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The partisans, unions, and party bosses have won again. Independents, veterans, working people, young people and democracy have lost again.

This is what the corrupt, partisan (increasingly radical), un-democratic Democratic Party and special interests winning looks like.

This is another fight denying me and all independent New Yorkers an equal say in our democracy. And another manipulation of public funds and resources to fuel private, partisan, increasingly extreme primaries.

Zohran Mamdani, Brad Lander, the Working Families Party, the Republican Party and union bosses will continue to use NYC public resources to fuel their partisan, exclusionary, and increasingly politically extreme agenda.

Once Mamdani won the Dem primary, open primaries on the ballot his fall in NYC was going down. Hyper-partisan liberals who just won last month now want to maintain the rigged primary system that they benefit from—and increase their power.

And they want to continue to deny independent New Yorkers like me the right to an equal vote in the city that I love and served as a First Responder on 9/11 and in uniform in the Army.

Don't let them spin it.

It wasn't billionaires pushing for open primaries. That's why they won't name them. It was veterans, 9/11 First Responders, and democracy activists from nonpartisan, nonprofit groups like The League of Women Voters, Open Primaries, Veterans for All Voters, Independent Veterans of America. and others.

These partisan, anti-democracy hacks pushed behind closed doors to kill it. But also, out in the open (if you looked hard enough). If you want to see who stood with open primaries, democracy and empowering all voters--and who stood against us--see them in their own words.

They fought to keep it off the ballot because they didn’t want a public debate against New Yorkers like me. And they didn’t want all New Yorkers to have a chance to vote on the issue of Election Day.

Because they know they would lose -- and democracy would win.

So, they executed a backroom play and shady pressure campaign to ensure a piece of our democracy died in the darkness.

They won this time. But people nationwide are now seeing the shady crap they're doing. Our movement is growing, and ultimately, we will prevail. Because they stand with partisanship, corruption, and the status quo.

And we stand for equality and democracy.

They won this battle. But we are gaining ground nationwide every day. And we will win the war.

About The Author

Paul Rieckhoff is an independent activist, US Army infantry combat veteran, 9/11 First Responder, the host of Independent Americans, President and founder of Independent Veterans of America (IVA) and the author of “Chasing Ghosts: Failures and Facades in Iraq, A Soldier’s Perspective.”