Alvin Bragg has made history as the first Black district attorney of Manhattan. The Striver’s Row native easily outpointed his Republican challenger, Thomas Kenniff, by earning 83 percent of the popular vote.
Shortly after securing the win, WLNY in New York reports that current district attorney Cy Vance called Bragg to congratulate him. The newly elected district attorney also addressed many of his supporters on Tuesday evening.
“We have been given a profound trust tonight. To whom much is given, much is required, and we’ve heard Mark talk about it, we’ve heard Brian talk about it, the fundamental role of a district attorney is to guarantee both fairness and safety,” Bragg told a crow of supporters on Tuesday, according to WLNY.
“That is the trust that’s been given to me on the ballot, but given to all of us, that’s what we’ve worked for, to show the city and the country a model for pairing partnership, pairing fairness and safety into one.”
During his time in office, Bragg plans to address disparities in the criminal justice system, create support systems for incarcerated individuals returning home and provide support those suffering from mental health illnesses and substance abuse issues. He also hopes to reduce gun violence and de-carcerating Rikers Island.
Bragg is not the only New Yorker who made history on Tuesday night. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams defeated Republican challenge Curtis Silwa and became New York’s second Black mayor. Not only is Adams the Brooklyn borough president, he is also a former New York police officer and a graduate of New York public schools.
“I wanted people to know my story, being a dishwasher, having a learning disability, being arrested as a child, going to school at night, working in a mail room. That was the story I wanted to send New Yorkers, and they felt me,” Adams told CNN.
“And because of that, I’m now going to be the mayor of one of the greatest cities on the globe.”
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