To the last moment, I’ve never faced an election as difficult as this year. Like many voters who found themselves “politically homeless,” there were many flaws with both leading presidential candidates, Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris. With the future of the country at hand, I cannot imagine sitting out the 2024 election.
With so much ink spilled on these pages on the next president, we should note that many of the policies affecting our lives are determined by other offices on the ballot, such as the Senate, the House of Representatives, the New York State Senate, and the New York State Assembly. This year’s ballot offers a small measure of direct democracy with propositions on the back of the sheet.
The United States Senator running for reelection is Kirsten Gillibrand, who made a rare appearance in Queens on Monday, meeting with Borough President Donovan Richards. In contrast to her senior colleague Chuck Schumer, a sighting of the Albany resident in this borough is rare, and even less so in the Jewish community. Had she made an effort, perhaps our readers would know more about her advocacy for veterans’ health benefits, promoting clean energy, and combating gun violence. Concerning Israel, she spoke positively of the elimination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the country’s right to defend itself, and keeping focus on the hostages. As pressure grows on Israel to stop its combat operations in Gaza and Lebanon, she could do more to call out members of her party who falsely accuse Israel of genocide.
In her legislative chamber, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania is the most visible example of an outspoken pro-Israel Democrat. Do other mainstream Democrats fear a primary challenge or uncommitted voters staying home if they speak up against their anti-Israel colleagues?
Retired NYPD detective Mike Sapraicone is running against Gillibrand, not only on being more outspoken on Israel, but also on social issues. In their debate earlier this month, Proposition 1 clearly defined each candidate. “We’ve had the most expansive abortion law in the country for over 50 years. This proposition is not changing the way abortion is. It’s only taking the rights away from parents,” he said. Along with abortion rights, the ballot question adds age, gender identity, and sexual orientation to the state constitution’s list of protected classes.
“What are equal rights when I think of my daughter, when a man can go into that locker room and say he’s a girl and he’s going to compete with them,” he added.
Gillibrand replied that this argument is a “red herring.” For religious communities, the definition of gender does not always align with the popular opinion of the day. Fears of the state imposing gender identity on institutions, schools, and parents are expressed by Sapraicone and others on the Republican line.
Heavily outspent by Gillibrand, who is expected to easily win a third term, a vote for Sapraicone would show that not all New Yorkers agree with her liberal social policies.
In the race for the House, I’ve urged my aunt in Brooklyn to reelect House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and my uncle in Great Neck to give a full term to Tom Suozzi. I reminded my friends in Queens to reelect Greg Meeks in southern Queens and Grace Meng in central and eastern Queens, as these four Democrats have been responsive to the concerns of the Jewish community and supportive towards Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression. Meeks serves as the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and speaks with knowledge on any given region of the world.
The Congressional races that could determine the future leadership of the House are in the suburbs, such as District 4, which covers the Five Towns, West Hempstead, and Long Beach. It is a rematch between Republican incumbent Anthony D’Esposito, a former city cop and town councilman, and former town supervisor Laura Gillen.
Since his narrow win two years ago, D’Esposito has been visible at Jewish functions and outspoken against anti-Semitism on college campuses. A freshman lawmaker usually has little clout among 435 colleagues, but having given the majority to his party, D’Esposito has been most outspoken on reducing the tax burden for his constituents with the long-promised SALT, the state and local tax deduction championed by suburban lawmakers in high-tax states.
Having watched his debate against Gillen, I was disappointed in his environmental views. He is opposed to the construction of offshore windmills and has not recognized climate change as the reality facing shoreline communities, including his hometown of Island Park. His attacks against Gillen try to connect her with the most liberal members of her party, but she speaks about border security, immigration, and drug abuse as a centrist along the lines of Suozzi.
In his first run for Congress, D’Esposito faced questions regarding his service in the NYPD, which included complaints and leaving his weapon unattended. Since taking office, new allegations emerged of his employment of his mistress and fiancée’s daughter for part-time jobs at his district office, which Democrats relate to other examples of nepotism among elected Nassau Republicans. Last week, his campaign’s Federal Election Commission filings revealed vague expenditures marked as “steak,” five-figure Uber charges, and a stay at a Scottish hostel on a weekend when he was in the district.
For much of this campaign, Gillen’s presence was mostly visible in Black and Hispanic churches in Hempstead and Freeport, strongholds of Democratic support in getting out the vote. As their poll numbers tighten, with the Newsday/Siena College survey giving her a two-digit lead, Gotham Polling & Analytics has the two in a dead heat. With confidence in her victory, she returned to the Five Towns, campaigning at the Cedarhurst train station on Monday with Rep. Ritchie Torres of the Bronx.
“Everybody here knows where Ritchie stands on Israel,” Gillen said. “He would not endorse me if I was not going to be a starkly pro-Israel Democrat, and I think it’s kind of a validator.”
They were joined by Todd Richman of the advocacy group Democratic Majority for Israel, who also spoke of Gillen’s solid stand on Israel. A few blocks away, Long Island Unites, a nonpartisan campaign aimed at maximizing Jewish turnout, urged all synagogues and yeshivos to share locations and schedules of early voting sites, so that the community can demonstrate its electoral power. With multiple reminders to vote early, lines at the West Hempstead Library and Lawrence Country Club have been out the door in the evenings this week.
Looking at the district and conventional wisdom, a midterm election often brings out opponents of the president. Of the 168,934 registered Republicans in District 4, 140,622 came out to elect D’Esposito – an 83.24 percent turnout. Despite having an enrollment advantage, only 52.32 registered Democrats voted in 2022. With the presidential candidates headlining the ballot, both parties expect larger percentages of their members to vote in this year’s election, determining the next White House resident, and the House majority.
By Sergey Kadinsky
