Southern Brooklyn saw city council elections end in blowouts

Santosuosso, Avilés, Carr win big in city council races

Three Democrats and two Republicans won in southern Brooklyn City Council races Tuesday night.

Democrat Kayla Santosuosso declared victory over Republican George Sarantopoulos to become the next councilmember for District 47.

The map covers Bay Ridge, Coney Island, and parts of Bath Beach, Gravesend and Dyker Heights. 

Santosuosso, a former small business owner and chief counsel to Councilmember Justin Brannan, will be the first woman to hold the seat for the district.

As of 12:20 a.m. on Nov. 5, Santosuosso received 21,665 votes (59.31%) while Sarantopoulos got 14,782 (40.47%), with 97.98% of scanners reported according to the NYC Board of Elections.

Photo courtesy of Kayla Santosuosso Facebook

“I am deeply honored and humbled by the trust the people of southern Brooklyn have placed in me,” she said. “To become the first woman ever elected to represent this district on the New York City Council is not something I take lightly. Southern Brooklyn is full of hardworking families who just want a fair shot — people who wake up early, work hard, and deserve a city that works as hard for them. 

“My commitment is to focus relentlessly on the issues that matter most: bringing down the cost of living, keeping our neighborhoods safe, strengthening our public schools, and making sure city government delivers for working people.”

She also thanked Brannan, who is term-limited.

“He leaves big shoes to fill, but I promise to give this job everything I’ve got — carrying forward the progress we’ve made and continuing to fight for a fairer, stronger, more affordable southern Brooklyn,” she said.

Sarantopoulos, founder of an ATM and credit card processing company, later conceded the race.

“It is clear now that Kayla Santosuosso will be the next Councilwoman for District 47, and Zohran Mamdani will be the next Mayor of New York City,” he said. “We must come together and pray for peace in New York City. A lot of people are scared across the city about their safety and their future here. This city has been my home all my life, and I still believe our best days are not yet behind us. The leaders of our city need to assure them the same. That all people have a part in its future.

“I ran for office to give back, to fight for, and to give a voice to my local community. The same community that helped me through cancer. My neighbors, friends, family members. I do not regret the year, I love my community, and I loved playing a part in its history. Appreciation is to my wife Heidi, and my family who saw me through this race from start to finish.”

Democratic Councilmember Alexa Avilés won her re-election over Republican Luis Quero in the 38th District, which includes parts of Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights, Park Slope, Red Hook and Sunset Park. 

Avilés got 19,751 votes (72.86%) while Quero received 7,259 votes (26.78%), with 98% of scanners reported.

“We came into the start of this race in the crosshairs of corporate interests and big money,” she said. “But we showed our opponents time and time again that New Yorkers are ready for a different type of politics—one that prioritizes people over profit. The spirit of this reverberated across our city last night as the world watched”

Republican Councilmember David Carr won his re-election over Democrat Radhakrishna Mohan in the 50th District, which includes parts of Staten Island and a portion of South Brooklyn.

Carr received 36,741 votes (72.92%) while Mohan received 13,560 (26.91%), with 98% of scanners reported.

Councilmembers Inna Vernikov (48th District) and Susan Zhuang (43rd District) were unchallenged and retained their seats.

The 48th District covers parts of Homecrest, Sheepshead Bay, Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach.

The 43rd District includes parts of Bath Beach, Bensonhurst, Borough Park, Dyker Heights, Gravesend and Sunset Park.