Free Republic

A black city councilwoman won the racially charged primary for a Congressional seat in central Brooklyn yesterday, beating back a challenge from a white councilman to win a seat created nearly four decades ago to increase minority representation in Congress. The councilwoman, Yvette D. Clarke, 41, narrowly beat three opponents to capture the seat, which has been held by blacks since the 1968 victory of Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress. This year’s campaign attracted national attention because of the strong run by the white councilman, David Yassky, whose candidacy raised questions about race and representation. With...

Brooklyn’s 11th Congressional District has had black representation since a court-ordered reapportionment in the 1960’s. Shirley Chisholm represented the area when she became the first black woman ever elected to Congress. So it was not surprising that black leaders reacted with some pain when a white city councilman, David Yassky, announced he was moving a few blocks to establish a home in the district and run for the seat. Mr. Yassky is pitted against three black candidates in a Democratic primary that is the equivalent of election in their highly Democratic district. While we agree that having good minority representation...