You are reading

Sen. Michael Gianaris Cruising to Victory in Primary Race

State Sen. Michael Gianaris (Michael Gianaris /Flickr)

June 23, 2020 By Allie Griffin

Incumbent Michael Gianaris is cruising to victory in the primary race for his current state senate seat representing Western Queens.

Gianaris has a significant lead over competitor and retired sanitation worker Ignazio “Iggy” Terranova. He had garnered nearly 74 percent of votes for the 12th Senate District, according to unofficial results from the NYC Board of Elections with 99 percent of scanners reported as of 6:15 a.m. Wednesday.

The results are not final, since an unprecedented number of absentee ballots have yet to be counted. The BOE will begin counting absentee ballots by hand after June 30.

Tonight’s unofficial results are gathered from in-person ballots cast Tuesday and during early voting.

However, Gianaris — who has represented the 12th district in the State Senate since 2010 and currently serves as Deputy Majority Leader, the second-highest ranking member of the Senate — will likely take the race.

“Hey everyone, we did it,” Gianaris said in a video he posted to Twitter shortly after 10 p.m. “We had a resounding victory tonight.”

Both Gianaris and Terranova were raised in Astoria as children of immigrants. Gianaris was born in the neighborhood, while Terranova moved to Astoria when he was two years old.

Gianaris, however, leans more to the left than the insurgent candidate. The incumbent, who was a critic of the Amazon deal, led the way in Albany passing new rent protection laws and bail reform.

He said his likely win proves the success of the progressive movement.

“Make no mistake, our opponents wanted this election to be a referendum on the progressive movement in the Democratic party and boy was it ever,” Gianaris said. “We stood up and made a statement that this movement is built to last and is here to stay.”

Terranova had blamed Gianaris for the Amazon HQ2 deal falling through in Long Island City. He said the loss of 25,000 jobs promised by the e-commerce giant inspired him to run.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Fall fun in western Queens: Your guide to the best seasonal events

Aug. 29, 2025 By Jessica Militello

With beach days and summer BBQs behind us, the start of September rings in the start of magnificent Fall foliage, Halloween and more fun activities that come with the start of Autumn, including a list of Fall events in the area. From apple picking to seasonal ciders and more, there is tons to explore in the community. From Mystic Markets to scary movie meet-ups and more, here is a list of Fall events you do not want to miss.

A hidden gem in Sunnyside: Bistro Punta Sal blends Peruvian and Italian flavors

Aug. 29, 2025 By Jessica Militello

On a quiet street in Sunnyside, Bistro Punta Sal has its French doors wide open, letting the late August breeze emanate throughout the space, which is ornate with flowers, paintings and an array of tables and chairs for intimate dinners with friends or a romantic date night. The cozy restaurant, located at 45-51 46th St., is a hidden gem in the neighborhood that is just waiting to be discovered, as the sights and aromas of the restaurant invite guests in. 

Off-duty paramedic spots South Richmond Hill two-alarm house fire that injures nine firefighters, two civilians on Friday morning: FDNY

Nine firefighters were injured, two of them seriously, and two civilians sustained minor injuries during a two-alarm house fire in South Richmond Hill on Friday morning, but it could have been worse if not for the actions of an off-duty veteran EMT.

Paramedic Craig Biscuiti was driving to work when he noticed a column of thick black smoke and heavy flames coming from the first floor of a two-story home at 95-36 111th St. just before 7:10 a.m.

Astoria doctor sentenced to more than two decades in prison for rape and sexual abuse: DA

An Astoria doctor was sentenced to 24 years in prison on Thursday in Queens Supreme Court for raping unconscious acquaintances and sexually abusing hospital patients.

Dr. Zhi Alan Cheng, 35, of Broadway, pleaded guilty on June 30 to four counts of rape in the first degree and three counts of sexual abuse in the first degree in satisfaction of the consolidated indictments against him. He additionally entered an Alford plea to one count of sexual abuse. The defendant — a former gastroenterologist at New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital — recorded the abuse of his unconscious victims with his cell phone in both his Astoria apartment and at the hospital.