This year’s election cycle promises to be very close and yet very pivotal, especially in regards to the presidency and the choices of which party will control the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
President
As we noted last week, our clear choice for president is Donald Trump. Democratic candidate Kamala Harris has proudly confirmed that she can think of no Biden policy decision with which she disagreed or would have dealt with otherwise. So, think about the soaring inflation, the social upheaval wrought by the open border policy, the ravages of out-of-control transgenderism, the wokeism that has turned our businesses and industries from engines of innovation, wealth, and energy creation, to underwriters of stultifying social and environmental experimentation. Can there be any other answer than “no” to the now familiar election time query; “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?”
And surely, we must be wary of what Ms. Harris likely has in mind for Israel should she be elected president. Indeed, she sometimes reminds us of the race horse champing at the bit, impatiently awaiting the starting gate to open.
Thus, she has several times recently signaled that she believes, more strongly than President Biden perhaps, that U.S. arms to Israel should be conditioned on Israel following American policy preferences. And plainly, she has also indicated, seemingly whenever the opportunity presents itself, that she thinks there is some merit to the fantastic charges that Israel is guilty of “genocide” in Gaza because of its success in defending against the murderous Hamas.
Can anyone really believe that Democratic control of the presidency, Senate and House would not result in the “packing” of the Supreme Court to dilute conservative votes, the end of the Senate’s filibuster and its protection against the tyranny of the majority, and a new, even more precipitous lurch towards the long-feared socialist state than heretofore?
And on the other hand, we have before us the indelible record of former President Donald Trump! So, a vote for him is as close to being a moral imperative as we can get.
United States Congress
As we see it, it is crucial that Republicans retain control of the House and achieve a majority in the Senate. There is no mistaking the growing Democratic Party trend away from support for Israel as it seeks to survive and succeed in its very dangerous neighborhood. It is astonishing to us how quickly the Democratic Party has veered to the extreme left and become very hostile towards Israel, with far too few exceptions to boot such as the few we endorse below.
For Congress, The Jewish Press urges support for:
Thomas Suozzi (D) 3rd Congressional District, Nassau County, North East. Includes Plainview and Levittown.
Anthony D’Esposito (R) 4th Congressional District, Nassau County, South West. Includes the Five Towns and West Hempstead.
Congressman Anthony D’Esposito has shown unwavering leadership and dedication, particularly in the wake of the October 7 attack. Representing the district with the largest religious Jewish population in the U.S., D’Esposito has been a steadfast advocate for his constituents. He introduced House Resolution 883, condemning antisemitic slogans, and the “Define to Defeat Act” to incorporate the IHRA definition of antisemitism in federal training. His co-sponsorship of critical legislation, such as the “Israel Security Assistance Support Act” and the “Antisemitism Awareness Act,” underscores his commitment to Israel and fighting antisemitism. Beyond legislation, D’Esposito has actively supported his community, from speaking at significant local events like the hearing for Nassau County’s “Mask Transparency Act” to challenging antisemitic actions at Columbia University. His relentless efforts and visible presence affirm his dedication to the Jewish community. Congressman D’Esposito deserves our support to continue his vital work.
Gregory Meeks (D) 5th Congressional District, Queens.
Grace Meng (D) 6th Congressional District, Queens.
Nicole Malliotakis (R) 11th Congressional District, Brooklyn and Richmond.
Richard Torres (D) 15th Congressional District, Bronx.
The incumbent Richard Torres is our choice in the 15th CD. Without doubt he sees many social problems through a progressive lens, but his progressivism is of the rare, principled, problem-solving, variety and he has plainly not bought into the robotic “gimme society.” Because of his progressive credentials, we were especially taken with his vocal and enthusiastic support for Israel which in fact has alienated him from many on the progressive left. His recent statement, perhaps, says it all: “It’s more urgent than ever for people to come to the State of Israel, see the reality on the ground with your own eyes, and then come to your own conclusions…. There’s no substitute for visiting Israel.”
Mike Lawler (R) 17th Cong. District, Putnam and Dutchess and Rockland Counties.
Lawler was named by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to the prestigious House Committee on Financial Services and House Committee on Foreign Affairs. He has been a strong advocate for Israel. Lawler has also been an even stronger supporter of his Jewish constituents.
Pat Ryan (D) 18th Congressional District, Orange and Ulster Counties and Dutchess.
We support the incumbent Pat Ryan (D) in the 18th CD. He is the rare Democrat who supports law enforcement, is serious about border security, and actually stands up to party leadership when he disagrees. Equally important, he has been quite vocal on the issues of combating antisemitism and standing by the State of Israel, even when those on the left of his party continue to protest him. We greatly appreciate that he was one of the Democrats who voted to condemn antisemitism on college campuses, as well as using his perch on the House Armed Services Committee to ensure Israel maintains its qualitative military edge.
New York State Senate and Assembly
On the local level, ones must consider how the candidates have been helpful and supportive of their Jewish constituents and been fighting for the security and betterment of their districts and generally making their communities safe and secure for everyone. The concept of Hakoras Hatov should play an important role in your decision.
New York State Senate
Joseph Addabbo (D) 15th NY Senatorial District, Brooklyn and Queens.
Roxanne Persaud* (D) 19th NY Senatorial District, Queens and Brooklyn.
Simcha Felder* (D) 22nd NY Senatorial District, Brooklyn.
Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D) 23rd NY Senatorial District, Brooklyn and Richmond.
New York State Assembly
Aron Weider (D) 22nd NY Assembly District. Rockland County.
Stacey Pheffer Amato (D) 23rd NY Assembly District, Queens.
David Weprin (D) 24th NY Assembly District. Queens.
Weprin has been stalwart on Jewish issues and deserves our community’s support.
Nily Rozic (D) 25th NY Assembly District, Queens.
Sam Berger (D) 27th NY Assembly District, Queens.
Kalman Yeger* (D) 41st NY Assembly District, Brooklyn.
Joey Saban (D) 45th NY Assembly District, Brooklyn.
Saban will be a game changer for the Jewish Community in his district and for the state. He is honest and will fight for his Jewish constituents as has not been done in this Assembly district in a very long time.
Alec Brook Krasny (R) 46th NY Assembly District. Brooklyn.
William Colton (D) 47th NY Assembly District, Brooklyn.
Simcha Eichenstein* (D) 48th NY Assembly District, Brooklyn.
Erik Dilan* (D) 54th NY Assembly District, Brooklyn.
Rebecca Seawright (D) 76th NY Assembly District, Queens.
A vocal supporter of Israel, strong on Jewish issues, carrying hate bill in Albany.
Jeffrey Dinowitz (D) 81nd NY Assembly District, The Bronx.
*Note: These candidates do not have any opposition in their district and are still on the ballot. However, they certainly deserve our recognition and a big hakaras hatov for their work in behalf of our community.
Surrogate Court, Brooklyn
Cassandra A. Johnson. Justice Johnson seems admirably prepared to serve as a Surrogate Judge where she would be called upon to preside over matters pertaining to wills, estates, trusts, adoptions and guardianships. In her interview with The Jewish Press Justice Johnson said she was drawn to the Surrogate’s Court because it deals with people at times of great vulnerability and especially in need of help. She said she was not only committed to seeing that justice was done, but also that matters were dealt with quickly and efficiently.
New York’s Ballot Proposal Number 1: Vote No!
On the ballot in New York on November 5 is a proposal to approve so-called Proposition 1, which would amend the NYS constitution respecting its equal protection provisions. The proposal’s language is complicated with several obscure but interrelated parts such that a meaningful analysis is beyond the scope of this page. But still, we strongly urge our readers to vote No on Proposition 1.
Although ostensibly an attempt by abortion activists to create state constitutional protections for abortions in New York in the wake of the 2022 Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, Proposition 1 is much more than even that. Dobbs states that the U.S. Constitution does not confer a right to abortion, and the authority to regulate abortion properly resides with the states. Ergo, the effort to attempt to introduce abortion protections into the New York State constitution.
But the problem is that nowhere in the text of the proposition is there any limiting reference to abortions. Rather, it expansively purports to add to the existing constitutional protections against discrimination on the grounds of “race, color, creed or religion” protections for “ethnicity, national origin, age, disability…or sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcome, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy.” And it is this wholesale inclusion that has given rise to claims that Proposition 1 is really designed to “constitutionalize” the LGBT agenda in one fell swoop and empower activist human rights agencies and judges to do their progressive thing. Indeed, New York statues already provide statutory protections for abortions and the various characteristics listed in Proposition 1. So, the potential for mischief inherent in its according constitutional status as opposed to the mere statutory protections for others that may be in conflict.
And lurking in the background is the fear that Proposition 1’s listing of “ethnicity” and “national origin” is really the Trojan horse through which non-citizens will be granted the right to vote.
There are a lot of moving parts and questions in the debate over Proposition 1, and that is the point. We daresay that few New Yorkers are sufficiently informed on the issues to come to a rational decision. Thus, despite our opposition based on what we now know of the merits, at the very least, Proposition 1 should be voted down if only because it has yet to be publicly and sufficiently vetted.
