Mark Levine wins New York City comptroller primary

NEW YORK — Mark Levine was poised to clinch the Democratic primary for city comptroller Tuesday, capping an under-the-radar race that focused heavily on President Donald Trump.

Levine, the Manhattan borough president, bested City Council Member Justin Brannan 48-34 with 94 percent of precincts reporting, according to preliminary returns from the New York City Board of Elections. The results dealt a blow not only to Brannan but to the city’s institutional left that had lined up behind the Brooklyn lawmaker.

“You gave voters in this city hope that we can build affordable housing, that we can fix the broken mental health system, that we can fight back against the madman in the White House. And we can use this Office of Comptroller to do it,” Levine told a roomful of jubilant supporters Tuesday night.

The two front-runners in the race for the open seat had strikingly similar platforms and political proclivities. In fact, the most distinguishing feature from a pair of televised debates was the delivery style of each candidate, with Levine presenting a more measured and cerebral tone compared to Brannan, who leaned into a tough-guy persona that has become popular this campaign cycle.



https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/24/mark-levine-wins-new-york-city-comptroller-primary-00422579