Rangel declares victory over Espaillat; challenger won’t concede
New York’s longest-serving congressman, Rep. Charles Rangel, held a 4 percentage-point lead over the leading challenger to his bid for a 23rd term in nearly complete returns Tuesday night and claimed victory.
“This was your victory. This is your congressman,” Rangel told supporters at his primary night celebration in the gymnasium of the Taino Towers housing complex in East Harlem.
The Harlem Democrat was ahead by 1,904 votes in one of the toughest election battles of his career, which he said would also be his last, win or lose.
More: Voters Deciding Rangel-Espaillat Primary Battle - Newsday