Harlem State Senate Election Results: Cordell Cleare Wins

Last updated 11 p.m.

HARLEM, NY — Cordell Cleare has easily won the special State Senate election in Harlem's District 30, defeating two challengers in the race to replace Brian Benjamin.

With about 92 percent of votes counted, Cleare was way ahead as of 11 p.m., holding about 89 percent of the vote compared to 6 percent for Oz Sultan and 5 percent for Shana Harmongoff.

The 30th District seat was vacated by Benjamin in September when he was appointed lieutenant governor. Cleare, a local party leader and former staffer for Bill Perkins in the state senate, was nominated in September by Democratic Party leaders, following a mostly closed-door process in which several other candidates put their names forward — including Harmongoff.

Harmongoff, who worked for Benjamin as his district office director, mounted an independent bid after failing to win the nomination. The top issues in her campaign included affordable housing and reducing the placement of drug treatment centers in Harlem.

Cleare had the backing of Harlem's entire Democratic establishment, who gathered Monday in an election-eve rally that included mayoral nominee Eric Adams and Attorney General Letitia James, among other big-name officials.

She centered her campaign around Harlem's lack of affordable housing, saying she would work in Albany to increase tenant protections, allow basement units to be converted to apartments and convert hotels into residences, among other ideas.

Cleare is fresh off another campaign earlier this year: the Democratic City Council primary in District 9, where she finished fourth in the June election. The nominee, Kristin Richardson Jordan, appeared likely to prevail in Tuesday's general election against Republican Alpheaus Marcus.

Previous coverage:

• Harlem State Senate Election: Cordell Cleare Seeks Open Seat
• Harlem State Senate Race: Shana Harmongoff Mounts Independent Bid
• Harlem Senate Race: Benjamin Backs Cleare Against Independent