The Patch Interview: Michael Cox Wants to De-Throne a 32-Year Brooklyn Incumbent

BROOKLYN, NY — Sept. 13 is primary day in New York, when voters can go to the polls and pick a nominee for every Senate and Assembly seat in the state's legislature.

The 25th State Senate district emcompasses a number of Brooklyn neighborhoods, including Bed-Stuy, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill, Gowanus, Red Hook and Sunset Park.

Image courtesy of the New York State Senate

It's a diverse cluster of neighborhoods facing a range of social and economic pressures that are only growing with time.

Since 1984, the district has been represented by Democrat Velmanette Montgomery. This year, Montgomery is being challenged in the Democratic primary race by Prospect Heights native Michael Cox — a former East New York elementary school teacher; staffer for Congressmen Gregory Meeks and Dan Maffei; member of the Commerce Department under Barack Obama; and assistant director of NYU in Brooklyn.

Over the course of a month, Patch has reached out repeatedly to Montgomery, offering her the same opportunity to be interviewed. But as of this posting, we have yet to receive a reply.

Watch clips from Cox's interview below — and stay tuned to the Patch for more on his fight to de-throne a State Senate super-incumbent.