The Democratic primary is tomorrow, and unlike the campaigns for Senate, governor, and attorney general, there is no clear front-runner in the 11th, an election that has generated widespread attention for its racial dynamic. A City Council member, David Yassky, has run circles around his opponents in fundraising, but he is the lone white candidate in a district that is nearly 60% black. He has faced relentless charges that he moved into the district with the idea of dividing the vote among the three African-American candidates.
Congressional Candidates in Dead-Heat Race Look for a Last-Minute Edge in Brooklyn
With the high-profile race to replace Rep. Major Owens in Brooklyn’s 11th congressional district shaping up as too close to call, the four candidates were scrambling to energize their supporters and to raise last-minute funds in the final full day of campaigning.
The Democratic primary is tomorrow, and unlike the campaigns for Senate, governor, and attorney general, there is no clear front-runner in the 11th, an election that has generated widespread attention for its racial dynamic. A City Council member, David Yassky, has run circles around his opponents in fundraising, but he is the lone white candidate in a district that is nearly 60% black. He has faced relentless charges that he moved into the district with the idea of dividing the vote among the three African-American candidates.
The three other candidates each have points of distinction heading into the election: a council member, Yvette Clarke, has landed powerful union endorsements; state Senator Carl Andrews has the backing of the Democratic establishment, particularly Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, and, not surprisingly, Chris Owens has the support of the incumbent — his father.
Mr. Yassky spent the day yesterday greeting voters at various areas in the district, which includes Crown Heights, Brownsville, and parts of Park Slope. As he has over the course of the campaign, he focused on his experience in government. “I have the experience and the ideas to change policy in Washington, and that’s what this district needs,” he said while campaigning at the corner of Smith and Warren streets in Carroll Gardens. “Washington’s policies have been completely wrong for what we need here, and the voters know that.”
Mr. Yassky’s opponents each had different strategies for victory. Ms. Clarke, who has touted her Caribbean West Indian roots, was focusing on immigrant groups in the district. On primary day, she is banking on the get-out-the-vote efforts of the Service Employees International Union 1199, the powerful health workers union that has endorsed Ms. Clarke and which has 25,000 members living in the district. One political consultant, Scott Levenson, said a high union turnout could trump Mr. Yassky’s cash advantage and put Ms. Clarke over the top in a close race tomorrow.
The latest poll shows the four candidates in a statistical dead heat, with as many as one in five voters undecided.
Mr. Owens has been the most aggressive candidate in criticizing his opponents, and he stuck to that strategy in an interview yesterday. He said he was telling voters that he was the only candidate who was completely opposed to the Atlantic Yards project, and that he was the “only one who could beat David Yassky.” Of Ms. Clarke, he said: “Yvette doesn’t have the organization. Yvette is damaged goods, politically.”
Mr. Owens held a fund-raiser at his brother Millard’s home last night, and, perhaps seeking a celebrity boost, he planned to go door-to-door in the district with his other brother, Geoffrey, who played the character of Elvin in “The Cosby Show.”
Mr. Andrews, meanwhile, placed his emphasis less on the issues and more on reminding voters of his history in the district, much of which overlaps with his state Senate district. “I’m going to tell people that my birthday was on Saturday, and the best present they could give me is to put an X next to my name,” he said in an interview yesterday. Over the weekend, he campaigned with his big-name supporters, including Mr. Spitzer, the Reverend Al Sharpton, and Governor Cuomo.
For all four hopefuls, today is expected to be a quiet day, as none want to be seen as politicizing the September 11 attacks. Mr. Yassky had no public events scheduled, while the others planned to attend memorial services. Mr. Owens said he may stump at a subway stop in the morning, and Mr. Andrews said he would not campaign openly, but would be visible in his neighborhood. “I may do laundry,” he said. “Or I might go grocery shopping.”
Voter
It’s about time we voted in a Yid who, even if he turns out to be useless & hopeless, can’t be any worse than our Shvartze “representatives.”
Am I a racist? You betcha!
Shvartzes aren’t??? Naaah…they LOVE us!
Vote Yassky.
Magdeburger Chossid
Carl Andrews has a history in this district. He takes care of all of his constituents. Carl Andrews does not pander to prevailing opinion. He shapes it. Carl Andrews has people in his district who are at odds with each other and he gets along with all of them. He did not inherit his seat, or tailor his views to those of the district upon the advice of aides. Carl Andrews is good for us . Carl Andrews is one of us. Vote for Andrews!!
Peretz
Yassky is not going to be useless and hopeless. Why do Jews keep thinking this way? Don’t you think that you can be "in his face" as a constituent and hold him to the fire? We care more about israel, etc. and our black neighbors will not be watching that issue–we will.
Simcha Z.
Andrews the low life again showing his ugly face campaigning with sharpton the pig.
Respect
I find it very uncomfertable to read racial slurs. It is disrespedtful and inapropriate to use the above terms. You will not feel happy if people called you a Dirty Jew. We should accept people for who they are…Yes, The "Tzelem Elokim" which even black people have been endowed.
Joseph Steinherz
I deeply resent this comment. The evil murderers who killed half of one side of my family were WHITE> Those who imprisoneed ant tortured the friediker Rebbe wer WHITE. You worship white skin, and not G-d. You disgust me All non Jews can approach G-d throuth sheva mitzvos. Those who have dark skin were made that way by G-d. Your ignorant thinking is a choice and a poor one at that
yossy
a jew who married out of faith is worse then a shvartze
we must vote for carl andrews
Informed
Mr. Yassky is not Jewish!! His mother is a Shisksa!!
old timer
Many years ago, someone was running for a political office who was Jewish but intermarried. Rabbi JJ Hecht said that it was forbidden for a Jew to vote for someone who was intermarried.
Baruch
I got another so-called PAC letter tonight and it was not even signed by the Sperlin fellow. How odd. And if Sperlin is for Andrews, why does his photographer/assistant Slavin escort Clarke to the ohel? Is he playng both sides now?
support our own
Mabe we should vote for someone from our neighborhood who has helped us in the past.
CH resident
Does anyone have any idea who else to vote for, besides Yassky?
Jewish Candidate
Chris Owens is Jewish – his mother is Jewish
Itzik_s
Please remember that some of the respectable middle class blacks in CH have the same concerns as we do and do not in any way support Sharpton.
All politicians are the same anyway except for perhaps Rudolph Giuliani (and maybe the late Ronald Reagan). There are 2 criteria:
1) Who will represent us best – and a black representative is fine so long as he is not a Sharptonian.
2) We need to be on the side of the winner so that we are thanked and not neglected by him when he gets in. So, if there is a clear favorite, there is no point backing someone who does not have much of a chance, unless that front runner is a radical or otherwise problematic.
So, I am voting for Charlie Buttons today and urge others in my situation to do the same. In other words, I forgot to register (and it was my own fault) :(.
eli
Yassky is Jewish. Owens renounced judaism. Andrews is tight with Sharpton ALL THE WAY.
a real Lubavitcher
Ahavas yisroel anybody? A tenet of Chabad thought is unconditional love for a fellow Jew. I learned that from an accurate authority-the Lubavitcher Rebbe! He teaches that we should open ourselves to every Jew, regardless of observance. If our shluchim listened to some of the silliness posted here, there would be no Chabad movement, only a few sourpusses in C.H.
Yassky is a Jew as is every Jew who ever entered a Chabad House.
Victory.com
Just for your information:
My neighbor who is of African decent, a strong supporter of Ms. Clarke, told me this morning with excitement, Ms. Clarke gave thankes to G-d, and told the people at the victory rally, that she is so sure that the Rebbes blessing helped her in this victory.
Thank you Reb Eli Slavin, a guy with grace, class and smarts.