Harris gets Democratic nod to run for Assembly

September 17, 2015 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Pamela Harris has been chosen by the Brooklyn Democratic County Committee to run for the Assembly seat vacated by Democrat Alec Brook-Krasny. Eagle file photo by Paula Katinas

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Pamela Harris, a retired correction officer and Coney Island civic leader, emerged victorious when the Brooklyn Democratic County Committee met Tuesday night to select the party’s candidate to run for the state Assembly seat vacated by Alec Brook-Krasny.

Harris, founder of Coney Island Generation Gap, a nonprofit organization that seeks to provide jobs and opportunities to young people, beat out two other contenders — Kate Cucco, Brook-Krasny’s chief of staff, and Cody McCone, a politically connected Bay Ridge lawyer.

Harris will run against Republican-Conservative Lucretia Regina-Potter on Nov. 3 for the right to represent the 46th Assembly District. The district includes parts of Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Coney Island.

The Democratic County Committee met at Sirico’s a catering hall on 13th Avenue in Dyker Heights to make the selection.

The session dragged on for several hours and there was a floor fight for the nomination, sources told the Brooklyn Eagle. “Kate actually won the first round of voting, but she didn’t have enough votes to put her over the top,” one source said.

Harris’ victory was assured later in the evening when McCone, who was in third place at the time, suddenly dropped out of the race and threw his support behind her, sources said.

Brook-Krasny resigned from the Assembly on July 7 to take a lucrative job with a medical lab. Because of the timing of his resignation, a primary could not take place to pick a Democratic candidate. Instead, party insiders make the selection.

Two days before the county committee meeting, several elected officials came forward to endorse Harris. The officials backing Harris included U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, state Sen. Diane Savino, Assemblymember William Colton and City Councilmembers Mark Treyger and David Greenfield.