Kenneth Thompson Defeats 23-Year Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes

By Simone Weichselbaum and Glenn Blain
New York Daily News
September 11, 2013

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/election/voters-choose-public-advocate-borough-presidents-article-1.1451747

Joe Hynes became the city’s first sitting district attorney to be voted from office since 1955.

Brooklyn state Sen. Daniel Squadron hopes to be voted in as public advocate.

Neither Brooklyn City Councilwoman Letitia James and Squadron passed the 40% mark, meaning there will be a runoff in the race for publica advocate.

Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes’ 23-year run as the borough’s top prosecutor has come to an end following his stunning defeat in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.

Hynes was the city’s first sitting district attorney to be voted from office since 1955 after he was defeated by former prosecutor Kenneth Thompson 55% to 44%, according to unofficial results.

A Brooklyn District Attorney had not been voted out of office since 1911.

“Tonight we have made history,” Thompson told his supporters. “It has been against tough odds, we are now on a path to a better future for Brooklyn, one that will make our communities both safer and stronger.”

Hynes has the Conservative and Republican ballot lines in November. But his spokesman, George Arzt, said it’s over. The incumbent will not run on those lines.

Hynes, flanked by his wife and grandkids, conceded defeat and pledged a smooth transition.

“The Democratic voters of the county, today, viewed (my) record, compared it with the record of former federal prosecutor Kenneth Thompson and decided to change directions,” Hynes told his dejected supporters.

The race between Hynes and Thompson was one of the city’s nastiest, with Thompson repeatedly attacking Hynes as corrupt and out of touch with minority communities.

Thompson, who first rose to fame handling the Abner Louima case in 1997, was portrayed by Hynes as inexperienced and unable to manage an office of 500 lawyers.

Meanwhile, in the race for public advocate, Brooklyn City Councilwoman Letitia James and Brooklyn state Sen. Daniel Squadron are headed to a runoff after neither passed the 40% mark.

In the race to replace Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, City Council member Gale Brewer topped a field of four candidates that included fellow Council members Jessica Lapin and Robert Jackson.

In Queens, former Councilwoman Melinda Katz defeated Councilman Peter Vallone for borough president.