Congressman Ed Towns (US Govt. photo)
From
the Daily News:
Incumbent Ed Towns was making calls Sunday night telling friends, supporters and some members of the New York delegation that he was dropping out of the race for the re-drawn 8th Congressional seat, two sources told the Daily News.
Calls to Towns and his staff were not immediately returned.
Towns, 77, was facing a bruising primary fight against two Democratic challengers, City Councilman Charles Barron and state Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries.
Barron's campaign fundraising tallies haven't been posted yet, but Jeffries beat out Towns for money raised and cash on hand.
Jeffries has also made inroads into turf once considered Towns strongholds. Jeffries won the backing of the Bedford-Stuyvesant powerhouse, the Vanguard Independent Democratic Association. And two weeks ago the Rev. A.R. Bernard, founder and senior pastor at the influential Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, handed Jeffries the microphone during a packed Sunday sermon.
Here in the district, it is clear to me that state Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries was making headway here in the district. The lethargic, useless Towns has stood pat on the district for years, failing to bring home any bacon despite years of seniority. Even after Democrats took over the House in 2007, Towns consistently failed to get anything significant done here in the district, except perhaps getting a post office named after the great Shirley Chisolm (its her old seat).
Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries (NY State photo)
Towns has attempted in the past to pass the seat on to his son Darryl, but he has shown little interest in Washington. As the Daily News notes, he has been challenged in the past by bombastic City Councilman Charles Barron and activist Kevin Powell. There is no word yet on if Powell will enter the race.
(Full disclosure: Powell has contacted me in the past seeking support for his run. I declined to provide it, but I have supported him at other events.)
With him earning the support of the Vanguard Club, Jeffries is likely to sew up support in here in Bed-Stuy, which is still the heart of the redrawn district. Also, the wealthy enclave of Brooklyn Heights has been added to the district, further strengthening the young and energetic Jeffries. Furthermore, he is likely to pick up the support of statewide Democrats and people like Brooklyn Democratic boss Vito Lopez. The district is also gentrifying. Newer white residents will probably find Jeffries a much safer choice than the divisive and eccentric Barron. The support of Pastor Bernard of CCC is also hugely significant as it is one of the wealthiest and most powerful churches in Brooklyn.
I've run into Jeffries campaigning around the district and have known him for some time as he was my old Assemblyman when I lived in Yvette Clarke's Congressional district. Long have I wished to get rid of Towns and his old facsimile Major Owens.
Councilman Charles Barron (NYC official photo)
Still, Charles Barron has a strong base in East New York and is a close ally of Sharpton. This could be more of a race than anybody expects, but I doubt it.
Barring any late entries, I think it is pretty safe to call this seat for Jeffries. He's a good solid machine democrat. He did support Atlantic Yards, but that wont effect this race since that battle is over. I like Charles Barron, but Charles Barron isn't a legislator. He's a rabble rouser. We've got enough of those in my view. What we need is somebody who is going to bring home the bacon to the district. In my view, Jeffries strong and energetic run forced Towns from the race. He was facing a strong challenge in a new district that wouldn't be as predisposed to his incumbency.
Whichever Democrat wins the primary will win the general election. There are no Republicans here.
I'll be trying to get an interview for you all this week so you can take a good look at him.