The Wild City Council Race to Replace 'Common Sense' Democrat Bob Holden

Queens City Councilman Bob Holden has made a name for himself as the council's most conservative Democrat, railing against congestion pricing and e-bikes, and fighting homeless shelters and efforts to build housing in his district. 

Now the race is on to replace the term-limited Holden, and the incumbent has taken an unusual tack in hopes his successor will be someone in the same mold: endorsing two candidates, both his staffers, in opposing party primaries. The race also features a teachers union strategist backed by the Democratic establishment, and an anti-vaxxer known as the "Sperminator" for his prodigious donations of genetic material. 

Holden is a registered Democrat and co-chair of the "Common Sense caucus," but has run on both the Democratic and Republican lines. The district, spanning Maspeth, Glendale, Ridgewood, and Middle Village is likely to see a competitive general election.