By COLlive reporter
Diana Richardson, the Working Families Party candidate in the race for a vacant central Brooklyn Assembly seat that included no one on the Democratic party line, has won the special election, according to NY1’s projections.
Richardson currently has more than 50 percent of the vote in a four-way race, with more than 70 percent of votes counted, according to unofficial Board of Elections returns.
Richardson was endorsed by U.S. Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and her mother former NYC Councilmember Una Clarke, Comptroller Scott Stringer and several large unions, including 32BJ, 1199 SEIU and TWU Local 100.
Her closest competitor in the reliably Democratic Crown Heights district was Shirley Patterson, a longtime district leader in the 43rd, who was backed by many big-name Brooklyn Democrats, including Borough President Eric Adams, state Sen. Jesse Hamilton and former Borough President Marty Markowitz.
The Republican candidate in the closely watched race was Mendy Raitport, a Lubavitch businessman from Crown Heights who was endorsed by the Crown Heights Community Council’s Zaki Tamir and Chanina Sperlin, the Crown Heights PAC, as well as local Shul presidents.
Another candidate was Geoffrey Davis, brother of slain Councilman James E. Davis, who had the support of Assemblyman Dov Hikind and the Movement to Protect the People, the activist group vocal in the debate over rezoning in Crown Heights.
The 43rd District of the New York State Assembly includes parts of the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Crown Heights, Lefferts Gardens and East Flatbush.
Upon hearing the results, Raitport spoke on the phone with Richardson and congratulated her on her win.
Yaacov Behrman, a Crown Heights activist who supported Patterson in the race, was disappointed by the results, but not surprised. “We were correct when we predicted the race was between Shirley and Diana,” he said. “Although I am not happy with the results, we don’t regret standing behind our good friends, Mr. Adams, Hamilton and Shirley Patterson.”
THE FINAL TALLY:
Active Registered Voters: 67,883
Total Votes 8,238
Election Districts Reporting: 51 of 51
Menachem Raitport, Rep, 1,691 votes
Diana Richardson, WOR, 4,176 votes
Shirley Patterson, IND, 2,030 votes
Geoffrey Davis, LYP, 308 votes
everything is b’hashgocha protis
Fire Rabonim? What about the Shulchon Aruch that does not allow that?
Ok, then let’s see how the nominated candidate’s ‘credentials’ and knowledge of ‘how government works’ will do any more good for the Jews of Crown Heights and be our voice. You are a fool.
You do not vote for someone just because they are a fellow Jew: you vote based on the candidates credentials. It is foolish to think that just because one is a Jew, that he or she knows how government works.
I don’t hide behind fake names…. So here is my opinion. 1. Mendy raitport is a nice guy, but the numbers are not in his favor. The jewish CH votes in drips and drabs, and therefore he had no chance of winning. 2. He did not try to garner any of the black vote and that was a fault and great oversight. He needed to reach out to them, because A. It is his territory, and B. He needed to unite and not divide. 3. Dov hikind has every right to “stick his nose in our community” because he is… Read more »
Took the words out of my mouth! Couldn’t have said it better!
Can anyone really think that the people who have represented Crown Heights until now- through years in which crime against Jews, lack of tuition funding for Jewish schools etc etc can possibly be more effective than someone who would have- for the first time ever- been a voice for our community as a whole? This naivete and total lack of courage and resolution is shocking.
Can that be correct? We have many, many more voter-aged members in the community, and from what I heard and saw, a great deal of them voted for him.
republican and democrat is no the only thing that make a good council member
rule number one in politics you dont burn bridges!!!
if you’re on your own you canT come and complain to the representative that was elected despite you….
the the real question now wouldn’t be better off without mendy running
??
instead of blaming the communityI would ask are we in a better position or worse before of the selection
you be the judge
for all those of you blaming crown heights for no uniting etc. FACTS ARE there are more african americans than jews. simple as that.
Ask Rabbi Israel Francis if he wants to run (Or some such) he’s a Jewish Afro-American! Interesting…no? I congratulate the winner. Sorry about Menach Raitport’s loss. Perhaps this is just the beginning…let’s try again!
To 54:
We would mendy take any of your list away? For sure not. And there is more that that matters to us.
The real truth is that for the first time we would be represented by someone who sincerely cares about us.
What our security? hate crimes, creating new jobs? These things don’t matter to Jewish parents in ch?
This is beyond laughable. The Crown Heights community — including the Jews, rely heavily on the welfare system, and Mendy Raitport, pretending to be a “Republican” has nothing to offer them. The New York State Assembly would never vote to give educational vouchers to schools that do not teach secular studies, so that is nothing but a pipe dream. The reality is, that in spite of all of the phony posturing and mindless Limbaugh regurgitations, Food Stamps, Earned Income Credits, Head Start, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, WIC, school bussing and lunches etc, are what really matter to Crown Heights. You… Read more »
you’re talking nonsense, the same amount of blacks that voted for Obama, voted for Al Gore, and Bill Clinton, blacks have always voted democratic, besides, Geoffrey Davis received less votes than Raitport, and he’s black, if you point were indeed valid, the results should have been even among the three black contenders!
for all those criticize Dov Hikind Please relax. I have involved in the community for over 20 years and every time something happened in the community he’s always the first to be supporting us. It’s a shame people even think Mendy is capable for this job. Put up capable candidates and you’ll see us winning.
Lost 3 times its time to not vote for him if he runs again.
This was his only remote chance of sneeking a win off while loosing in a year from now anyway,
Please Mendy time to retire. Your a good man but not the right person
To all of you who are concerned about the election results it is time to start working with the young people or you will see the same results because the Pac represents sperlins and Nash not the community best interests
Do you understand the monumental event it would have taken to get 4000 eligible CH voters to the polls. The percentages would have off the charts impossible. It would have taken Mendy running with a real chance 4 years of Potus. One year as a drop in the state assembly and you expect the community to come out as if we are greeting Eliyahu Hanavi. Just. Stop. It.
The only thing I’m upset about is that Mendy’s ‘chances’ were misrepresented to me, and I wasted a lunch hour voting.
Note , Davis (heikin’s Choice) was met with a resounding no vote of confidence, his number does not even reflect any typical extended family of any candidate running in any race, he certainly did not get the African american vote . 308 is half the amount of a ch extended family!!!
Whatever the case is you should have voted. As a married woman with children I took the time out of my busy day and voted. You get someone to come babysit for an hour. $10 is worth it in the long run if you can help make real change in your community. This community will never see change so long as each person echos the next, “my vote doesn’t count so why should I vote”… You can make a real difference.
That is what Dems want NO ID
PLZ!!! its because of “smart” people like you that the yiddishe community has the problems it does!!!! Every balck voted for her for ONE REASON and ONE REASON only, because she’s BLACK!!!! they knew notin about her or what she stands for. They knew one thing “SHE’S ONE OF US MAN, AND WE GOTTA DO IT”. They had the same attitude with the man sitting in the white house. and what has he done for this country, the world and for Israel. I wouldn’t be surprised if you voted for him as well! You are the type of smart person… Read more »
FIRST OF ALL DOV HIKIND HAS NO BUSINESS STICKING HIS NOSE INTO CROWN HEIGHTS! ITS SAD TO SEE THAT SHCHOIRIM HAVE A LOT MORE ALLEGIANCE FOR EACH OTHER THAN WE DO BY FAR.
Perhaps it’s time we put the brakes on our kvetching, complaining and blaming. If a group of sociologists would conduct a study on the attitudes reflected in most of the comments on our news websites, what do you suppose they would conclude? “A group comprised by and large of frustrated, negative commenters who would do well to become more pro-active and positive and less re-active and negative”? Remember, your posts are a reflection of your character and attitude in life. Simply do the math!: a total of 12% of eligible voters in the district showed up to vote in this… Read more »
First f all the total vote tally is a disgrace # 2 this also.shows again that nyc is a vast liberal & communists. Supporters the wfp is another version of it & n my opinion Raitport got too kajy votee
COMPLETE SILENCE. COMMUNITY COUNCIL, CROWN HEIGHTS POLITICAL ACTION GROUP, RABBONIM ? IT TAKES UNITY AND DECISIONS BASED ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE SITUATION TO ACCOMPLISH BENEFICIAL RESULTS. HOW DO WE ALLOW ( AND SOME EVEN SUPPORT ) SUCH INTERLOPERS AS DOV HIKIND TO COME TELL US HOW TO VOTE. HE HAS HAS HIS OWN AGENDA ( AND EGO ) ,AND NOTWITHSTANDING HIS SOAP BOX ORATIONS, HAS NEVER DONE ANYTHING TO BENEFIT OUR NEIGHBERHOOD, DUE TO OUR LACK OF ACHDUS, AND THE REMISS OF ANY LEADERSHIP, WE HAVE ENDED UP WITH THE WORSE POSSIBLE CANDIDATE THAT IS BLATANTLY AGAINST OUR COMMUNITY, AND… Read more »
Despite being severely under the weather, I got dressed and went to vote for Mendy Raitport! Where was everyone else in the shechuna??
and this, my friends, is the reason CH had no representation. we should’ve all voted together! our loss….
This was a mistake limaphrai. The leadership needs to understand their constituency before they endorse a candidate. You’re never going to get 100% participation and there will always be people that advocate differently and the leadership should have recognized this. The dismal numbers for Mendy shows more than anything that the leadership is out of touch with the hamon am. And this is not lost on our neighbors. …. stop complaining that we had a low turn out. Overall about 12% of active registered voters voted in this election. Mendy got higher than 35% of eligible lubavitch voters. That a… Read more »
Noooooooooo
Please please please don’t abuse the anti-semetism card like that. When you call “anti semetism” because of election results not in your favor you’re making a joke out of the serious issue of true anti semetism. No one will take it seriously if its abused.
if there was a riot, only gd, the rebbe and mendy would be for us. shame any jew would vote otherwise and publicly support the non jewish candidates. we have only ourselves, keep working mendy for next time.
This was a huge slap in the face to EVERY Jewish community. Imagine if he did this to yours? How blatantly disrespectful, arrogant and self-righteous/serving is it, for a frum yid politician, from outside a community, to come into that same community, just to endorse someone over a local, upstanding, frum community member (Mendy Raitport) running for the same seat in that election/district. And then to make matters worse, he pens an unapologetic op-ed, defending his disgusting actions, by playing the “my father had a fruit store there 50+ years ago” card? Insulting at best. Shame on Hikind! I had… Read more »
people are confusing politics ond Ahavas Israel…
you can’t force somebody to go out of his house just because…..
I’m sure if you have records and credits of activity people will think differunne
BH the people of this neighborhood. ain’t Stupid
so it’s incorrect to blame our people .
in the same time you gotta give credit for the runner
H
It’ll be a long time before we can convince any of anash to run for political office, if and when the opportunity presents itself, considering the apathetic treatment we’re likely to give them. As for today’s election, ( or any other quiet, off-season election for that matter) I found the actual voting procedure to be a farce. When I wanted to show some photo I.D. I was told by a brusque voter assistant (or whatever they’re called) that they were not checking I.D. When I expressed incredulity, she very nastily repeated herself. So, I simply signed in and voted. I… Read more »
Even if everyone (Jewish or not) that voted for Patterson or Davis would vote for Raitport, he still wouldn’t get in. However, the major lesson from this election is that we need more voter registration in our community (and I believe one needs to vote at least once every four years to keep that registration active). Unfortunately, it seems like the tide in NYC is swinging towards the far left (DeBlasio, Stringer, and now Richardson) let’s hope we will survive this without too much long term damage by these cleptocrat tyrants (though I doubt the bus lanes and 25th speed… Read more »
If you combine all the votes for the other three candidates together, it is still less votes than Richardson got!
She looked best in debate. Patterson didn’t even show up.
How much longer will the community keep wasting time pushing non capable guys for the post just for being Jewish. All those votes are lost and so is our connections.
The results show that you had strong support from the Jewish community. We are proud to have supported you.
This campaign has also shown, once and for all, that a Republican has no chance against the Democratic machine in Brooklyn. There’s a reason why Bob Turner was only a 1 term representative.
You ran a few times and this was your biggest chance. I hope the lesson was learned and you don’t run again for the same seat – or if yes, you do it under a party that can get you elected.
Good luck in all that you do
that Hikind has zero influence in crown heights
he should learn his lesson and not meddle again in our affairs without being called upon
over all other canidates together.
All three contestants votes (including their non Jewish supporters) don’t match up with the winner…
I don’t think people were confused b y the mixed messages . just blame it on being lazy and that people didn’t believe that sending raitport would actually get them tax credits on tuition.( )
Also, Mainly, our 5000 voters are half women lots with small kids. Its hard for Them to get out to vote…
Mendy – See how many votes you have.
Hikinds guy got none from our community -he is worthless.
Greenfield also a loser.
We all lost because of Machlokes.
Moshiach Now!
His yet again another failure of the crown heights jeiwsh community to unite and put on of our own in iffice, a pwrson who cares and know us personally and knows our struggles. But again the community doesn’t care, there has to be a selfish reason why most people didnt vote for the only jewish guy, what a shame on the community.
the youngest man in lubavitch is the rebbe! nobody beats his energy his ideas his innovative approach (such as establishing the “tzivos hashem” etc. etc..the rebbe does not need anyones hakamah and shevach). its about time that the “young and stupid” (the “machers”) know their place and respect and follow the advice of the the older and experinced as we are told by the “old and wise” shlomo hamelech. just for the fact that mendy is a proud jew with a full beard,not sucking up to the goyim (and at the same time not getting into friction with them) always… Read more »
That’s ashame I was the only jew when I voted
All delegates said they would fight for tuition vouchers & tax credit
I said it all along Chanina him self had to run.
BS”D the majority of the community could not get off their behinds to vote, all their ahavas Yisroel is in the books, I’m ashamed to say I live here, i got off a sick bed to vote for Mendy
and keep on complaining about crime high tuition’s etc
BS”D
i hope those blowhards party with the leftover hotdogs whiskey and cigars. We backed a winner who was stabbed in the back by his own chevra they backed 2 LOSERS bc they are LOSERS
To number 3 why should we do the Pac didn’t represent me I live in a democratic society I am allowed to vote for whom ever I think has the best chance of winning unfortunately Mandy had no chance of winning the results show that he got the vote of confidence from the people who go out to vote most of our community stayed home and did not vote
You hit the nail on the head. Exactly we all lost. This is the result of people with no business mixing into politics and yet do so. We elected a CHJCC and their decisions should be followed whether we like it or not, because achdus will always win.
Eric Adams is no friend of the community he removed ALL the jews from the community board and forced Reb Yakov to resign and humiliated him, shame on you.
Shame on us, when will this self appointed machers understand that the non Jews don’t really care.?! That rooftop party was a shame, wake up all you young machers,
מי שמכם לאיש?
No one to blame but ourselves and believe me she knows the score we ate in for a tough ride
How many people live in crown heights? More than 1,600!! This is a pathetic result. We have here someone who’s one of us, willing to do the work for us, and we can’t get off our backsides to vote for him.
Really unimpressed.
Thanks for trying, Mendy.
if the community would come out we could no problem have more than 4000…
very sad that we had a bunch of guys who were discouraging people to come out for raitport, saying that he can’t win.
Now we see that they were wrong!
I’m not going to name them but I hope they will learn their lesson not to split the community and more so, not to confuse us and make so many Jews just stay home…
The Jewish vote was split between Raitport, Richardson & Davis. Not to say that Raitport could have won if there was no split but the numbers would have looked a lot better for us. This is what you get when loose canons do what they want.
People realize how important it is to vote!!!!!
Thats what happens when u dont unite as one,to vote in your fellow chosid ,
MOST backed reitport. BUT… 1 group went for davis,another for patterson (ignoring one of your own..) .THE RESULT: you ALL LOSE ,& none of your votes win….
HOPE u learn to unite next time…
This women won’t even recognize the jewish community for her to get so many votes shows you how anti semitisem is alive and well in nyc in 2015
The ch jewish community has over 4000. People eligible voters and only so few came out to vote? And that this unknown women got over 4000 votes? When most polling stations reported a very low turnout
Wow what a shame! Mendy is the only one that cares enought fit the actuall crown heights lubavitchers -cz he’s one of us! What can we do, gam zu ltovah
It was nice to see the amount of votes that Mendy received. It would be a lot nicer if people who don’t don’t belong mixing in to politics to stay out. Please leave the community’s decisions to the elected officials of our shchuna.
I really wanted Mendy Raitport to win
a shame mendy didnt win