Dilan and Lopez Not Comparable, Says Dilan Rep

Sen. Martin Malave Dilan

State Sen. Martin Dilan is in a primary battle against Borough President Marty Markowitz‘s former counsel Jason Otano, who has tried to tie Dilan to embattled Assemblyman Vito Lopez. Dilan is a longtime ally of Lopez and has given tens of thousands of dollars to the nonprofit Lopez founded, but he has kept his distance lately. Dilan’s political strategist, Mike Olmeda, said the race should be a “shellacking” of around 78 to 22 percent but that the race will likely be closer because of the Lopez factor. “Martin Dilan is running on his record, he stands on his record,” Olmeda said. “For the other side to convolute the issue and associate himself, and make him look in the same light as Vito is a disservice to the constituents of the community. He’s going to win.”

Otano says he’s making progress just by showing up. “We’re making the argument that the whole Brooklyn Democratic machine needs to go, but most people don’t even know who their state senator is and they appreciate someone is actually reaching out to them in person and asking them for their vote,” he said. “The state senator they’ve had over the past 10 years has been nowhere to be seen.”