Hakeem Jeffries Beats Charles Barron for Congressional Seat, Tells Obama "Help Is On The Way"

The Hakeem Jeffries campaign held its election night party at Sanders Studios, a 15,000 square foot facility off Fulton Street in Brooklyn. It's the kind of room you book when you expect a big campaign victory. Other encouraging signs? The campaign paid for a spread, including a kosher food station, and there was an open bar. At 9:15 pm, the place was already three-quarters full and former City Comptroller Bill Thompson was gently working the room alongside Yetta Kurland, who's considering a bid for Christine Quinn's council seat in Chelsea. Jeffries' tireless spokeswoman, Lupe Todd, made a brief announcement that the campaign crunched early numbers and found that Jeffries was ahead 70 percent to Charles Barron's 30 percent (unofficial Associated Press numbers as of 12:30 a.m. showed Jeffries up 72-28). "The bar is open!" said Todd. The room began an ecstatic hum and Thompson gave interviews. "The early numbers are just that- but this is a good sign," Thompson said understatedly. "I think that Hakeem will win by a larger margin that people think and I think Nydia will win." Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny and Councilman Al Vann staked out positions near the buffet table. "I've never seen such great numbers," said Brook-Krasny, who shepherded Jeffries's winning efforts in Coney Island and Seagate. I asked Vann whether Rep. Ed Towns made a mistake by endorsing Barron. "I don't know what was in his head and why he did it, but I did not think it would make any difference in the race for Hakeem," he said. The numbers kept getting better and it seemed like everyone in Brooklyn turned out to celebrate Hakeem's developing victory. Even former county leader Clarence Norman, fresh off his release from prison, showed up to "congratulate the future congressman." "I'm a businessman now," he said, declining further comment, in the night's oddest celebrity showing. To read the full article at City & State [click here. ](http://fort-greene.thelocal.nytimes.com/2012/06/27/hakeem-jeffries-defeats-charles-barron-in-bitter-democratic-primary/)