Joe Crowley Shock Defeat, Michael Grimm Also Loses In NYC Primary

STATEN ISLAND, NY — With an endorsement from President Donald Trump, U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan easily fended off a challenge from his predecessor, Michael Grimm, in Tuesday's closely watched Republican congressional primary. But a powerful Democratic incumbent, Rep. Joe Crowley, was ousted by the newcomer Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a major upset.

Donovan had about 64 percent of the votes to Grimm's roughly 36 percent with about 96 percent of the precincts reporting in the 11th Congressional District covering Staten Island and parts of South Brooklyn. NY1 called the race for Donovan at 9:28 p.m., less than half an hour after the polls closed.

"I can’t thank you enough for allowing me to do it again and make sure we beat the Democratic candidate in November and keep the only Republican seat in New York City, Republican," Donovan told supporters in a victory speech broadcast on NY1.

Donovan will face Max Rose, a U.S. Army veteran who won a six-way Democratic primary for his party's nomination. Rose earned about 63 percent of the votes while the second-place finisher, Michael DeVito Jr., got only about 18 percent.

New York City's congressional primaries featured several vigorous challenges to incumbent representatives. Grimm, a felon who left Congress in 2015, was the only one making an attempt to retake his seat in a hotly contested race that drew national attention.

Grimm resigned from the seat in 2015 after pleading guilty to federal tax fraud. Donovan, the former Staten Island district attorney, won a special election to replace him that year and was re-elected in 2016.

With an eight-month prison term behind him, Grimm wanted his old job back. He tried to run as a true ally of President Donald Trump, while Donovan worked to remind voters of Grimm's unsavory past.

Donovan's wide margin of victory came after a NY1/Siena College poll showing Grimm ahead by 10 percentage points earlier this month despite his criminal record — and an infamous video of him threatening to throw a NY1 reporter off a balcony.

But Donovan had Trump's endorsement and used it to his advantage. He even had a mobile billboard drive around at a recent rally to remind voters he has the president's support, The New York Times reported. The incumbent congressman also reportedly drew support from big spenders.

In a tweet, Trump said Donovan "showed great courage in a tough race!"

"New York, and my many friends on Staten Island, have elected someone they have always been very proud of," Trump tweeted.

Rose, a Purple Heart recipient, had support from the national Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He defeated DeVito, Omar Vaid, Zach Emig, Paul Sperling and Radhakrishna Mohan.

Ocasio-Cortez was the only primary challenger who could declare victory Tuesday night, scoring a huge upset in the 14th District covering northern Queens and the eastern Bronx.

A former staffer on Bernie Sanders' campaign, Ocasio-Cortez won 57 percent of the votes to Crowley's 42 percent with about 88 percent of the precincts reported, according to unofficial results from the New York State Board of Elections. NY1 called the race for Ocasio-Cortez at 9:54 p.m.

"This is the community’s moment," Ocasio-Cortez told NY1.

Ocasio-Cortez is reportedly the first candidate to oust a Democratic incumbent in a primary this year. She is among the left-wing Democrats who have worked to shift the party since Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential election. Crowley, the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House, represented the entrenched establishment they're trying to throw out.

In Central Brooklyn, Democratic Rep. Yvette Clarke barely fended off a challenge from insurgent newcomer Adam Bunkeddeko in the 9th District. The incumbent Clarke won by 1,075 votes with all but four precincts reporting. The Associated Press called the race for Clarke at 11:41 p.m.

Incumbent Rep. Carolyn Maloney fared better in the 12th District touching Manhattan's East Side, northwest Queens and Greenpoint, Brooklyn. She had 58 percent of the votes with about 92 percent of the precincts reporting, defeating the progressive hotelier Suraj Patel, who had 42 percent of the votes.

Back in Queens, Rep. Gregory Meeks kept his seat representing the 5th District after beating out challengers Mizan Choudhury and Carl Achille in a landslide. The district covers the southeast Queens neighborhoods of Jamaica, Cambria Heights, Hollis, Laurelton, Queens Village, Rosedale, Saint Albans, Springfield Gardens, South Ozone Park and the Rockaways.

Incumbent Rep. Eliot Engel also fended off three Democratic challengers in the 16th District covering the northern Bronx and part of Westchester County. He had 73 percent of the votes with about 69 percent of the precincts reporting.

Danielle Woodward contributed reporting.

(Lead image: Rep. Joe Crowley (foreground) lost Tuesday's Democratic primary in the 14th Congressional District to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a stunning political upset. Photo by REX/Shutterstock)