Phara Souffrant Forrest Projected To Win Fort Greene Assembly Race

FORT GREENE, BROOKLYN — First term incumbent Phara Souffrant Forrest is the projected winner of a Fort Greene and Clinton Hill State Assembly contest, according to projections from The New York Times and NY1.

The projection came about midnight on the summer's primary election, after Souffrant Forrest had already delcared victory herself in the race for District 57's State Assembly Democratic primary nomination.

"This victory permanently cements our movement in Albany," she said in a statement. "Not only did the people of Brooklyn vote a socialist into office in 2020, they came back to the polls this time and declared that we are here to stay."

At the time of Souffrant Forrest's statement, shortly before midnight, she was also leading unofficial Board of Elections results with 67.1 percent of the vote from 99 percent of district-wide scanners.

The race pitted Souffrant Forrest against longtime activist Olanike Alabi.

Souffrant Forrest's projected primary nomination, which, in deep-blue New York City, already tends to be consequential in the general election, is even more significant in this race, since the primary winner will run unopposed in November (the Republican primary for the district was canceled).

Another major race that was called on primary day was the gubernatorial primary: Gov. Kathy Hochul will win the Democratic primary for New York's governor — and she'll face Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin in November, NY1 and the Associated Press project.

One local primary race that wasn't officially called as of late Tuesday, though, was the neighborhood's state committee — a volunteer position that, by law, includes one male and one female from each Assembly district tasked with internal party matters, like nominating candidates.

In the race for District 57 State Committeewoman, incumbent Shaquana Boykin faced off against small business owner and local leader Renee Collymore.

Both candidates received a slate of endorsements, but Boykin (who defeated Alabi for the committee seat in 2020) got support from the likes of Borough President Antonio Reynoso and State Senators Jabari Brisport and Julia Salazar — high-ranking leaders who typically don't endorse in this kind of race.

As of about midnight, with 99 percent of district-wide scanners reporting, Boykin lead Collymore with about 57 percent of the vote compared to 42 percent, respectively, according to unofficial results from the BOE.

In the race for State Committeeman, former public school teacher and political advisor Michael Cox faced Mike Boomer, a longtime district leader (who, based on endorsements, is essentially running alongside Boykin).

The race between Cox and Boomer was also close, with the candidates raking in about 46 and 52 percent of the vote, respectively, unofficial BOE results showed.

Voters in Fort Greene were also tasked with choosing a candidate for Civil Court among a field of two.

About midnight, private attorney Patrick Hayes Torres lead Brooklyn civil court principal law clerk Philip Grant in that race with about 55 percent of the vote recorded from over 98 percent of district-wide scanners, unofficial BOE results showed.

District 57 voters also cast ballots on behalf of 10 Judicial Convention delegates (and alternates). Delegates choose the party's nominee for state Supreme Court, a name that voters will see on the general election ballot in November.

The primary for Congress and State Senate (races that will also appear on November ballots) will be held separately in August due to ongoing battles over redistricting maps.