New York City Councilmember Justin Brannan secured a resounding victory in the recent primaries, emerging as the clear winner in a closely watched race against his fellow Council colleague Ari Kagan. However, Brannan's triumph was not just a win against his Republican opponent but also a significant defeat of some of his own Democratic counterparts, including the leader of Brooklyn's Democratic Party.

The campaign leading up to the election in the 47th District, located in Brooklyn's southern end, was marred by internal strife within the Democratic Party. State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, the Brooklyn Democratic Party chair, openly attacked Brannan, her party's candidate, and appeared to be supporting the Republican ticket.

In a surprising move, Bichotte Hermelyn issued a statement defending a former Council staffer, who had filed a lawsuit against Brannan's office, alleging harassment by coworkers. Despite Brannan not being named in the lawsuit and vehemently denying any involvement in misconduct, Bichotte Hermelyn cast aspersions on him, leading to condemnation from Brannan's campaign, local Democratic clubs, and numerous Brooklyn Democratic Party district leaders.

The 7-year-old lawsuit resurfaced as early voting commenced in October, with Kagan's campaign using it to undermine Brannan's standing. On Election Day, Kagan's campaign distributed literature quoting Bichotte Hermelyn's statement denouncing Brannan, further inflaming tensions within the Democratic Party.

Despite the party chair's actions, Brannan emerged victorious, securing over 3,200 more votes than Kagan out of the approximately 19,000 votes cast, according to preliminary results from the city Board of Elections.

The contentious primary race has highlighted simmering tensions within Brooklyn's political landscape and exposed a divide between the old-guard party machine, centered primarily in central Brooklyn, and emerging power centers in other areas.

The ongoing feud between Brannan and Bichotte Hermelyn has further contributed to these tensions. Brannan called for Bichotte Hermelyn's removal as party chair during his election party, to which she responded by calling his remarks "disappointing" the next day.

The conduct of party leadership surrounding the race has drawn criticism from local Democratic activists in the newly redrawn district, who expressed frustration with the party's interference.

George Arzt, a New York City-based political consultant with ties to the Brooklyn Democratic Party, highlighted the rarity of the party not supporting an incumbent Democrat in a contested election. Despite the party's behavior, Brannan holds a strong position as the chair of the Council's powerful finance committee and enjoys popularity among City Council members and other elected officials.

While Brannan refused to speculate on Bichotte Hermelyn's motives, he accused her of colluding with Kagan's campaign and called for her resignation as county leader. Brannan's victory was also seen as a signal from local voters, galvanized by the party chair's actions, that they were tired of infighting and wanted a change.

On Wednesday, Mayor Eric Adams publicly congratulated Brannan on his victory, emphasizing their shared working-class backgrounds and their mutual commitment to serving the city.

As the dust settles after the contentious primaries, the Brooklyn Democratic Party is left to grapple with the fallout and consider the implications of their actions during the race. The intraparty feuding has showcased the growing dissatisfaction with infighting among constituents and serves as a reminder that focusing on the needs of the community should be the party's utmost priority.

In the end, Brannan's victory highlights the power of everyday Brooklynites and their ability to overcome machine politics in support of candidates who they believe will best represent their interests.