Watch CBS News

Avella Defeats Former Comptroller Liu In State Senate Primary

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Queens) defeated former New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate John Liu in the Democratic primary for the state's 11th Senate District Tuesday night.

According to unofficial returns, with almost all precincts reporting, Avella had 52 percent of the vote, to Liu's 48 percent. The district covers parts of northeast Queens.

Avella, a former member of the New York City Council, was first elected to the state Senate in 2010. He's a member of the Independent Democratic Caucus, a group of breakaway Democrats who share control of the Senate with Republicans.

Liu is also a former member of the City Council. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor against Bill de Blasio in the Democratic primary for that office last year.

During that campaign, two of Liu's former aides were accused in a campaign finance scheme. Liu campaign treasurer Jia "Jenny" Hou and fundraiser Xing "Oliver" Wu Pan were later convicted for illegally raising funds.

Both Avella and Liu had gotten support from the city's unions.

Check Out These Other Stories From CBSNewYork.com:

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.