Several Congressional districts in Queens where large numbers of Guyanese
Greg Meeks
reside are seeing keenly contested primary races to choose the Democratic candidates to contest against Republicans in the upcoming November elections. Guyanese are not running for congressional seats this year but are joining the campaigns of candidates so as to influence the outcome of the elections.
The 6th Congressional District is seeing a Primary contest between Chinese American Grace Meng, Jewish American Rory Lancman and Irish American Elizabeth Crowley. Guyanese are divided between the candidacies of Meng and Lancman with several community leaders throwing their support behind Lancman.
In the new 5th Congressional District in Southeast Queens, incumbent U.S. Rep. Greg Meeks (D-Jamaica) who used to represent Richmond Hill, may face a primary against Rosedale-native Michael Scala, a musician.
Parts of Richmond Hill, Jamaica and Queens Village are now in this district that is heavily populated with Guyanese, and Meeks has been courting their votes saying he is pleased to be their representative.
Grace Meng
The incumbents in Queens’ other districts are U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-Astoria) and Joe Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) both of which have smaller numbers of Guyanese. Neither one is expected to face any difficulties in winning re-election.
Two races in Brooklyn districts which now include Queens neighbourhoods are also heating up. These two districts are represented by high ranking congressional members from Brooklyn who are facing primary challengers under new lines which will include parts of Queens where tens of thousands of Guyanese are settled and who were previously represented by Queens democrats.
The new 8th Congressional District, centered in Eastern Brooklyn, will now include the neighbourhoods of Ozone Park and Howard Beach. There will be a three-way Democratic primary featuring 30-year-incumbent U.S. Rep. Ed Towns (D-Brooklyn) against Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn) and Councilman Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn).
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