In a historic primary election, democratic socialist Maurice 'Mo' Brown has defeated 28-year incumbent Bill Magnarelli to become the Democratic nominee for New York State Assembly District 129. The victory, confirmed after mail-in ballots were counted, saw Brown win by approximately 100 votes, marking a significant upset against an entrenched political figure who had often run unopposed.
Brown's campaign was part of the 'Affordability Slate,' a group of three candidates put forward by the Syracuse chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). The slate focused on issues such as affordable housing, healthcare, education, and opposition to data centers. Jo Bennett, another candidate on the slate, won her primary for Onondaga County Legislator District 15, defeating an opponent with 24 years of experience. Tammy Honeywell, the third candidate, lost her race but remains optimistic about the movement's growth.
Brown's victory is noteworthy given the resources deployed against him. In the final three weeks of the primary, DoorDash spent nearly $155,000 on advertisements opposing Brown. Additionally, the political establishment backed Magnarelli, including an endorsement from New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Brown's campaign relied on grassroots support and endorsements from the Syracuse DSA, the New York Working Families Party, Citizen Action of New York, and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders.
'The community has spoken, and the message is clear: Housing, healthcare, and education are human rights and the role of government is to protect those rights,' Brown said. 'Our victory today is a collective one. It is a victory against big money and establishment politics.'
The primary results are part of a national trend of democratic socialists defeating establishment candidates. Syracuse DSA, established in 2018 and now with hundreds of dues-paying members, has focused on mutual aid, international solidarity with Palestine, opposing ICE, and electing democratic socialists to office. The chapter's efforts have now yielded significant electoral success.
Looking ahead, Brown and Bennett will face Republican opponents in the general election on November 23rd. Both districts are heavily Democratic, making Brown's general election prospects strong. 'I will be so honored to represent our communities in Albany,' Brown said. 'I am ready to fight together to deliver on these needs and provide for all our people.'
