February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Crowley saw off GOP opponent Tom Ognibene. It had been in Republican hands from 1991, when it was created, until the second of last year’s contents.
“On Nov. 3 our community expressed overwhelming support for my candidacy, despite my opponent’s nasty smear campaign,” the 31-year-old politician told the Echo.
She described her 20-percent margin of victory as “historic.”
Her district includes Maspeth, Glendale and Middle Village. “I am excited to work together as Democrats, Republicans and all parties to move forward aggressively on an agenda of both short-term and long-term needs for our neighborhoods,” Crowley said.
Meanwhile, after winning tough Democratic primary battles in September, Daniel Dromm and Jimmy Van Bramer easily defeated Republican opponents in the 25th and 26th Districts respectively. They are the first openly gay members to be elected to the City Council from the borough.
Dromm, a 53-year-old public school teacher and son of Irish immigrants, will replace Helen Sears in the district that includes Jackson Heights. Van Bramer, who also has Irish roots on both sides of his family, will succeed Eric Gioia in representing the interests of Woodside and Sunnyside voters.
Republican Dan Halloran will serve on behalf of the 19th District, which includes Bayside. Halloran, a former Catholic, is the leader of a 120-member religious group called New Normandy, which is inspired by ancient Celtic and Germanic traditions. The GOP politician practices Theodism, a “cousin religion,” he said, to Hinduism.