Rangel survives tough primary challenge

Eighty-two-year-old Rep. Charles Rangel survived a Democratic primary challenge and won nomination for re-election Tuesday night in the 13th Congressional District.

Rangel, running for a 22nd term, faced voters for the first time since the House censured him 18 months ago for failing to pay all his taxes and for filing misleading financial disclosure statements. Those issues, plus changed demographics in the Democrat's redrawn Harlem district, which also includes the Bronx, had posed a re-election challenge for Rangel, who has also faced some health problems.

But Rangel told CNN earlier yesterday: "I got a clean bill of health. I'm fired up and ready to go."

President Barack Obama declined to endorse Rangel in this election, having suggested in 2010 that the congressman might retire "with dignity."

Rangel fended off four challengers, including state Sen. Adriano Espaillat and former Clinton White House official Clyde Williams in a district that now has a majority of Hispanic residents.

Espaillat, 57, a native of the Dominican Republic, had strong support from the district's large Dominican community, but Rangel proved to be still popular in Harlem and had the support of labor unions and most of the state's Democratic lawmakers. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo endorsed Rangel last week.

In Brooklyn, in the 8th District race to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Ed Towns, Assemb. Hakeem Jeffries defeated Charles Barron, a city councilman and former Black Panther known for making incendiary comments about Jews and gays.

Grace Meng defeated Rory Lancman and Elizabeth Crowley in the race to replace retiring Democrat Gary Ackerman in the 6th District in Queens.

-- AP