The NY Post reports: The widespread talk in political circles after the extremely lopsided loss of the candidate he strongly backed for a Boro Park City Council Seat is about the diminished power of Assemblyman Dov Hikind.
Hikind, long seen as the gateway to the Jewish community in Brooklyn for local candidates, didn’t return a Knickerbocker call to his office earlier.
But a major story coming out of the special election for the 44th Council District was Hikind’s eroded power after Joe Lazar, his candidate, lost by nearly 20 points to David Greenfield in a race that was seen as too close to call heading into election day.
Dov Hikind has a proven history of endorsing front runner candidates late in the electoral cycle, what is often overlooked is the fact that Dov Hikind can no longer deliver his district to those candidates he supports.
“The secret is exposed, the emporer has no clothes,” said one Jewish community insider who argued Hikind’s power has long been oversold.
The insider pointed to a history of his endorsements in recent races – or even some not-recent ones – to suggest his power has been overstated.
Among his recent candidates, who were outvoted by their rivals in Hikind’s Assembly district were: Bill Thompson for mayor (Mayor Bloomberg got nearly four times the votes); John Liu for comptroller; Brad Lander for Council; and Kevin Parker for state Senate in 2008.
There are certainly vaguaries in every election district (and cycle), and Jewish candidates tend to fair better in the heavily-Jewish district, even if Hikind didn’t back them. But his boost in many cases hasn’t carried his preferred picks over the threshhold.
(Source: http://www.nypost.com/)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
14 Responses
I do not agree with this analyses. It not like had Dov supported greenfeld, Lazar would have lost. I think Greenfeld was a much better candidate in this case. If your a mayor looking to run for office and want the votes of the frum community, who else is as solid as DOV? nobody
Bye Bye Hikind. 🙂
28 years, done zero. I suggested to an Israeli friend of mine that he should take Hikind and make him an Israeli MK. He told me: Keep your garbage to yourself!
Dov, even the Israeli’s don’t want you!
I’m afraid he’s outlived his usefulness, politically speaking. It’s all about Dov lately, not about the needs of the community. His ego has become too large for him to be truly effective. Such a pity.
anshuldigt – I meant, “It not like had Dov supported greenfeld, Lazar would have WON”
selicha
Hikind does not HARM a candidacy, but his backing is increasingly becoming a far cry from affecting a done deal, in any race.
Now let’s focus on getting Hikind out of office.
What a day what a day
The only looser is Dov Hikind
His days are over.
Jews follow the torah not joe heintz if Hikind’s god is joe heintz .
Jews don’t want anything to do with Hikind the looser.
Why is YWN so always so anti-Dov?
Mw13:
This article was taken from the NY Post and is on other sites as well. If you will notice, it is the commenters who don’t like Hikind. Its nothing personal, he’s just a selfish egocentric politician who uses ugly tactics to bully people and get his way.
It gets old after a while. People are fed up. That’s part of the reason Greenfield won by a landslide.
While H$k$nd has pulled off some worthwhile accomplishments through his career, and has been outspoken on good causes, Hikind has been getting B I G money for all kind$ of thing$ and it end$ up in his pocket$.
Those with the bigger bundle alway$ get their way with Hikind!$!$!.
Ad mO$ai?
Those who know, know. No one will deny it.
The main reason that Hikind had his legendary “power” to back only winners was that everybody recognized his strong hakoras hatov that he had years ago. And people listened because they felt that he was a good person to listen to. But after he dropped Simcha Felder, a person who had the utmost loyalty to Hikind but was unrequited by Hikind, Dov’s “power” has started to erode. As people view him now, he’s a normal politician who will do and say anything, even if it means hurting past allies or friends.
What pure rubbish to say about Dov Hikind, he slaves for Jewish and Israel needs. It is about time that the negative commentators do some self reflection —& what you discover will be quite disappointing.
Wishes for a speedy Geulah.
The day he said we could support Hillary Clinton is the day we should have all realized that he would even sell out Israel if it could benefit him. What a shame. He started out with the right intentions but politics corrupts.
stan the man, he DOES slave for Jewish and Israel needs. No one is denying that!
Sorry, but neither will anyone deny that when it comes to needs/favors that aren’t newspaper-worthy!!!!!! among community people, the bigger $ bundle $ HAS ALWAYS WON. I know too many cases personally of the le$$er bundle losing out, unless it’s a publicity-gaining cause!