Embattled Rep. Eliot Engel’s tough primary re-election battle against lefty insurgent Jamaal Bowman in the Bronx-Westchester congressional district has garnered the most attention, but political insiders said there are a handful of other primary races June 23 that could yield upsets.
In Brooklyn’s 9th Congressional District, veteran Rep. Yvette Clarke faces off again against Adem Bunkeddeko, who captured 47 percent in a near-upset two years ago.
But there are two other candidates who are potential wildcards or spoilers — Councilman Chaim Deutsch, who could attract a sizable portion of the Jewish vote, and Army veteran and, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a democratic socialist, Isiah James.
Meanwhile, in Brooklyn Assembly District 51 (Red Hook, Sunset Park), veteran incumbent Felix Ortiz faces several challengers — including Marcela Mitaynes, who is backed by lefty firebrand AOC and the Democratic Socialists of America.
There are a handful of primaries around western Queens, where AOC toppled longtime congressman Joe Crowley two years ago.
In Assembly District 34, which includes the hard hit by coronavirus neighborhoods of Jackson Heights, Woodside, Corona, Elmhurst and Maspeth, incumbent Michael DenDekker has four opponents — but the most serious one is Jessica González-Rojas, who has the backing of the Working Families Party.
In Queens’ Assembly District 38 (Ridgewood, Glendale, Woodhaven, Ozone Park and Richmond Hill), incumbent Michael Miller faces off against Jenifer Rajkumar and Joseph DeJesus. Rajkumar needs to consolidate the growing South Asian vote to pull off an upset.