As of midnight on election night, the race for the 45th Assembly District in Brooklyn remains one of the most closely watched contests in the city, with incumbent Republican Assembly Member Michael Novakhov holding a razor-thin lead over Democratic challenger Joey Cohen-Saban.
With an estimated 99% of the vote tallied, Novakhov stands at 50.24%, while Cohen-Saban trails closely at 49.32%, according to unofficial New York City Board of Elections results. Currently, there are just 270 votes separating the two candidates.
Speaking to Brooklyn Paper Wednesday morning, Fran Vella-Marrone, chair of the Kings County Conservative Party, confirmed that the race was too close to call. The outcome could hinge on the final counting of absentee ballots, provisional ballots and any outstanding votes not yet reported.
The district spans the neighborhoods of Manhattan Beach, parts of Brighton Beach, Gravesend and Sheepshead Bay.
Addressing the crowd at an election night party at Bay Ridge Manor, Novakhov said he was surprised by the numbers — but wasn’t worried.
“I’ll be honest with you, I expected different numbers, but as long as we get all our Republican seats back to the New York State Assembly, it’s good for me in accepting a very close victory [over] an unexpected squeaker,” he said. “It’s not about the numbers, it’s about keeping our seats in the Assembly.”
New York Republicans are just three seats away from breaking the Democratic supermajority in the Assembly, he added.
Novakhov was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 2022. A long-time community advocate and Manhattan Beach resident, issues such as public safety and small business support have been at the forefront of his campaign. Novakhov’s legislative agenda has centered on crime prevention, supporting law enforcement and improving infrastructure.
Challenger Cohen-Saban, a first-time candidate and South Brooklyn native, has been involved in grassroots efforts to address local issues such as housing affordability, school funding and economic opportunities for small businesses.
As of Wednesday morning, neither candidate had made a public statement, but Vella-Marrone told Brooklyn Paper she is confident Novakhov will secure his seat.
“It’s close,” she said. “There are still ballots to be counted, but we’re up — Novakhov is up — and I expect him to continue to be up and ultimately win.”
In a statement to Brooklyn Paper, Kings County Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn commended Cohen-Saban for a strong campaign and expressed her eagerness to count every vote.
“I congratulate Joey Cohen-Saban, who is a lifelong community advocate for South Brooklyn with strong Party support,” she said. “Joey Cohen-Saban made big inroads in his first election campaign against an entrenched GOP incumbent in South Brooklyn’s AD 45. As we await the final results, we remain focused on ensuring every vote is counted in this tight race.”
Representatives for Novakhov and Cohen-Saban could not immediately be reached for comment.
This story is developing. Check back for more updates.
— Additional reporting by Robert Pearl
