"...Downtowners didn’t have competitive races on the ballot in their districts this election cycle. So local politicos went to where the action was — whether elsewhere in the state or out of state...."

"...a grassroots initiative called Vote Blue 2018 has been busing volunteers to Republican congressional strongholds across New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania in support of their Democratic challengers for the Nov. 6 general election. And if you doubt outrage on the local scale, note Vote Blue 2018 coalition’s members: Greater NYC For Change, Chelsea Reform Democratic Club (CRDC), Village Independent Democrats (VID), Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, Hell’s Kitchen Democrats, Downtown Independent Democrats, Gramercy Stuyvesant Independent Democrats, Lexington Democratic Club, Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club, and on and on....."

"...I started Hell’s Kitchen Democrats with ten people in our first meeting, and we have grown into a much larger organization very quickly. People want to help; they want to get involved in their neighborhood. We appointed two people to run for district leader and they won. That shows that it’s time to get rid of the old, regardless of what party they’re in, and time to bring in fresh voices..."

"...The new club successfully mobilized voters because it embraced diversity, something Hell’s Kitchen residents love about their neighborhood. In this instance, Donald Trump gave a boost to progressive politics...."

"New York City’s oldest, and once powerful, political club has been upended by a group formed by a young activist and drag queen."

"...siblings were defeated on Tuesday by their political opposites: candidates backed by an upstart Democratic club founded recently by a drag queen who helped mobilize a youthful, energized grass-roots membership invigorated by the backlash to the election of President Trump..."