State Assembly Member Harvey Epstein has emerged as the winner of the Democratic primary for a New York City Council seat representing lower Manhattan, effectively ending former Congressman Anthony Weiner’s attempt to re-enter politics.
Although voting concluded on June 24, the results were not finalized until Tuesday due to the ranked-choice voting system. With the victory, Epstein advances to the general election this fall.
Anthony Weiner, once a prominent figure in the Democratic Party, had hoped this race would revive his political career after a series of sexting scandals led to his downfall. His campaign failed to gain traction, and he finished well behind Epstein and other contenders.
Weiner’s candidacy drew media attention due to his controversial past, but Epstein also found himself unexpectedly in the spotlight. Last year, a Saturday Night Live skit poked fun at the similarity of his name to infamous figures Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein. Comedian John Mulaney portrayed a fictional candidate struggling to assure voters he wasn’t connected to the disgraced namesakes. Epstein took the satire in good humor, even sharing the clip on social media.
Epstein, a former tenant organizer and attorney, has served in the New York State Assembly since 2018 and is known for his work on housing and community issues.
Weiner’s political trajectory once seemed promising. He served in Congress as a strong liberal voice until a scandal in 2011 involving explicit messages sent to a college student led to his resignation. He attempted a political comeback in a 2013 mayoral bid but was again caught in another sexting controversy. In 2017, he pleaded guilty to sending sexually explicit material to a 15-year-old girl and served time in prison.
Throughout the council campaign, Weiner acknowledged his troubled past but admitted to difficulties in finding the right way to discuss it with voters. His return to the political arena, however, was ultimately unsuccessful.
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