City Council Member Alexa Avil\u00e9s beat opponent Ling Ye by almost triple the votes in the primary race to keep her seat in Council District 38.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ye, a moderate Democrat, challenged the Democratic socialist incumbent in the first competitive council race since the district was redrawn in 2023<\/a>. District 38 represents the southern Brooklyn neighborhoods of Red Hook, Park Slope, Sunset Park and parts of Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst. The area is historically progressive with a large Latino and Asian immigrant population. But after redistricting, it included whiter, more moderate areas which many anticipated would tighten the race. Evidently, it did not.\u00a0<\/p>\n Despite demographic changes, Avil\u00e9s\u2019 progressive coalition prevailed, beating Ye with about 72% of the vote<\/a>. <\/strong>She has represented the district since 2021 when she beat her opponent Yu Lin with considerable margins. Beyond her incumbency advantage, Avil\u00e9s secured powerful endorsements from the Democratic Socialists of America, the New York Working Families Party, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and labor unions including 32BJ SEIU, 1199SEIU and the United Federation of Teachers<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The council member immigrated from Puerto Rico as a child and grew up in East New York with her family. She is known to be very engaged in the community and prides her office on their constituent services. As a member of the Progressive Caucus and chair of the council Committee on Immigration, Avil\u00e9s has been a staunch advocate for immigrants in her district who are vulnerable to Trump\u2019s enforcement policies.<\/p>\n Ye trailed behind Avil\u00e9s with 28%<\/a> despite being was well-funded with support from a pro-Israel PAC and real estate lobby PAC looking to unseat Avil\u00e9s. A former staffer for former Council Member Carlos Menchaca and for Reps. Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez and Dan Goldman, Ye lived in Dyker Heights after immigrating to the U.S. with her mother when she was a teenager.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ye appealed to moderate voters, capitalizing on the less progressive constituents from the redistricting. Ye ran primarily on public safety, housing development and improving the lives of working New Yorkers and public safety. She described herself as a \u201cpragmatic\u201d candidate in comparison to Avil\u00e9s who is \u201cout of touch\u201d<\/a> with working-class people and the district. She also claimed the council member\u2019s activist approach stifled progress, referencing Avil\u00e9s\u2019 multiple protest votes against the city budget. <\/a>Ye also criticized Avil\u00e9s\u2019 approach to public safety.<\/p>\n