NY Election Results: John Liu Ousts Tony Avella In Senate Primary

BAYSIDE, NY — Former city comptroller John Liu defeated incumbent state Sen. Tony Avella in Thursday’s Democratic primary for the 11th Senate District, scoring a political comeback. NY1 called the race for Liu at about 11 p.m., when he had 52.9 percent of the vote to Avella’s 47.1 percent.

Liu was one of five challengers to oust former members of the Independent Democratic Conference, a now-disbanded group of breakaway Democrats who for years shared power with Senate Republicans.

Liu ran unsuccessfully against Avella, first elected in 2010, in 2014 after he finished his tenure as comptroller in 2013. He also ran unsuccessfully for mayor that year.

Avella wasn't the only former IDC member to fall on Thursday. Former city councilman Robert Jackson beat state Sen. Marisol Alcantara in Manhattan; Jessica Ramos defeated state Sen. Jose Peralta in Queens; Zellnor Myrie ousted state Sen. Jesse Hamilton in Brooklyn; and Alessandra Biaggi in the Bronx took down state Sen. Jeff Klein, the IDC's onetime leader.

Liu will take on the district's Republican candidate in the Nov. 6 general election.

The anti-incumbent wave in state Senate races didn't move Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who easily defeated the actress and activist Cynthia Nixon in the gubernatorial primary.

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul narrowly beat over City Councilman Jumaane Williams in the lieutenant governor's race, while Public Advocate Letitia James easily won a four-way primary for attorney general.

(Lead image: John Liu is seen in 2015. Photo by Dennis Van Tine/Associated Press)