Before Assemblymember Keith Wright had conceded to Sen. Adriano
Espaillat in their congressional race, speculation had already begun
about which seat Wright would seek next if not victorious. Wright
eliminated one option when he pledged in the heat of the race to replace
retiring Rep. Charles Rangel that he would not seek reelection to the
Assembly seat he has held since 1992. Wright challenged Espaillat to do
the same as the state senator had repeatedly run for Congress only to
return to the state Senate. Espaillat ignored the challenge.
On congressional primary day in June, Espaillat claimed a narrow
victory, leaving Wright calling for a recount, but soon community
leaders brought pressure on Wright to move on and accept defeat, which
he did. No political observer believed the pledge would keep Wright, a
close ally of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and one of the state’s most powerful
Democrats and most prolific fundraisers, from seeking public office
again.
Now that state legislative primaries are over, another Wright ally,
City Council Member Inez Dickens, appears set to replace him in the
Assembly. She ran unopposed among Democrats for Wright’s seat, raising a
few eyebrows given that seats being vacated often attract multiple
candidates.
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