New York ends the 2018 primary season with a battle between democratic leadership and the insurgency

The first season ends with Thursday's elections in New York, fighting between Democratic Party leaders and an insurgency calling for immediate action on immigration, housing and health care.

In the absence of major challenges on the Republican poll, most media focused on the party's governorship, pitting Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to actress and activist Cynthia Nixon. The race started bitterly and it ended after the Democratic Party – which approved the mail sent by Cuomo to the voters who wrongly accused Nixon of having adopted the Semitism.

"The way I led this campaign was positive," Cuomo said at a press conference Sunday. "I think the mailer was a mistake. I think it was inappropriate.

[Primaries are over, but there’s lots of campaign left: Sign up for The Trailer to get it in your inbox, three days a week]

Nixon has also attempted to launch a problem-oriented campaign, arguing that a liberal state like New York has been too long run by "democratic societies" too shy to attack donors. On the track, she approved state-wide universal health care, free tuition fees, rent regulation and a public transit plan that would rebuild the commuter rail network.

"We have a Democratic Party leadership that is so much whiter and much older, and so much more accountable to US companies than its base," said Nixon at a fundraiser in Manhattan. "It's a fight for the soul of the Democratic Party."

The winners of the Democratic primary will face Republican Marc Molinaro and his running mate Julie Killian in November.

Cuomo far outstripped Nixon, devoting at least $ 25 million to his campaign, and polls showed him in the lead of 30 to 40 points. But from the beginning, Nixon has linked his campaign to other insurgents, who have a better chance of defeating well-established or well-funded candidates.

One of these candidates is Jumaane Williams, a member of the New York City Council, who challenges Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul from the left. Williams, who would be the first black lieutenant governor of the state, attacked Hochul for conservative votes and statements she made when she represented a seat in the House of Republicans.

"You can be an activist and be a successful elected representative," Williams said. "Most of the things the governor gets credit for, when you remove the smoke and the mirrors, are smaller than he said."

While Williams is an underdog, the race for the Attorney General is considered open and Nixon, Williams and the Liberal groups are behind the anti-corruption and anti-monopoly bid of Zephyr Teachout.

The unique situation in its race – the The resignation of Eric Schneiderman after the women accused him of physical violence resulted in a brief four-month primary season, leading to a four-man scrum. Letitia James, elected public defender of New York City, assured the party's approval and Cuomo's support. Representative Sean Maloney (D) and Verizon Vice President, Leecia Eve, got into the race, with Maloney transferring money from his campaign to Congress to broadcast television commercials that pushed him to equalize with James.

But the perception that James was too close to Cuomo created an opening for Teachout, which failed for the governor in 2014 and for Congress in 2016. After a slow start, she attracted money and endorsements . center in all its commercials. Teachout, who rejected corporate money and discussed how little used state laws could help him investigate Wall Street and the Trump administration, has begun to attract the most attention in the world. race.

The other contenders responded by going to the attack. In the final debates, Maloney and Eve – who struggled to come out unanimously – attacked Teachout for having recently overtaken the New York Bar and not to reject the "corporate" money in its 2016. Teachout fought back by reporting Maloney's record in the House, which included votes to cancel parts of the Dodd-Frank Affordable Care Act and banking regulations.

The race could have an impact on the Democrats' efforts to win the House of Representatives. Maloney, one of the 12 Democrats who represents the districts won by Donald Trump in 2016, must abandon his race at home if he becomes a candidate for the position of Attorney General. While the Democrats would be able to choose a new candidate, a race deemed impossible for Republicans to win in 2018 would become a possible choice. (The primaries for the house were held in June.)

Thursday's primaries will also decide the fate of eight state senators, elected Democrats, who formed an "Independent Democratic Conference" that voted for Republican control of the state's Senate. The eight IDC members are facing challenges even after the dissolution of the conference. Four New York-based members – Tony Avella, Jose Peralta, Jesse Hamilton and Jeff Klein – are considered particularly vulnerable. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) And other powerful Democrats have approved the challengers of the last three races.

Two Democrats who were not in the IDC, Simcha Felder and Martin Dilan, are also facing challengers. Felder voted to keep the Republicans in control of the state Senate to bring back resources in his predominantly Jewish district; Dilan is challenged by Julia Salazar, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, who received flagrant media coverage and was overwhelmed by accusations that she falsely portrayed herself as a working-class immigrant.

Learn more about PowerPost