Bill Perkins Wins Special Election to Fill Harlem City Council Seat

State Senator Bill Perkins is going back to the New York City Council.

The longtime Harlem lawmaker pulled off a win Tuesday in a special election to replace Inez Dickens, who won a seat in the state Assembly back in November.

Perkins won about one-third of the vote in a crowded field, according to the unofficial results from the Board of Elections.

Perkins was certainly the heavyweight in this race. He had by far the most name recognition as a longtime politician. But his history in government was also used against him at times in this contest. He faced attacks for being a career politician.

Perkins had the support of City Hall and Mayor Bill de Blasio. 

Perkins was competing against eight other candidates for the Council seat in a district that has undergone some tremendous changes in recent years, with gentrification and rising housing costs a near-constant concern for many longtime residents. 

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Source: Time Warner Cable News (NY1 News)