By Heather Grossmann
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
City Councilman Alan Gerson failed in his reelection bid tonight, losing to four-time challenger Margaret Chin in lower Manhattan’s District 1 Democratic primary.
Term limits, the stalled World Trade Center redevelopment and affordable housing formed the trifecta of issues that felled Gerson, who has had the seat since 2002.
Media outlets reported that Gerson did not have a lock on reelection, but the Chin victory came as a surprise to many in this crowded race. There was little reporting on Chin in the weeks leading up to the election and her previous three unsuccessful runs against Gerson did not bode well.
“Were we surprised? No,” said Chin’s campaign manager, Jake Itzkowitz, of the victory. “I would say I was a little bit impressed by the size of the margin, but we ran a strong campaign from the beginning.”
Chin took the race with 39 percent of the vote.
The presumed Councilwoman-to-be greeted and thanked voters at a Lower East Side subway stop this morning before breaking for breakfast at a nearby diner, and then it was on to the office to prep for her new job.
In addition to Chin’s challenge, Gerson faced heavy competition from former police officer and fireman Peter Gleason, Community Board 1 member PJ Kim and lower Manhattan activist Arthur Gregory.
Kim, Gregory and Gleason called Chin to congratulate her, and while Gerson and Chin were not able to connect last night, he has promised a smooth transition of the seat.
The first sign of Gerson’s troubles came when Gleason received the endorsement of the Downtown Independent Democrats, a group that had endorsed Gerson in previous elections.
Gerson’s opponents hit him hard on his yes vote on extending term limits and Chin repeatedly berated him over the lack of affordable housing in the district, her keystone issue.
Chin will go on to face Republican Irene Horvath in the November election. As the majority of the voting pool is democratic, she is not expected to face a challenge.
