Assemblyman Micah Lasher wins Democratic House primary in NY-12, CBS News projects

State Assemblyman Micah Lasher won the crowded primary race for New York’s 12th Congressional District, CBS News projects.

He will face a number of candidates from other parties in November to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler.

The district encompasses a large portion of Manhattan, including the Upper West Side and Upper East Side and Midtown neighborhoods. It’s one of the nation’s wealthiest districts.

Lasher currently represents District 69 in Manhattan, covering Morningside Heights, Manhattan Valley and parts of the Upper West Side. 

He was endorsed by Nadler, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. Kathy Hochul. 

There were eight Democrats running, among them some very recognizable names. In addition to Lasher, the candidates were Alex Bores, George Conway, Christopher Diep, Laura Dunn, Jack Schlossberg, Nina Schwalbe and Patrick Timmins. 

The polls showed a tight race between Lasher, Bores and Schlossberg. An Emerson College poll from May showed Lasher and Bores as the leading contenders.

Conway was also a familiar name in the election. He is well known as a conservative lawyer who turned into a vocal critic of President Trump. He co-founded The Lincoln Project, which is an anti-Trump super PAC. 

The 12th District became one of the most expensive congressional primaries in the country, with Bloomberg spending millions of dollars in support of the race.   

AdImpact reported that $26 million was spent on ads for the race.

Tuesday’s winner is favored to take the election in November due to the district’s strong Democratic leaning.