News Blog

This blog has been updated to clarify that incumbent City Council member Dana Miller did not get the designation of the 24th District. He's the only incumbent Council member to fall short.

Incumbent Mayor Tom Richards won the endorsement of the city's 24th Legislative District committee this afternoon on the march to the Democratic primary in September. He defeated challenger Lovely Warren, who is president of City Council, 35 to 9. The 24th LD is centered in the area around Highland Park.

The biggest news to come out of the meeting, however, is that Warren seems to have changed her opinion on same-sex marriage. Asked about the issue at a different meeting of Democratic insiders a week ago, Warren said bluntly that same-sex marriage is the law in New York State and that she would follow the law.

Today, however, when asked if the federal Defense of Marriage Act should be repealed, Warren said yes and "I don't believe government should tell people who to love." Warren said a conversation with a young man helped convince her that the country had largely "moved on" from the issue, and she compared marriage equality to interracial marriage.

Richards has consistently supported marriage equality.

The 24th LD also designated candidates for five open seats on City Council. The top vote-getters were: incumbents Matt Haag, Carolee Conklin, Loretta Scott, Jackie Ortiz, and newcomer Tom Hasman. Incumbent Council member Dana Miller, who is Council's vice president, did not get the designation.