By COLlive reporter
New York Assemblyman Dov Hikind, a Jewish Democrat who represents Boro Park, is endorsing Geoffrey Davis in a special election for the 43rd Assembly District in Brooklyn.
The seat, which includes parts of Crown Heights, Lefferts Gardens and East Flatbush, has been vacant since Assemblyman Karim Camara stepped down to take a governmental position in Albany.
“Geoffrey Davis has represented his community for many years,” Hikind said in a statement sent to COLlive.com. “Geoffrey Davis is a leader and will be a strong fighter as he represents his constituents’ best interests. And Geoffrey Davis has my enthusiastic endorsement.”
Hikind cited his support for the Education Investment Tax Credits bill as a prime reason for the endorsement. “I’ve been fighting hard for Education Investment Tax Credits and would welcome another colleague in the Assembly who will help us champion this vital legislation,” he stated.
With no official Democrat on the ticket due to a technical error, Davis is facing a tough race against Shirley Patterson of the Independent Party and Diane Richardson of the Working Families & Green Parties for similar votes.
Crown Heights store owner Menachem Raitport, the only Jewish candidate in the race, is the Republican and Conservative parties candidate.
“I’ve been known to support Republicans when I believed they are the individuals who will best serve our community’s interests,” Hikind said and added that he was looking for “other like-minded Democrats to push through” the tax credits bill.
“There isn’t a single issue that concerns us more than education for our children,” Hikind said. “State funds and tax credits for education for all of our children, including those in private and parochial schools, is essential. Geoffrey Davis understands Education Investment Tax Credits.”
Hikind came to Crown Heights on Sunday and campaigned alongside Davis. COLlive was told that Hikind plans to be back on election day on Tuesday, May 5.
Politics are so convoluted these days that predicting a politician’s career a year from now is akin to predicting the outcome of a bet. Mah shehbatuach, batuach. Let’s get Menachem Raitport elected today and at least show some unity in the community. If he wins, Raitport is just as capable as the others of fighting hard for tax vouchers for education. Why is that so hard to accept? Besides, I’ve had enough of “progressive” liberal thinking to last me a lifetime. P.S. Does anybody remember what a staunch supporter Mr. Hikind was of our present mayor when D.B. was running… Read more »
To those who say that Davis is the only one that is going to fight for the education tax credit: Its a lie!
Raitport has come out saying clearly that he will fight for this (even though he is a Republican).
How is this a debate??????????
Good thinking vote Davis!!!
years ago when izzy rosenfeld was running for election and lost because part of the anash didn’t vote for him the rebbe was very upset. even though it was a very small chance he would win. and by the way he lost by very little votes even though the goyim outnumbered us
Why do folks think like they are Carl Rove or some political hotshot,making all kinds of political calculations weather he can win in 2016.If you agree that he can win now,worry about 2016 then.The fact is that the currency of CH will be so high that it’s irelavent if Mendy wins next year.
Menachem Raitport doesn’t stand a chance, between the other 3 candidates.
GEOFFREY DAVIS is the only one who committed to fight for the Education Investment Tax Credit Bill that will help our yeshivas.
GEOFFREY DAVIS is the only one who was working together with the Jewish community in the past and has a good relationship with the Jewish community for the past decades.
Menachem Raitport doesn’t stand a chance in hell! Let’s not waste our vote, between the all other candidates, Geoffrey Davis is the best for our community.
VOTE GEOFFREY DAVIS!!!
I can’t see voting for a non-Jewish candidate who, regardless of their pandering, have no real sympathy for the Jewish community. The whole NY State government is about a honest as a $3 bill, so does it really matter. I AM VOTING FOR MENDY RAITPORT because he can’t possibly be any less sympathetic than the non-Jews who are running. Hikind’s support for Davis just shows that he’s a wheeling-dealing politician before a being caring government representative. Hikind, please stay out of Crown Heights, we don’t need your political shenanigans here!
It was mentioned in comment 18 that the reason that Hikind supports Davis is because he is a democrat who commited to vote for an important piece of education legislation, Is reitport able and willing to do it also? What about comment 19? Is it true that vouchers in new york is not doable? If thats true what PRACTICAL help will we get from reitport? Anyone close to him has an clear answer? I was planning to vote for him but now I’m wondering if its just so we have one of our own in there? Or that he will… Read more »
Your right vote for davis!!!!
He knows the best for our community hes a democrat and I have news for all of you he is NOT AGAINST the school vouchers hes is extremely pro he is extremely excited to work together with hikind to get these vouchers as a democrat so he has a lot more of realistic chance of getting this done!
Forget the possible/potential big-picture, which is a maybe at best. Hikind just showed his true colors, as just another politician with this stunt. How blatantly disrespectful is it, for a frum yid, from outside a community, to come into that same community, just to endorse someone over a local frum community member running for the same seat in that election.
Shame on you Hikind, and pretend somewhere else. You’re just another hack. And BTW I’m from NJ, so I have no vested interest either way.
We need Hikind many times when he was there for us during the riot attacks etc.
But he is right Raitport is a 12 month shelf life he will loose and our votes will be wasted. Vote patterson or Davis
Why We Have a Real Chance of Electing a Lubavitcher (Mendy Raitport) on Tuesday. A bit of background. The black community usually has an estimated of 20,000 voters turning out to vote in midterms elections. The Jewish community has an estimated voter turnout of 5000. This being the case we usually choose to support the Black candidate over the Jewish Candidate. In local politics it’s always better to be on the winning side. This election is different. It’s a special election. In a special election the numbers usually go down about 40%. Meaning the black community will probably have about… Read more »
Go levi huebner
That’s false. He may have half jokingly supported him in the ’08 dem primary as a way to punish Hillary. In 2012 he was open for GOP.
The notion that we shouldn’t support a frum yungerman is appalling. In this case Hikind should have acted with “shev v’al t’aseh”. Politics is dirty but when we have a chance for a “frum” yid to have a little clout he needs to make an exception to his little game of politics he plays well.
If he was that smart he would support Peterson who has a real chance
All politicians promise and do nothing at least let a Jew get the salary while doing it. If there is a single Jewish vote for anyone but reitport it will be an embarrassment.
As a good Democrat who wants money and power, Hikind will listen to his party bosses, or they will push him out. His constituents are of secondary importance. I haven’t forgotten how after the Crown Heights riots, Noah Dear defended Dinkins. Why not let the Democrats destroy NYC like Baltimore and Detroit? They tax us through the roof and then tell us we will get a little tax break if we vote for them.The candidate that had a real job is the most qualified. If he stays in office for one year, it’s nice to have a real representative than… Read more »
hope no one will fall for this dov hikind shtik…
everyone come out and vote for mendy
Let’s not forget how hikind supported Obama. How did that work out?
come to the JCM 4-6 pm, for carnival fun and to support Mendy Raitport! one of our own
Now that Hikind came out against Raitport, I am convinced that I need to support Raitport
It would be nice if Raitport wins but as the math currently holds up he’ll most likely be a very successful 2nd place finisher.
Hikind is probably endorsing Davis simply so that there should be a prominent yid in the camp of each candidate besides for Richardson who hasn’t made any oventures to our community. Hikind is wrong in this case but don’t knock him he actually goes out of his way to help crown heights all of the time.
You may be right that NEXT time Mendy Raitport may loose, however THIS time he has a good chance of winning and he might actually accomplish something. So don’t get carried away.
we need some one who be affective .
we need a peace rally to stop the violence
we need someone who will speak to the blacks in there churches to live in peace with there jewish neibors
He doesn’t believe Menachem Raitport (who he praises privately) will win. So he’s backing the candidate who will do anash the most good. There’s a reason Hikind has been successful in politics for so many years and it’s not because he’s a Chassid that Boro Park keeps re-electing him.
i agree with hikind that we have to elect a democrate but Davis is problematic. Vote Paterson instead
It’s time that we showed support for one of our own who is no less qualified than the other candidates running. Each AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE SHECHUNA MUST COME OUT AND VOTE. let’s show our strength in numbers. No other democrat has come out in support for other candidates. Hikind can easily sit this one out. He’s a publicity hound. He has used our community to advance himself and over all these years has provided us with NOTHING. he’s god at stealing the mic and spotlight for his own selfish advancement.
all Mendy needs is 3,500 votes to WIN. If all lubavitchers vote for him, and we should, he will be in
Jeffrey Davis is a convicted felon with a 22 page criminal record. He’s a joke of all jokes.
Dov Hikind probably owes him a favor so he’s using this as a opportunity. Mr.Hiking stay in Boro Park!!! We never come and interfere with your local elections.
Bye the way Hikind is a great guy when it comes to helping Yidin and Erets Yisroel, in this case he’s making a huge mistake.
There is no way Raitport is going to get vouchers. Far more powerful people have already lobbied for this, all the way up to the senate, and the answer is a definitive “no”. The government will not give vouchers to religious schools, especially schools that have no Limudei Chol. What will end up happening is this: he’ll will, he will accomplish nothing, and next year he will be out. Whereas if you vote for Davis, he MIGHT accomplish something, even if it’s something that means little to you, at least he will know that the community stood behind him and… Read more »
I agree with Assemblyman Dov Hikind, Menachem Raitport is running on the Republican line, Republicans have 0 power in NY State Assembly, we need a “Democrat” to help fight for the EITC (Education Investment Tax Credit) bill, and Geoffrey Davis is the only one affiliated with the Democratic Party who committed himself to fight for the EITC. On Tuesday May 5 Vote GEOFFREY A. DAVIS.
We have to stand strong behind Mendy Raitport, who cares for OUR community.
Please vote this Tuesday!
There’s a yid a lubavitcher who’s running and your running for this guy!?!? What you should be removed from assembly man disgrace!!!
reitport is supporting voutchers which will help us, thats plenty for education.
How is our community Rabbanim allowing him into OUR shechuna to campaign AGAINST one of our own. He may give all sorts of excuses, but he doesn’t want causes veered away from HIS Jewish constituents. He never had anyone representing another Jewish community’s needs. Shame on him.
VOTE MENDY – VOTE FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!!
yl
dov heikind is coming to push HIS aggenda in OUR community ???????
Can u imagine a CH askon going into to BP to support a goy vs a poylishe.
HEIKIND STAY IN BORO PARK!!!!!
Let crown heights politicians decide whats best for our community,as they allready DID! they are supporting one of our own, MENDY RAITPORT ! Thats who we want in office.
The same Davis of the “Love yourself Party”?
I would prefer one of “our own” that may not accomplish much (yet), than someone that will work against our interests. I don’t think it’s worth the risk of losing an opportunity to get someone from our community
Mr hiking please stay home. We are endorsing our own Mendy raitport. We need someone who will have our needs in mind
Everyone should go on May 5th and vote for Mendy. He is a fellow Lubavitcher who will IYH be for our best interest. Don’t think he has no chance. The only way he has no chance is if you don’t vot for him. Let’s make this happen.
HatZlacha Mendy.
BS”D
Chutzpa to come into Menachems neighborhood
Can’t there be one voice so that we all vote together for the same candidate? or do we have to split & lose ALL our votes…?? A lubavitcher in office who has endorsement of our lubav polititions,anything better than that? Why ruin it ???
Dov Hikind has take advantage of the Crown Heights community his entire political career. He has selfishly come to our neighborhood the benefit his own political stance. If the community Council is backing him it should be made clear to him that coming to our community and promoting another candidate is NOT acceptable
I dont know menachem raitport and i dont know if he is the person who people ahould be voting for. But i can tell you this jeoffry davis is not the man to vote for. A few years ago i was talking with a friend when he told me i have to meet someone who he just got to know jeoffrey davis. He told me he has great ideas and that he would be a great person to hold a seat in office. Wanting to know what he was about i went to meet him at his house on brooklyn… Read more »
I agree with Dov Hikind but for Different reasons For Starters Raitport is not qualified etc.
Raitport means well but we need a Democrat who will be in office for years especially the next election when Raitport will loose in a year when their is a general election,
Lets all have open minds and listen to all candidates and pick the best!!!!
Support party first country second