On a number of fronts, history was made in Brooklyn on Election Day, 2013.
Among the firsts was Carlos Menchaca, the Democratic candidate for City Council, who snagged the seat in the 38th Council District, racking up 90.7 percent (9,008 votes) of the ballots cast, with the only other candidate in the race Conservative Henry Lallave, getting 9.3 percent (924 votes).
Menchaca, who defeated the incumbent councilmember, Sara Gonzalez, for the Democratic nomination in September, is the first Mexican-American to be elected to the Council and, when he takes office, will become the first openly gay councilmember from Brooklyn.
At a recent event in the district, which encompasses both Red Hook and Sunset Park, as well as Windsor Terrace, Boerum Hill and the Bay Ridge Towers, Menchaca stressed that his goal, as councilmember, is to bridge together the diverse groups within the district.
“I am excited to work with all of the different sectors to create a sure thing so the community benefits greatly and continues to grow,” he said. “I will make sure that everyone together is at the table making decisions.”