In a landslide election, Queens City Council member John Liu (D-Flushing) was elected as city comptroller and the first Asian-American to win a citywide election.
With 99 percent of the vote counted at press time Liu received 76 percent of the vote (694,518) to Republican candidate Joseph Mendola’s 19 percent (176,101).
While Liu could not be reached at press time, his win galvanized the growing Asian-American community in Brooklyn, mainly situated along Eighth Avenue in Sunset Park and Avenue U in Homecrest.
“Seeing an Asian-American elected citywide is a moment of inspiration not only for Asian-Americans but for every New Yorker. For Liu to come from humble roots to where he is today says a lot not only about him, but also about the promise of the city,” said Carl Hum, who grew up along Eighth Avenue and currently is president of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.
“As someone who has grown up in New York and in Brooklyn, John’s election shows the potency of the Asian-American vote and the coming of age of that vote. I think it will be a turning point that will give the next generation the hope that they can achieve in public politics and public service,” he added.
Liu achieved his election first in a toughly contested four-person Democratic primary and then a runoff with two-term Brooklyn Councilmember David Yassky (D-Brooklyn Heights, Williamsburg).
In the run off Liu received 55.68 percent of the vote (127,173 votes) to Yassky’s 44.32 percent, (101,215). The city comptroller’s main functions include going over city contracts, looking for budget waste and handling city pension money.