Two Orthodox Jewish Democrats won New York State Assembly primaries in Queens and Brooklyn this week, according to The Algemeiner. Orthodox voting blocs in those districts proved durable even as anti-Israel candidates won Democratic primaries elsewhere across the city the same night.
In Queens, Pesach Osina won the Democratic primary for State Assembly District 23 with roughly 60 percent of the vote, according to The Algemeiner. In Brooklyn, Joey Cohen-Saban advanced in Assembly District 45 after winning in what the outlet described as a heavily Orthodox district. Both candidates are now strong favorites in the November general election in districts that are heavily Democratic.
Osina ran on a platform focused on cost of living, public safety, and recovery from severe weather impacts, and vowed to fight antisemitism from Albany if he wins in November, according to The Algemeiner. He recounted one incident in his district in which a constituent walking along Mott Avenue had antisemitic slurs hurled at her, including being called a Nazi. He also offered a pointed critique of his own party. “It’s not the party that we have grown up with,” Osina told The Algemeiner. He said he still considers it broadly aligned with American and Jewish values.
Cohen-Saban’s Brooklyn campaign centered on combating antisemitism, expanding hate crime enforcement, and increasing security funding for houses of worship and community centers, The Algemeiner reported. He has also called for stronger support for yeshivas and nonpublic schools, expanded community policing, and increased foot patrols. On development, he has advocated against what he describes as “irresponsible” housing and shelter placement policies and called for more community input. On foreign policy, he has described himself on his campaign website as a committed advocate for the US-Israel alliance who will resist efforts to weaken it in Albany.
The two wins came the same night that several anti-Israel candidates won Democratic primaries citywide. The Algemeiner said the political environment has been underscored by the rise of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The outlet said the results underscore an internal divide within the Democratic Party, with Osina and Cohen-Saban running on the Democratic ballot line while publicly expressing concerns about the party’s evolving positions on cultural and foreign policy issues.
The Algemeiner noted that Orthodox-backed candidates in these districts tend to benefit from high turnout and concentrated local organizing that can outweigh broader citywide trends. The outlet said this week’s results showed this again.
Featured image: Bushwick Daily image
