Robert Cornegy, Jr. Wins District Leader Race

The polls for the NYC Democratic primary closed at 9:00 p.m. on Thursday. And as of Friday, September 14, 9:00 a.m., the Board of Elections has confirmed, Robert E. Cornegy, Jr. defeated Al Wiltshire in the race for male Democratic district leader/state committeeman in the 56th assembly district.

The BOE is still calculating the final count, but it has confirmed that Cornegy won by 10 percent (approximately 800 votes).

"I'm very proud and very happy that the community has given me a continued opportunity to serve," Cornegy told Bed-Stuy Patch moments following his win. "This community showed there's no substitute for hard work-- that you can't lip-drop your way into service with a shiny suit and no record of community service.

"In a community that is as diverse socioeconomically as this one, you have to be on one accord; this is proof that we are a force to be reckoned with politically."

Aside from serving as district leader, Cornegy works as a legislative policy analyst for the Committees on Aging and Veterans Affairs in the New York City Council. He serves on the Youth, Education and Safety Task Force for Community Board 3 and earlier this year, was named the new president of the Vanguard Independent Democratic Association (VIDA).

Cornegy also is a delegate to the Democratic National Convention for President Barack Obama, and he serves as the neighborhood team leader for the Central Brooklyn branch of Organize for America, the umbrella grassroots project of the DNC that has been working to mobilize supporters and voters for the president's re-election efforts.

"It feels good to know that in this world of social media, Twitter and Facebook, face-to-face relationships still matter most. I feel like this win is a throwback to that time when you had to shake somebody's hand, knock on people's doors, go to church and actually get to know them...

"It's just a reinforcement that to serve this community, you have to really know the people of this community. That's how people assess leadership. And that's how I will continue to lead."