Queens Eagle
The predominantly black neighborhoods of Southeast Queens comprise one of the country’s largest and most reliable Democratic strongholds.
The region is rich with engaged and informed voters who head to the polls in high numbers, and yet, neighborhoods like St. Albans, Cambria Heights and Hollis are often ignored by local election-watchers — and candidates themselves.
Local leaders and organizers say that is the case again in the wide-open, seven-candidate Democratic Primary to replace the late Richard Brown for Queens district attorney.
“We’re used to it,” said Donnie Whitehead, a local activist who has endorsed Mina Malik for Queens
District Attorney. Whitehead and his wife JoAnn Whitehead co-founded the organization CommUnity 1st alongside organizer Oster Bryan. “Black folks have been voting Democratic for the past 60 years only to see the Democratic Party ignore black voters.”
“If they don’t spend time here during their campaigns, then when they get into office, forget about it,” Whitehead continued.
The influential organizers gained notoriety when they rallied behind Barack Obama in the 2008 New York Democratic primary and helped deliver the 5th Congressional District for the future president, even though party leadership had backed Hillary Clinton.
Southeast Queens elected officials with deep ties to the Queens Democratic Party have lined up behind Borough President Melinda Katz, who has a campaign office in Rochdale. U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, the county party chairperson; Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman; and Councilmembers Adrienne Adams and Donovan Richards are among the dozens of elected officials who have endorsed Katz.
Whitehead said they don’t necessarily represent the perspective of everyday voters.
“That has nothing to do with what people are thinking on the ground,” Whitehead said.
One of the overlooked factors in Bernie Sanders losing the NY primary to Hillary Clinton back in 2016 is that he didn't stop by there and Hillary did by going to a baptist church.
16 comments:
#walkaway
Because they only vote like once every ten years, they get flagged for fraud
I live in Laurelton and it is sad to say, voter's around here keep voting the same old Democrats into office who do nothing really for the neighborhood. People need to wake up.
Re: Laurelton
The way Southeast Queens citizens vote against their interests and communities while keeping the same kakistocratic leaders in office reminds me of the voters covered in the book "What's the matter with Kansas
If i'm not wrong last year sometime on Queens Crap wasn't someone from Laurelton suing over the high property taxes. I think this person was paying more in taxes than the Mayor. And you best believe with the budget just passed you will be paying double what you pay now. Thank you Democrats.
@ Anonymous said..."People need to wake up." Yes I agree but I don't see it.
Tech Censorship won't let it happen. The sheeple are giving away our free speech.
“Black folks have been voting Democratic for the past 60 years only to see the Democratic Party ignore black voters.”
Umm maybe it’s time to try something else.
Underestimated? Sounds to me like the voters continue to meet the machine's low expectations of them, and are estimated just fine as a reliable bloc who need nothing and get nothing in return for being ignored.
I for one dislike AOC, but I'm sure glad she whipped Crowley's ass. I doubt anyone in that district will consider it "reliable" fir at least another 25 years. SE queens needs to fire a shot like that at an incimbent.
The South Asian and West African immigrants are introducing a new dynamism.
The Nigerians are to Jamaica what the Koreans are to Flushing,
bringing about a Protestant revival unseen since the days of Lincoln.
Caribbeans vote Republican, but Africans learned too much "European" and go Democrat
Hey JQ. This entry is getting stale. Please put something new up. Thanks.
Result of white flight over the last 40 years.
So are they all going to register as Republicans? You know, "stick it to the man!"
oh come off it there was never any white flight in America what really happened was parents saw the next generation of kids on a Jail track not a college one so they moved and black parents who cared about their kids moved too.
>most reliable Democratic strongholds
>engaged and informed voters
Pick one. Informed voters don't blindly vote the party line.
democRATS know the black vote is given. They only have to dole out crumbs.
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