State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky defeated second-time challenger S.J. Jung in last night’s Democratic Primary for the 16th Senate District.
Stavisky, who has held the seat since 1999, is the first woman to represent Queens in the State Senate. She collected 5,192 votes, or 57 percent, to beat Jung, who won 42 percent. When he challenged Stavisky back in 2014, he also had 42 percent.
The community advocate and small businessman used to lead the MinKwon Center, an immigrants right and civic organization in Flushing. He lost a City Council race back in 2009 as well.
Jung was widely criticized by women’s rights groups for his stance on abortion. He said he didn’t support abortion or a women’s right to choose.
Asian American LGBT groups also condemned Jung for his comments about erasing same-sex couples from school textbooks, which he told a group of Korean churches in March. Jung then reaffirmed his belief that marriage is between a man and a woman.