BREAKING: Incumbent Assemblywoman Markey loses Democratic primary in a stunning upset

By Robert Pozarycki
QNS
September 13, 2016

http://qns.com/story/2016/09/13/breaking-incumbent-assemblywoman-markey-loses-democratic-primary-stunning-upset/

Nine-term incumbent Assemblywoman Margaret Markey (at left) lost Tuesday's Democratic primary to Woodside attorney Brian Barnwell.

This might be one of the biggest political upsets Queens has ever seen.

Upstart Brian Barnwell defeated nine-term incumbent Assemblywoman Margaret Markey in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for the 30th Assembly District seat.

WNYC called the race for Barnwell at about 9:25 p.m. Tuesday night. Turnout was extremely low, but Barnwell got 65.6 percent of the vote (1,458) to Markey’s 34.4 percent (763), with more than 91 percent of the precincts reporting.

Incumbents are normally a shoe-in to win re-election in a primary, but the tide turned against Markey last month amid the ongoing debate over a proposed homeless shelter in Maspeth, in the heart of her district. Markey took flack from residents for failing to show up at a public meeting and a protest over the shelter, although she expressed opposition to the plan in statements that her office issued.

Things came to a head at an Aug. 31 Community Board 5 public hearing on the shelter proposal, when Markey was roundly jeered by the attendees and cut her speech short.

Barnwell, for his part, attended meetings over the proposed shelter and expressed vehement opposition to the plan. He also visited nightly rallies held outside the Holiday Inn Express where the facility is slated to be located. Last week, the hotel’s owner stated he was no longer supportive of the idea.

The 30-year-old Barnwell, a Woodside attorney, is slated to face Republican Tony Nunziato in the Nov. 8 general election. The 30th Assembly District covers all or parts of Astoria, Long Island City, Maspeth, Middle Village and Woodside.