Golden concedes state Senate race to Gounardes, ending 16-year run in office

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Golden concedes state Senate race to Gounardes, ending 16-year run in office

By Julianne McShane

Photo by Steve Solomonson

Bowed out: Republican State Sen. Marty Golden officially conceded to Democratic upstart Andrew Gounardes on Monday, 13 days after Gounardes declared victory in Brooklyn's 22nd state Senate district race on Election Day

He officially ended the Golden age.

Republican Marty Golden formally conceded his Southern Brooklyn seat of sixteen years to Democratic rival and state Senator–elect Andrew Gounardes on Monday, 13 days after Gounardes claimed an Election Day victory in the race to represent the state’s 22nd Senate district, which includes Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach, Gravesend, and parts of Sheepshead Bay, Borough Park, and Midwood.

“I congratulate Andrew Gounardes and wish him well in his service to the people of the 22nd state Senate District,” state Sen. Golden said.

Days after the highly anticipated race, Golden on Nov. 8 vowed not to bow out until election officials counted every ballot, even after Gounardes pulled ahead by more than 1,100 votes, according to the most-recent data from the state Board of Elections, which does not yet reflect more than 1,800 absentee ballots cast in the district.

Officials with the Kings County Board of Elections accepted those ballots through Nov. 13, and began counting them the following day, but reps for the state and local board did not immediately comment when asked about the status of the abentee-ballot count.

A rep for the state board, however, previously told this newspaper that the county board has until Dec. 3 to finish its count, before the state board’s Dec. 14 deadline to certify the results.

Golden, a former cop whose general election-loss is the pol’s first in his eight terms as a representative in Albany’s upper house, said he is proud of his record as a legislator, and that he looks forward to continuing to serve his district as a private citizen.

“I am so proud of what I have accomplished for my city, my state, and the neighbors I have been honored to represent,” Golden said. “Although we came up just short this election, I am grateful my career in public service has been full of much success as a police officer and as an elected official. As I think of the future, my supporters, neighbors, and friends can be sure that I will still always look for opportunities to make our neighborhoods an even better place to live, work, and raise a family.”

And Gounardes promised to work with the outgoing pol to ensure a smooth transition, so that he can hit the ground running upon taking office in Albany in January.

“Now that the election is over, I am grateful to people of Southern Brooklyn for their support, and humbled by their trust in me to be our community’s voice in Albany,” he said. “I look forward to coordinating with Sen. Golden on a smooth transition between now and January, so that our community can come together and move forward.”

Reach reporter Julianne McShane at (718) 260–2523 or by e-mail at jmcshane@cnglocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @juliannemcshane.

Source: https://www.brooklyndaily.com/stories/2018/47/bn-golden-concedes-gounardes-2018-11-23-bk.html

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I know some gave Marty a lot of slack for not doing enough, but when I contacted his office several years ago after the 2010 service cuts, he agreed to work with me to get several lines restored: B2, B31, B64, X27, X28 and the B4, and just about all of them have been fully restored. He also fought to get the current express bus fleet for the X27, X28, X37 and X38 after constituents complained about old and dirty buses. It took several years before weekend service on the X28 was restored, but we worked tirelessly to get it back when the MTA told riders they could take the train. Numerous petitions started for that and I have to say that just about all of the elected officials then in the district were willing to help. He should be commended for that for sure. Best of luck to Mary and to Andrew. 

[Deucey]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I know some gave Marty a lot of slack for not doing enough, but when I contacted his office several years ago after the 2010 service cuts, he agreed to work with me to get several lines restored: B2, B31, B64, X27, X28 and the B4, and just about all of them have been fully restored. He also fought to get the current express bus fleet for the X27, X28, X37 and X38 after constituents complained about old and dirty buses. It took several years before weekend service on the X28 was restored, but we worked tirelessly to get it back when the MTA told riders they could take the train. Numerous petitions started for that and I have to say that just about all of the elected officials then in the district were willing to help. He should be commended for that for sure. Best of luck to Mary and to Andrew. 

As partisan as I am and can be, he seemed like an effective legislator (based on the little bit of NYS political news I can find).

Hard to see the possible good ones go in a wave, but here's hoping his successor is as good or better than he was.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 minute ago, Deucey said:

As partisan as I am and can be, he seemed like an effective legislator (based on the little bit of NYS political news I can find).

Hard to see the possible good ones go in a wave, but here's hoping his successor is as good or better than he was.

Well this is what people wanted and if that's the case then fine, but he'd better deliver, and I want to hear the same criticisms if he doesn't.  

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

54 minutes ago, Deucey said:

As partisan as I am and can be, he seemed like an effective legislator (based on the little bit of NYS political news I can find).

Hard to see the possible good ones go in a wave, but here's hoping his successor is as good or better than he was.

If anything, his view on social issues (and other comments/events) did him no good. Thing is that area now has more of a mix of people from both parties, despite it being previously Republican safe territory. 

However, I do hope that the incoming senator works with the community on transportation related issues. It's frustrating when politicians decide to focus on other issues when transportation is important as well. 

[MHV9218]

Completely dreadful presence in NYS, xenophobe and enemy of transit outside of his own car (quite literally killing citizens as he rolled along). Won't be missed.

[MHV9218]

You guys are welcome to downvote without providing any reasonable feedback or analysis. I stand by everything I said, and Google is your friend--his record speaks for itself, and anecdotes about phone calls made to his office are fairly worthless in the scheme of things. Should we talk to the family of the woman he struck and killed in 2005?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

6 hours ago, MHV9218 said:

You guys are welcome to downvote without providing any reasonable feedback or analysis. I stand by everything I said, and Google is your friend--his record speaks for itself, and anecdotes about phone calls made to his office are fairly worthless in the scheme of things. Should we talk to the family of the woman he struck and killed in 2005?

I worked with him personally to restore transit, so I disagree about your transportation comments. No one is calling him a saint, but he served the district for 16 years and overall did so well. To say that he accomplished nothing in 16 years which is what you're trying to imply is ridiculous and you're only doing that because he's a Republican. Meanwhile if it was a Democrat, nine times out of ten you'd look the other way and make excuses. How about we talk about the disaster that was last week with that "snow storm"?