Engel launched his political career as an insurgent challenging the Democratic machine. In 1977 he won his Assembly Seat running on the Liberal ticket against the Democrat and Republican... becoming the first Liberal to sit in the Assembly!... https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1285298769337167873

2/ "Patrick J. Cunningham. the Bronx Democratic leader, appeared to suffer political blow last night as Elliot Engel, a Liberal, was declared a narrow victor over Theodore Weinstein, the regular Democrat candidate in a race for Assembly in the Bronx." https://www.nytimes.com/1977/03/02/archives/engel-a-liberal-barely-wins-race-for-assembly.html

3/ Then in 1988, Assemblyman Engel challenged incumbent Democratic Rep. Biaggi and beat him!

"Biaggi had remained on the ballot after resigning his Congressional seat a day after his conviction last month in the Wedtech racketeering trial." https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/16/nyregion/biaggi-is-defeated-in-congress-race-by-assemblyman.html

4/ (The Biaggi family got its revenge last month when state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi switched her endorsement to @JamaalBowmanNY last month.) https://riverdalepress.com/stories/biaggi-drops-engel-endorses-bowman-congress,71949