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Sabini, Peralta win primary in two new boro districts

By Adam Kramer

Democrats John Sabini and Jose Peralta move onto the big show and the Nov. 5 elections for the right to represent Queens in Albany as state senator and state assemblyman from the two new Hispanic districts in the borough.

In state Senate District 13, Sabini will face off against Charles Castro, whom he defeated in the Democratic primary but is on the November ballot on the Independent, Liberal and Working Party lines, and the Republican candidate Giash Ahmed. In state Assembly District 39, Peralta will square off against Republican Charley Gonzales.

U.S. Rep Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) defeated fellow Democrat Dennis Coleman, who hails from the Bronx, and will battle Republican Kevin Brawley for the right to represent Queens and the Bronx for a third term in Washington.

According to unofficial results reported by NY1, the Queens Democratic Party’s choice, Sabini, routed fellow Democrats Nestor Diaz and Castro. He took the race by capturing 44.53 percent of the vote compared to 37.47 percent for Diaz and 17.99 percent for Castro.

The new state senate district stretches from the Brooklyn/Queens Expressway to the Grand Central Parkway and from Horace Harding Expressway to the Grand Central Parkway above Astoria Boulevard. It encompasses Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Corona and a slice of Woodside.

Sabini, a loyal Democrat and district leader, represented areas of the district in the City Council from 1991 until he was forced out due to term limits last year. Some of the issues that have been in the forefront of his campaign are education, expanding prescription drug benefit for seniors, improving health care and gun control.

“It is nice to win,” Sabini said. “We faced a tough turnout and many of the people were not involved in my old council district. I look forward to two years of hard work and fulfilling campaign promises.”

He defeated, Diaz, an immigration attorney and longtime public servant. Diaz’s campaign pushed for a new high school and youth center in the district and well as some of the hot button issues in the borough — class size and immigrants rights.

Castro, a 17-year veteran of the New York Police Department who reached the rank of sergeant before he retired, placed third in the race. Last year he helped usher City Councilman Hiram Monserrate (D-Jackson Heights) into office and works as his chief of staff. The issues Castro campaigned on were public safety and workers rights.

Peralta, who received the blessing of the Queens Democratic machine, beat out fellow Democrats Francisco Moya and William Salgado. He took the race by winning 42.16 percent of the vote compared to 36.08 percent for Moya and 21.76 percent for Salgado, according to unofficial results.

Peralta, 30, an advocate for immigrants for the New York City Central Labor Council, touted his work with local politicians and labor groups throughout his campaign. He centered his platform on educating and empowering the borough’s large immigrant population.

Moya, 28, a Democratic district leader, has been active in the community since he started a block association at 16. An associate director of development and strategic planning at Elmhurst Hospital Center, Moya focused his campaign on improving education, economic development and health care for the district.

Salgado, a 47-year-old lawyer, threw his hat into the political arena for a third time. He has made two unsuccessful state assembly runs in past years. His campaign agenda pushed for smaller classes, better teachers, more police officers and affordable housing.

The second new assembly district in Queens follows Roosevelt Avenue from 69th Street in Woodside to 112th Street in Jackson Heights and covers parts of East Elmhurst and Corona.

The other new district is in downtown Flushing. Both were created under the redistricting plan to give a greater voice to the Hispanic population in the Jackson Heights area and the Asian population in Flushing.

Turnout was “very light” early in the day at PS 69 on 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights, site coordinator Virgil Cannatella said around 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Although many voters who visited the polls expressed confusion about the abundance of candidates and the new districts, they also were optimistic about the closer attention the area was getting from politicians.

“It’s going to give us more representation individually,” said Robert Gilfedder, 49, a police officer from Jackson Heights who voted at PS 69. “I think we were kind of overlooked for a long time because we were part of the melting pot.”

Reach reporter Adam Kramer by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 157.