Return of the Avella

For all the huffing and puffing the "no IDC" people did years back, it certainly didn't stick very long in the 19th Council District in northeast Queens. You had Richard "Baby Bear" Lee get buoyed by the Andrew Yang vote and Austin Shafran with the biggest unions backing him but former State Senator Tony Avella, the council member prior to Dan Halloran, bested them both. Dem voters in this district sought the familiar rather than a newcomer and didn't give much of a shit about progressive conspiracy theories. Avella will meet Vickie Paladino (R) and John-Alexander Sakelos (C) in the general election.