportunity to improve their community and provide for their families.”

Meeks will face Republican challenger Michael O’Reilly, a regulatory attorney in the financial sector, in the general election in November.