Democrats make history in primary day election in Westchester County
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - Primary Day 2023 was one for the history books in Westchester County.
Democrats in New York's third, seventh and eighth largest cities all made history with their choices.
In Yonkers, Democrats chose incumbent Mike Spano over two challengers by a wide margin. He got 68% of the primary vote, making history by putting Spano on a path to an unprecedented fourth term.
"The establishment seems to have prevailed in yesterday's primary. The candidates that were endorsed by the Democratic Party were the ones who won," said Mount Pleasant Democratic Chair Tom Abinanti.
Abinanti held office for two decades. He pointed out that in Mount Vernon, the party endorsed first-term incumbent Shawyn Patterson-Howard. She topped 70% of the vote, defeating former acting Mayor Andre Wallace, breaking an historic losing streak.
It is an impressive win for Patterson-Howard. Sitting Democratic mayors in Mount Vernon have lost four consecutive primaries: In 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019.
"They know what they have with the incumbent mayor. They seem to be satisfied with her. So they're gonna give her another chance to complete the promises she made when she ran the first time," Abinanti said.
There will be a new face in the mayor's office in New Rochelle. Yadira Ramos-Herbert, with Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage, can become the city's first woman and person of color to serve as mayor, winning the Democratic primary with 63% of the vote against Damon Maher.
"The United States is a place where immigrants come in, get absorbed into the community, and they take leadership roles We've been expecting some of those with a Latin background to come forward," Abinanti said.
Spano and Ramos-Herbert will face Republican opposition in the fall, while the Mount Vernon mayor has a clear path to a second term, unopposed.