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Queens GOP Firebrand Paladino Faces FDNY Challenger in Competitive District 19 Race

Voters weigh Paladino’s record on local fixes against Chou’s community-first crime proposals.

Overview

  • The Republican incumbent highlights completion of a street and sewer project and funding secured for a new school courtyard as evidence of effective constituent service.
  • Paladino pushes for a satellite precinct she says would bring 55 additional officers, while Benjamin Chou proposes distributing motion‑sensor lights, citing studies he says show a 34% drop in nighttime crime.
  • Council District 19 spans Whitestone, Bay Terrace and Auburndale, with Democrats just under half of registrants but Republicans and independents together outnumbering them.
  • Gothamist reports Paladino’s combative online persona and far-right stances have become central to her political brand, drawing both strong support and opposition.
  • Early voting continues through Sunday, Nov. 2, in a contest widely viewed as one of the city’s few competitive council races this cycle.