RUBAIN DORANCY vs. JESSE HAMILTON
Rubain Dorancy and Jesse Hamilton are going head to head for the empty state Senate seat vacated last year by Borough President Adams. Observers say the race has turned into a proxy battle between two would-be Brooklyn power brokers, with Adams backing Hamilton and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D–Clinton Hill) putting his weight behind Dorancy.
RUBAIN DORANCY
DEMOCRAT, former teacher, and longtime administrator in the Department of Education
Dorancy is an education activist and a former chairman of the Haitian American Association for Political Action lobbying group.
51, married, three children
JESSE HAMILTON
DEMOCRAT, eight-year male district leader of the 43rd Assembly District, president of the Lincoln Civic Block Association, and attorney with the Department of Finance
51, married, two children
THE CAMPAIGN
In July, Hamilton tried to knock his opponent out of the race with a lawsuit claiming that Dorancy lives in Mill Basin, rather than in his childhood home in Crown Heights. Dorancy responded with a countersuit alleging fraudulent language in Hamilton’s petitions to get on the ballot, but in August a judge threw out both suits.
Dorancy has received endorsements from Mayor DeBlasio, while Hamilton has received endorsements from a number of unions, including the United Federation of Teachers.
