Almost two months after Councilman-Elect Chaim Deutsch’s stunning victory over Republican David Storobin, Republican District Leader Marcus Nussbaum of the 46th Assembly District is taking issue with former State Senator David Storobin for comments he made following his loss. In an interview with Politicker last month, Storobin blamed his loss in November’s race for the 48th District of the City Council on low turnout in the Russian-speaking community. But Nussbaum rejected Storobin’s narrative, saying, in a statement published on Sheepshead Bites blog, that his loss was because of his failure to garner support from the Republican party. As widely reported, the Brooklyn GOP is in the midst of a power struggle, with a faction led by State Senator Marty Golden looking to unseat county boss Craig Eaton, and Storobin wasn’t favored by County leaders. Read Nussbaum’s press release in full: Marcus Nussbaum, one of the two newly elected Republican District Leaders in the 46th Assembly District, has stated that he strongly disagrees with former State Senator and City Council candidate David Storobin’s recent statement that he lost his election because the Russian electorate did not come out to vote. “This analysis labels the Russian community as disinterested in civic affairs. I found this to be in accurate. As I campaigned, talking with hundreds of Russian constituents, I found the overwhelming majority to be very much concerned with government affairs and eager to cast their votes,” Nussbaum said. Mr. Storobin’s remarks were included in a Politicker article entitled “Non-Russian Triumphs in ‘Super-Russian’ Council District” written by Ross Barkan last November 7th. Mr. Storobin blamed turnout for the letdown, “It’s disappointing the Russian community tends not to come out in high numbers,” he said, reflecting on his bid.” Nussbaum explained, “I am of Russian descent, and convinced that my victory last September, together with that of my running mate, Lucretia Regina-Potter, happened because of the strong support that we received from the Russian Republican community. In order for us to receive such support, we personally asked for it by meeting with as many Republican voters as possible throughout the entire 46th Assembly District.” “In spite of the fact that the established factions did not support us, we were able to overcome those obstacles and their very strong opposition. In my opinion, Mr. Storobin lost because he failed to reach out to those people, including myself and my co-leader, who had just succeeded in convincing a large number of Republican voters to actually come out and vote in a Primary election,” Nussbaum stated. “Could it have been political rather than cultural considerations that were at play?” Nussbaum asked. “At this stage, one is inclined to conclude that perhaps Mr. Storobin did not value our support, or worse, he may have been instructed not to reach out to us by his alignment with one established Republican faction.” “The result of all of the bickering and infighting among Brooklyn Republicans is that it is almost impossible for Republican candidates for public office to be elected. We must stand united, work for a common victory, and overcome these petty differences in order to succeed. It is not a community that is disappointing, but perhaps the candidates that take the community for granted,” Nussbaum concluded. (Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)

Following his defeat on Tuesday to Councilman-elect Chaim Deutsch, former State Senator David Storobin told Sheepshead Bites that he has no plans of ever running for office again. “I have no intention of ever running for office again,” he said. “I didn’t run for the last two years because I’m obsessed with campaigning for public office. I’ve always been interested in politics and felt it was a way of making a difference for the better,” Mr. Storobin wrotes in an email correspondent with Sheepshead Bites. “The way things lined up, I had to run 3 times in a row, a nightmare I would’ve never started had I known how long it would take. But once I was in it, this is what I had to do. Under the circumstances, those were the correct choices, regardless of the final outcome.” “And now things will go back to normal. I will go back to being a lawyer. Brooklyn Democrats won’t have to worry about getting re-elected. Brooklyn Republicans will go back to being a small debating society. Everything makes sense to everyone again,” he further wrote, taking a swipe to the infighting within the Republican Party in Brooklyn. Meanwhile, Councilman-elect Chaim Deutsch pointed to high turnout among Orthodox Jewish voters, that had helped him conquer the once described “Super-Russian” District. “The notion that the 48th Council District was a Russian district was completely overblown,” Austin Finan, a consultant for Mr. Deutsch, told Politicker. “At a quick glance, it looks like a heavily Russian district. But the enrollment is stronger among Orthodox than Russian. There’s also sizable Chinese, Pakistani, Irish and Italian communities. All came out to vote for Chaim.” According to the campaign, Mr. Deutsch had a significant edge among high-turnout voters, especially Orthodox Jews, who were motivated to elect one of their own. “Both candidates relied on their bases,” Mr. Finan said. “Our base turned out in greater numbers than did David Storobin’s. It was like night and day. In a conversation with YWN, Mr. Storobin acknowledged that nothing could have been done to avoid defeat, “from the government shutdown to Bill de Blasio’s coat tails, it was inevitable.” Mr. Sotorbin also shared his conversation with Mr. Deutsch, as he reached him Wednesday morning. “I told him he is a great man, he will be good for the community, and this is only the beginning for him as he will go to greater heights.” (Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)

A press release just recieved by YWN from the “Flatbush Community Rabbinical Alliance” slams the “Flatbush Community Advocacy Group”, for their earlier support of David Storobin, in the race for the 48th Council District. The press release reads: “The Flatbush Community Rabbinical Alliance was pained to learn that an unheard of before organization issued a press release supporting David Storobin. It has been advertised in numerous publications that leading Rabbonim in Flatbush have endorsed Chaim Deutsch for Councilman, and no one has any permission to have any other opinion. The word of the Rabbonim is final. You must vote for Chaim Deutsch. He has a proven record of helping people for more than 20 years, and we pray that he will continue to help us for many more years as a city councilman. We demand that those who formed the Flatbush Community Advocacy Group cease their operations, and close down immediately. Any organization must first be approved by the Flatbush Community Rabbinical Alliance. We have reached out to the leading community activists, including the esteemed leaders of the Flatbush Jewish Community Council (FJCC), to deal with this burning issue of unauthorized organizations being formed. In closing we once again urge everyone to run to the polls, and vote for Chaim Deutsch. (Press Release / YWN Desk – NYC)

In a press release sent to YWN on Election Day 2013, the Flatbush Community Advocacy Group (FCAG) endorses David Storobin in the race for the 48th Council District. The FCAG is well-known to have the strong backing and support of leading Rabbonim and community activists in Flatbush. One political analyst told YWN that this last minute endorsement is similar to that of the Agudah meeting with Bill DeBlasio this past Saturday night. “They don’t want to be on the losers list the morning after the election, so they are doing this to ensure that they are going to be represented well by Storobin in city hall. The release stated: “David Storobin has a strong record of supporting our community’s values. As our State Senator, he fought to provide our community with yeshiva tuition vouchers. He is a strong supporter of our family values, and sponsored legislation last year to overturn the same-gender marriage bill. We believe David Storobin is a candidate who represents the true conservative values of the frum community.” (Press Release / YWN Desk – NYC)

[AUDIO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] On the eve of Election Day, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani recorded a robocall,urging voters in the 48th City Council District to vote for his preferred candidate David Storobin. “I know David Storobin as a councilman will fight to keep our streets safe and our taxes down,” Mr. Giuliani says in the robocall, obtained by YWN. “And David Storobin, like me as mayor, will always always make protecting your quality of life his top priority.” Listen to the audio below: (Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)

The Sephardic Community Federation delivered a surprising endorsement that could determine the race for the 48th Council District. In an email sent to  leaders and members of the community, Monday afternoon, the Executive Board recommended to vote for the Republican candidate David Storobin. “David is a rare elected official who will fight to lower taxes, fines and fees and support yeshivas,” the email read. The Sephardic Community Federation is believed to have a voting bloc of at least 1,500 votes, in what could become the margin of victory in a race that seems to be the only contested election in Brooklyn. The move deals a serious blow to the campaign of Chaim Deutsch who hoped to unite the Jewish community in the District behind his canddiacy, relying on a split in the Russian community’s  vote. Below is the full email sent by the Sepahradic Community Federation: From: Sephardic Community Federation <[email protected]> Date: Mon, Nov 4, 2013 at 2:02 PM Subject: Please Vote Tomorrow To Empower Our Community! To: *************** Dear Friend, There is a very important election for our community on Tuesday, November 5th. If our community comes together, this is a rare opportunity to showcase our strength. Please vote for the following candidates for City Council who support us and encourage your friends and family members to vote as well. The polls open at 6am and close at 9pm. (Vote for one depending on where you live) David Greenfield (44th Council District) David may well be the best Councilman in New York. We need him in City Hall for another four years! Borders: Mc Donald Avenue to Ocean Avenue, 18th Avenue to Kings Highway Lines: Conservative, Democratic, Independence David Storobin (48th Council District) David is a rare elected official who will fight to lower taxes, fines and fees and support yeshivas! Borders: Avenue M to Atlantic Ocean, Coney Island Avenue to Nostrand Avenue Lines: Republican, Conservative, Independence Mark Treyger (47th Council District) Mark is a long-time friend of our community. We know he will be there for us! Borders: Kings Highway to Atlantic Ocean, Bay Parkway to Coney Island Avenue Lines: Democratic They have all pledged to lower taxes, increase police and fund yeshivas! Please support these candidates for New York City Council and don’t forget to vote on Tuesday, November 5th. Together we can prove to elected officials that our community is a major force to be reckoned with. *THANK YOU FOR VOTING TO EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY* (Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)

Citizens Union announced its endorsements of David Storobin for City Council in the 48th District. In supporting the candidacy of Mr. Storobin, Citizen Union continued in its tradition of backing candidates who demonstrated a strong grasp of reform issues that is complimented by their policy knowledge and experience. “New York City faces a watershed election year and Citizens Union believes our endorsed candidates can best serve the City as we enter a new era of governance,” said Dick Dadey, Executive Director of Citizens Union. “Our evaluation process sought candidates committed to honest, effective and accountable government and capable of serving their constituents as well as the needs of the city as a whole. We feel these qualities are well represented in each of our endorsed candidates.” Citizens Union is supporting Republican David Storobin in Brooklyn district 48 due to his support for reform and policy knowledge in several areas, particularly regarding the intersections of city, state and federal law. In accepting the endorsement, Mr. Storobin said “I am thankful to the great volunteers at Citizens Union for giving of their time to meet and discuss the issues that are important to our city. I am humbled to receive their support, and I hope to work with them in the years to come in bringing true reform to city government”. (YWN Newsdesk – NYC)

The following is a statement by the campaign of David Storobin, candidate for the 48th City Council District: “David Storobin had accepted the gracious offer by Yeshiva World News to host a debate over a week ago. He accepted the invitation almost immediately upon receiving the invitation. As this has now been a week, and we have not heard back, we can only ask why the Deutsch campaign has not agreed to debate as well? When we accepted the offer, we let it be known that any night was ok to debate. Why would a person asking for the vote of a community not want to go before them and explain their position on the pertinent issues of the community?” The Deutsch campaign has not yet responded to a request for a comment. (YWN Desk – NYC)

Former State Senator and current City Council Candidate David Storobin promises increased funding of Shomrim and other neighborhood watch groups, if elected to City Council. In a conversation with YWN, Mr. Storobin made his position very clear: He is a big fan of Shomrim and believes that the government should cooperate and fund these organizations as much as possible. He also came out in favor of providing bullet proof vests and other protection for auxiliary police. In his short tenure in the State Senate, Mr. Storobin sponsored 9 bills to fight crime and increase punishment for criminals. Asked how his view of Shomrim was effected by his running against Flatbush Shomrim founder Chaim Deutsch, Mr. Storobin said it’s not personal. “The day after he [Deutsch] won the Democratic primary, I approached Chaim to congratulate him and tell him that I have a lot of respect for the work that he’s done,” said Storobin. “I promised him that I would not be the first to attack in this race, and I hope we can have a civil race without any slander. We can discuss issues where we disagree because I’m a Republican and he’s a Democrat, without engaging in personal attacks. I believe in the work that Shomrim is doing and after the election I will be it’s chief advocate in the City Council.” Mr. Storobin also noted he believes in funding other neighborhood watch groups. “These groups are made up of volunteers who are trying to make their community a better, safer place,” he said. “They save the government a lot of money by helping our police officers. If the government needs to spend a little bit to protect these volunteers and to allow for the police cooperation with them, it’s a great way to improve our neighborhoods and save our city’s money.” (Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)

Republican New York City Council candidate David Storobin has raised $20,210.00 according to the last report. His successful fundraising total stands in sharp contrast with his Democratic opponent Chaim Deutsch who managed a mere $500.00. Last year, Storobin raised over half a million dollars for his Senate runs plus hundreds of thousands spent to support his candidacy by the State and Senate Republicans. “I am grateful and humbled by the remarkable support from all the communities in the district. It’s very encouraging to see that our cause continues to gain momentum,” said David Storobin. Storobin, who is running on the Republican, Conservative and Independence party lines and has been endorsed by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. He is seen observers as a heavy favorite in the CD48 race due to the strong support he’s received from the Jewish, Russian and Catholic communities. As a State Senator, he made a name for himself as a sponsor of the bill to repeal same-gender marriage and to allow for government funding of school vouchers, as well as for his support of special education funding. These bills explain a lot of the support for his candidacy in the frum community. (YWN Desk – NYC)

Former State Senator and a candidate for New York City Council David Storobin campaigned in the Catskills, last Sunday afternoon, among the vacationers there. Storobin has the Republican, Conservative, Independence and School Choice lines unopposed and is viewed as a strong favorite to win the election against whoever wins the Democratic primary. Nevertheless, he felt it was important to campaign in the Catskills where many Jews vacation over the summer. Storobin made a point of visiting Camp HASC where he discussed that a dozen years ago, while in law school, he volunteered for a Special Education Law Clinic which helped special needs children get the government funding they deserve under the Americans with Disabilities Act. “This is really important,” said Senator Storobin. “Just because someone shows up during the election, doesn’t necessarily mean they will return later, but it is a certainty that those who don’t come here before the vote will never come after it. If politicians can’t care enough right now, do you really think there’s any chance they will care later?” In his short stint as Senator, he sponsored many special education bills. Storobin’s former staffer Nachman Mostofsky said this issue is one of the key concerns for him. Storobin also made a point of visiting the local Wal-Mart, having recently come out in favor of building one in New York City, where a surprising number of Jewish people recognized him despite few of them being from his district. “Obviously we don’t need to build Wal-Mart on Coney Island avenue, but there are plenty of isolated places where Wal-Mart can be a boon to our community. If we put it in a place like the plaza off exit 15 on the Belt Parkway where it would only compete with Old Navy and other large corporations, it would be a tremendous way to boost jobs while providing people with a chance save money. Let’s be honest here: the liberals oppose this only because they sold out to the unions who are donating massive amounts of money to their campaign accounts. But my main concerns aren’t special interests, it’s the regular people who will save money and will have more shopping choices.” When Storobin won the Senate race against Councilman Lew Fidler, he won the overwhelming majority of the Orthodox Jewish vote. His team privately sounded very confident that the Jewish community will once again vote for Storobin based on his support for school vouchers and other yeshiva funding, as well as taking the lead in defending traditional values. Storobin was the second most conservative Senator in 2012. (Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)

No! Joe is not running for President and David is not his running mate. In what is seen as an unusual step, Republicans Joe Lhota, who’s running for mayor and David Storobin, running for City Council, seem to be seen much on the campaign trail together. After a successful outing on Brighton Beach where the two Republicans endorsed each other, Joe Lhota, the former Deputy Mayor under Mayor Giuliani, and David Storobin, the former Senator who is the only Jewish Republican elected to office in the last 15 years in New York City, have been campaign hard in Mr. Storobin’s district. On different days, they attended a Brighton Street Fair, a Coney Island barbeque organized by the South Brooklyn Conservative Club, a baseball game by the Brooklyn Cyclones, and a senior center in Brooklyn. Campaign sources are saying that the two candidates and their staff are working closely with each other. They say multiple other events are already on the calendar, and Rudy Giuliani is expected to campaign for both Republicans. Mr. Lhota was Rudy Giuliani’s closest advisor, and Storobin got his start in politics by volunteering for the Giuliani campaign in 1993. Mayor Giuliani also endorsed Storobin in his winning bid for State Senate. While the candidates disagree on some social issues, especially on same-gender marriage in which Mr. Storobin introduced a bill to repeal the same-gender marriage bill, the two claim they are on the same page on fiscal responsibility, school choice and criminal justice issues. Both candidates have been endorsed by the Conservative Party. While Mr. Storobin is guaranteed the Republican line, Mr. Lhota is still in a dead even battle for the Republican nomination with John Catsimatidis. Campaigning with Mr. Storobin in the Russian populated neighborhoods allows Mr. Lhota to garner some critical deciding votes in a district that has a lot of registered Republican voters. It also helps Mr. Storobin on a local level that he’s campaigning with the top of the ticket, according to public opinion polls, on so many occasions. (Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)

Weighing in on the Zimmerman acquittal, former Senator and Republican and Conservative candidate for the 48th City Council District, David Storobin slammed the Democrats for using the court’s decision to gain votes by promoting racial hatred. “I abhor the conduct of the Democratic Party politicians who are fanning the flames of race-baiting in the George Zimmerman case,” Mr. Storobin wrote in an Op-Ed on NYC Elects. “The man has been found Not Guilty. That’s the difference between the US and the Soviet Union – a jury independent of the politicians, a defendant who has real rights. No, dear liberals, nobody cares what you think. You did not hear the full extent of the evidence, only a few clips from whatever side you chose to hear it from. Your conduct in condemning the jury and assigning to these people the worst qualities, including racism, is shameful.” “Let me make it very clear: The Democratic Party is trying to score political points by getting their base excited using language that can only divide our communities. There is no other reason for the shameful, abhorrent conduct of all the liberals in the media and in politics. The verdict is not guilty. Liberals, stop dividing us to win elections!’ (Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)

It’s election year in the Russian community, and the two power brokers are out at it – over dominance in the first Russian represented council district. While the Democratic Party has yet determined who will be its nominee on the November Ballot, Storobin has managed to secure the Republican and Conservative party lines to take the campaign for the council district, represented by term-limited councilman Michael Nelson, ahead of time. This past friday afternoon, Democratic district leader Ari Kagan, who’s running in the Democratic primary for the 48th council district, took his preferred mayoral candidate Comptroller John Liu through the famous Tatiana Restaurant on the boardwalk, greeting voters in the middle of a late lunch. Two days later, Republican David Storobin brought Joe Lhota, a former deputy mayor in the Giuliani Administration, to do the same exact thing, earning an endorsement at the same time. The two pols didn’t hide their disguise of each other while battling over the honor of representing the first created Russian district in Brooklyn, Politicker’s Ross Barkan reports. “[Mr. Storobin] will play the Giuliani angle,” Mr. Kagan told Politicker. “He will say, ‘This is the guy who worked for Giuliani, he is endorsing me.’ People are very sophisticated, especially in Russian-speaking communities and in Orthodox Jewish communities, American and Chinese communities … people are not stupid.” Mr. Storobin was quick to fire back. “The guy has never had a full-time job in his life,” Mr. Storobin said of his rival, who’s backed by his rival over power, Russian radio mogul Gregory Davidzon. “That gentleman has been campaigning for about 15 years. And like I said, he’s never had a full-time job in his life. He doesn’t even own a driver’s license. For a 46 year old, I don’t know if that’s too much work experience.” The hatred between the two men, is to be attributed to Kagan’s ties to Gregory Davidzon, who suffered a setback last spring with David Storobin’s slim victory over Lew Fidler, Davidzon’s candidate. “He is known almost strictly to the elderly Russian people who listen to one radio station because they don’t speak English,” Mr. Storobin told Politicker. “Everyone who knows English knows me better … Even with the younger Russian people–and by younger I mean anyone under 65–they all know who I am. Nobody outside of the Russian retirees knows who he is. Literally has next to zero name ID.” Mr. Kagan didn’t shy away from hitting back. “I think I know local issues significantly more than him,” Mr. Kagan said. “I was at the opening of the Holocaust Memorial Park [in Sheepshead Bay] for example, in 1997 … Ask anybody in 1997, if they ever heard his name anywhere. He said, ‘I was young,’ but I came to America when I was 26 years old and I became involved the very next day.” The fight between Kagan and Storobin is all about who takes the lead of representing the fast- growing Russian voting bloc as an influential entity. Thus, the Democratic primary outcome will determine what faction wins the political rule of the American-Russian community in Brooklyn. If Kagan pulls it off against Chaim Deutsch, Teresa Scavo and Igor Oberman, Kagan’s main rival, Mr. Storobin will have a tougher case to make in November. Whereas, if Storobin manages to

It’s Fidler vs. Storobin all over again. In a scathing letter to labor unions and progressive political clubs, outgoing Democratic Councilman Lew Fidler accused fellow Democrat Igor Oberman, who is seeking to represent the neighboring 48th council district, of leaking information to his one-time Republican opponent and current leading candidate for the Council district, David Storobin. In the letter obtained by Politicker, Mr. Fidler  attributed his loss in the hotly-contested special election for the State Senate last year, losing by only 13 votes to Mr. Oberman passing along campaign secrets to his GOP rival, David Storobin. The dual loyalty, Mr. Fidler claims, was one of the contributing factors to his defeat. “Igor Oberman purported to support me. In actuality, he was a ‘mole’ inside my campaign for Storobin,” Mr. Fidler charged. “I do not make such an accusation lightly. We knew at a point that information about our efforts with Russian speaking voters was leaking like a sieve within minutes and at a point we suspected the culprit. But the culprit revealed himself on election night, when Igor Oberman appeared at the Storobin victory party …. with his arms raised in triumph interlocked with Storobin.” “Oberman has been paraded before you as if he is a paragon of progressiveness,” he continued in the letter addressed to groups like the Working Families Party, Hotel Trades Council and LGBT-oriented political clubs, on June 25, 2013. “He has high priced consultants in fancy suits. But you have been sold a bill of goods here. This is the same man who can embrace the most homophobic right wing effort in many a year … and not even have the integrity to do it openly.” As evidence, Mr. Fidler pointed to a $500 July 2012 contribution Mr. Oberman made to Mr. Storobin when he was up for re-election against Senator Simcha Felder. The Oberman campaign strongly disputed Mr. Fidler’s claims. “All of the claims in the letter are unsubstantiated,” said an Oberman spokeswoman. “Oberman was not at any time working for Storbin. He made a donation to Storobin when he was running against Simcha after Fidler’s campaign was long over.” In response, Mr. Storobin issued a lengthy response to Mr. Fidler, accusing him of lying and trying to “destroy” him. Mr. Storobin also tried killing two birds at once, by refreshing the minds of those who might of forgotten Gregory Davidzon’s support of Fidler, who’s now backing his Rusian opponent Ari Kagan. “There’s absolutely no truth to what Lew Fidler wrote. It was known that Igor and I know each other. Early in the campaign on January 19, 2012, he donated to me by coming to my fundraiser. Lew Fidler tried to destroy me, but instead all his attacks only destroyed him. While we focused on issues and the differences between a conservative and a liberal candidate (which he found an outrage for some strange reason), he made up lies about me being a “tied to Nazis” (if I were tied to Nazis, I’d have been tied by the Nazis who’d then kill me for being a Jew and an outspoken Zionist), followed by repeated assaults by his paid agents against my mom including causing the biggest scandal in the history of the Russian-American community when they compared her to farm animals on live radio. His agents claimed that because I’m a criminal lawyer

Republican and Conservative Party Mayoral candidate Joe Lhota and city council candidate David Storobin (48th CD) today endorsed each other’s campaigns in front of Tatiana’s Restaurant in Brighton Beach. The two candidates, who share little in common on social issues, plan to campaign together in Russian neighborhoods of Brooklyn, the Lhota campaign announced. “David will be a true reform partner in City Hall,” said Mr. Lhota. “We share a vision for strengthening the economy and quality of life for the people of Brooklyn, the borough I am also proud to call home. David has a proven record of delivering for his constituents and now we need him in the city council to continue that fight. This election will determine the future of our city.” “It’s critical we elect Joe Lhota as our next mayor,” said Mr. Storobin. “Joe is a tested leader who knows what it takes to keep our city moving forward. His experience as deputy mayor to Rudy Giuliani, combined with his private-sector background put him head-and-shoulders above the other candidates. I look forward to working with him to improve the lives of Brooklyn’s residents.” Both candidates are running on the Republican and conservative line, at least until September 10th. Yet, other than sharing the same vision on fiscal policy and benefiting from each other’s presence, the two share little in common when it comes to moral and family values. While former Senator David Storobin, who won with the Orthodox Jewish vote in a special election, rushed in his short term in Albany to introduce a bill to repeal the Same Gender marriage bill Mr. Lhota, who describes himself as social progressive, attended the pride parade in Manhattan last week. (Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)

Calling it “The most Republican voting district in all of New York City,” Former State Senator David Storobin expressed confidence he’ll win the council race in the 48th council district. In an interview on the “Spin Class“, Mr. Storobin told host Michael Fragin he has a proven record to represent all of the communities in the district. “We got 70 percent of the vote in the neighborhoods overlapping this district, in the March 21st Senate election,” Mr. Storobin pointed out. “The people here, not only do they vote Republican but are also registered Republicans. I really feel this seat should be represented by a Republican,” said Mr. Storobin. Listen to audio of the interview: (Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)

Interview with former State Senator David Storobin, who is running for New York City Council in the 48th Council district. YWN: What prompted you to run, and how do you assess your chances? David Storobin:  This was the strongest part of my Senate district where we got nearly 70% of the vote. The lines of this district go from Avenue L down to Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay. This district has voted for a Republican Mayoral, Gubernatorial and Presidential candidate in every election going back decades. I also get a very good vibe from the people as I campaign with so many people in all the different ethnic and religious communities being very supportive. YWN: Will you overcome the November race and get the same support, in the Jewish community, you got in March 2012? DS: Yes, I fully expect that the people who supported my candidacy in the March 20, 2012 elections will be with us this time. Most have already told me so. YWN: What are the issues you are running on, and what will be your focus in the city council, as a member of minority, to pursue what you have started in the few weeks you were in the Senate? DS: I will continue to fight for more education funding for both private and public schools. We need to expand after school vouchers and fight to push through regular school vouchers as well. As you know, I sponsored the repeal of the Blaine Amendment (this amendment forbids school vouchers) in the Senate, but because I was in Albany only 11 days, it was impossible for me to pass school vouchers. I will continue to fight for vouchers as a Councilman. We need to lower taxes and reduce bureaucracy to create jobs, particularly in this economy. We need to help small business. And obviously, being a sponsor of the repeal of gay marriage, I believe we should continue to fight back against liberals who are imposing their agenda on us. YWN: Are you guaranteed the full support of the Republican Party this time around? DS: When I saw the Republican Senate Majority Dean Skelos in March, he brought up the conversation about my run and encouraged me to jump in. Senator Marty Golden, Congressman Michael Grimm and Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, the only three Republican elected officials in Brooklyn, have all been very supportive and very helpful. Marty Golden in particular. YWN: Do you have any regrets about the Senate run in Borough Park last November? DS: We ran a good clean race focusing on the bills that I sponsored to improve education, reduce crime, create jobs, fund health care. We did much better than people thought we would, winning about 40% in Borough Park despite having a very difficult opponent. I’m very proud of the fact that so many young people in Borough Park were excited about my candidacy, and our data based on the breakdown of the electoral districts shows that we won the under-40 vote. YWN: Since you have the backing of the Conservative and GOP County, will you endorse a Republican for mayor in the primaries? DS: I like Joe Lhota. I disagree with him on some social issues because I’m more conservative, but I really like the fact that he was Rudy Giuliani’s

This week the Independence Party officially announced its endorsement of former Republican State Senator David Storobin for the 48th City Council District in Brooklyn. Storobin adds the Independence Party endorsement to official endorsements by the Conservative, School Choice and Republican Parties, positioning him strongly for the open seat in south Brooklyn being vacated by Democrat Michael Nelson who is term-limited. Storobin is the only candidate in a crowded field that includes at least five Democrats to pick up multiple party endorsements. “I am truly honored to receive such strong support very early on in the race,” said Storobin. “I want to thank the Conservative and Independence Parties for their endorsements, particularly Kings County Conservative Chairman Jerry Kassar, State Conservative Chairman Mike Long, and State Independence Party Chairman Frank McKay. I will do my very best to earn their support.” Storobin’s private sector experience as a successful attorney and small business employer, and his impressive legislative record amassed over just one year in the State Senate, make him the ideal candidate to represent the diverse neighborhoods of the 48th Council District and the clear choice to deliver for the people of Brooklyn. Chairman of the New York State Independence Party, Frank McKay, lauded the endorsement saying, “David Storobin has proven to be an independent voice who’s not afraid to stand up to the special interests in defense of his constituents. As Senator, he’s proven that whatever he promises on the campaign trail, he will do once he gets elected.” As a State Senator, Storobin sponsored 42 bills to promote job growth, lower taxes, help small business, and improve education. He has also spent the past decade as a strong community advocate, primarily for the district’s heavily Russian and Jewish populations. The 48th Council District covers Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Midwood and Sheepshead Bay. (YWN Desk – NYC)