Wednesday’s Headlines: Election Earthquakes Edition

If you want to know why Darline Graham lost her brother’s Senate seat in South Carolina — admittedly, it’s a great story — click somewhere else. You’re reading Streetsblog — and we’re focused on local elections and getting us more damn bike lanes, baby.

And on both fronts, the news was good last night.

First, Gov. Hochul defeated challenger Bruce Blakeman, and her re-election victory was partly a result of her strong support for transit (as the New York Times so eloquently put it last week) and his opposition to her successful policy of tolling drivers to enter Manhattan below Central Park. She also got the Stop Super Speeders law on the books, for which New Yorkers are eternally grateful (especially the ones who won’t be killed by reckless drivers).

Second, there was a major Blue Wave in Southern Brooklyn, as Hunter Rabinowitz pointed out below. We’re not partisans at Streetsblog, but our readers know what candidates are fighting for our issues and which — looking at you, Assembly Member Michael Novakhov who famously defended super speeders — don’t.

And, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also won — but, of course: She got the Streetsblog bump from her bike ride with our incoming Editor in Chief David Meyer.

Finally, as NY1 and the Daily News (and Dave Colon amplified so eloquently below), the mayor’s ballot referenda — especially the pro-bike-lane Proposition 3 — cruised to victory. That means street safety projects will move forward with the same urgency as their need. (And you can thank Streetsblog’s Kevin Duggan for putting that on the agenda.)

“Tonight, New Yorkers voted for a government that moves as fast as they do,” Mayor Mamdani said in a statement issued late on Tuesday night. “From opening outdoor dining faster to speeding up street safety projects to accelerating housing production, we are cutting red tape that will directly address the affordability crisis and help New Yorkers stay in the city they love. Now comes the work of turning these votes into results.”

And in a key swing district upstate, it looks like Rep. Mike Lawler, who was wrong about congestion pricing (and kept being wrong about it, as Charles Komanoff pointed out recently) lost to Cait Conley.

Oh, and speaking of elections, they have consequences — meaning we’re going to name names if a majority of the current City Council doesn’t get its act together and sign onto the Stop Super Speeder bill (which currently only has 17 co-sponsors). Albany has given the city the power to rein in the most reckless drivers — sociopaths with 16 or more speed-camera tickets in 12 months — but the Council still has to pass a bill to make it happen.

Do it, please.

In other news:

• Garbage judge: Check out this Brooklyn jurist who thought she could get away with trash violations because she’s a busy lady! (Law Journal followed by NY Post)
• A woman was badly injured by a hit-and-run driver in Manhattan. (Patch)
• A Lower Manhattan community board wants a bus lane on West Street. (The Broadsheet)
• And, finally, what are you doing Friday night? I hope you’ll join me at the “War on Cars” live show at Hunter College hosted by the folks (and Friends of Streetsblog) behind the popular podcast (tickets and info here). The show will feature the city’s former DOT visionary Janette Sadik-Khan, plus a screening of Clarence Eckerson Jr.’s feature-length documentary about the creation of Paseo Park, the city’s gold standard open street. Eckerson discussed his legendary career as the auteur of Streetfilms on the current episode of “War on Cars” with Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon.
• And speaking of those two, they made a fun video to promote the live show: