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DA wins NYC special election to fill congressional seat

The district attorney connected to the Eric Garner police chokehold death case has won a special election to fill a New York City congressional seat.
Dan Donovan, center, currently the district attorney of the Staten Island borough of New York, greets a supporter in one of two campaign offices opened Sunday, March 22, 2015. (Photo by Craig Ruttle/AP)
Dan Donovan, center, currently the district attorney of the Staten Island borough of New York, greets a supporter in one of two campaign offices opened Sunday, March 22, 2015.

NEW YORK -- The district attorney connected to the Eric Garner police chokehold death case has won a special election to fill a New York City congressional seat that became vacant when the Republican incumbent pleaded guilty to tax fraud.

With more than 70 percent of precincts reporting, Republican Dan Donovan had 58 percent of the vote Tuesday, and Democrat Vincent Gentile had 41 percent in the 11th Congressional District.

RELATED: Eric Garner case could hurt prosecutor's bid for Congress

Donovan came to national attention last year when a Staten Island grand jury he empaneled didn't charge a white police officer in the videotaped chokehold death of Garner, an unarmed black man.

Congressman Michael Grimm stepped down from the seat after pleading guilty in December to federal tax evasion.

The district covers Staten Island and a small part of Brooklyn.