In an interesting conversation with the Politcker yesterday, Assemblyman Dov Hikind claimed that he received calls from US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Bob Turner just minutes apart after Turner announced that he would take on Gillibrand for US Senate in her upcoming campaign for re-election this November.
Per Hikind each had called to ask for Hikind’s support in the upcoming Senate race between the Liberal Senator Gillibrand and the Conservative Congressman Turner. Hikind told the Politicker that he was not yet ready to make an endorsement. This may come as a surprise to many of Hikind’s constituents. Hikind, famously, waited until six days before the end of Bob Turner’s election to enthusiastically endorse Bob Turner in the race for US Congress – after all polls projected to an overwhelming victory for Turner. Hikind declared at the time “I am supporting Mr. Turner because this is a rare opportunity for all those living in the 9th Congressional District, myself included, to send a message to President Obama about his failed, disastrous economic policies and his reckless policies toward Israel.”
Which begs the question: has Obama got the message? We’ll find out when Hikind makes his decision on who to endorse.
(Dov Gordon – YWN)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
12 Responses
Hikind needs to decide if he wants to be the most conservative Democrat in the Assembly (where at least he is part of the majority party), or to switch sides to the party where he for the most part belongs (albeit as a “big government” Republican, which is common in New York).
If Turner won, it would have seismic significance, and could affect control of the United States Senate in a big way.
Hikind will support the obvious winner.
Hikind won’t say anything until he thinks he knows who can win although this backfired on him a few times since the polls aren’t always accurate.
I don’t unnderstand how Hikind can even CONSIDER endorsing Gillibrand. She is the most liberal member of Congress! What a chilul hashem!
He can endorse Gilibrand from today to tomorrow, the people in his district will vote for Turner anyways
If you focus on economic issues, Hikind (and most of the frum community) are radically to the left as well. Stop looking at gays and abortion, and look at cheap medical care for frum kids, indirect subsidies for frum schools, Pell grants for yeshiva kids, maintaining a huge military establishment in part to make the Middle East a bit less dangerous for Israel, etc. We, as a community, aren’t exactly “Tea partiers”.
4. Ferd says:”I don’t unnderstand how Hikind can even CONSIDER endorsing Gillibrand…”
I DO understand, Ferd. It’s called POLITICAL REALITIES.
Hikind walks a political tightrope. In a Democrat town, he has, sometimes, strayed from the reservation to endorse Republicans, like Pataki and Giuliani.
Because he represents an Orthodox Jewish district, he is given permission to stray from the Party line on issues, such as Sodomy and Abortion, in order to protect his seat from going to the opposition Republican party.
Note that he has not taken any position on the Storobin/Fidler race in Flatbush, because of the fierce opposition proclaimed by leading Rabbonim and Torah authorities against the election of Fidler.
However, Speaker Silver, who is Hikind’s boss in the State Assembly, reserves the right to demand Party discipline from Hikind when his participation could make or break an important election that the Democrat Party desparately needs to win.
Gillibrand is a weak candidate, and, to win, she needs to surround herself with glowing endorsements from leading Democrat officeholders. Hikind has enormous influence, so the Party may demand that he fall into line…or else–
–Or else, he may lose all his positions of power within the Party, courtesy of boss Silver and Governor Cuomo.
Stay tuned.
What’s there to be surprised about? A liberal is a liberal is a liberal.
For what’s its worth, Hikind might just be the biggest CURRENTLY ELECTED X-factor in America when it comes to politics. No other Democratic or Republican in any of the 50 states can put their endorsement here or there in important races for major seats and still expect to win their own seat. An interesting point as many major news sources picked up on during the Turner race…
It shows the diversity of the Frum vote, as discussed in the comments, on economic issue, and the diversity of highlighting social issues (though near all Frum Jews are themselves socially conservative.)
M’amcha?
DQB
Notice they want Hikind’s support. So unlike ywn who HATES HATES HATES Hikind and continuously goes out of their way to slam him obviosly many people respect him.
Let’s face it. Hikind is no longer the idealist that he was years ago. Despite any protestations that he makes, he, as of late, has become quite comfortable becoming your regular deal-making backroom politician.
hikind will wait for the polls to come out, and he will endorse the 1 leading in the polls…..