Democrat Sam Sutton won the special election for state Senate District 22 by a landslide on Tuesday night, picking up two-thirds of the vote in a largely right-leaning district.
Sutton, a Brooklyn native active in local Jewish nonprofits and advocacy groups, earned a whopping 66.85% of votes, according to the city’s Board of Elections, while Republican Nachman Carl Caller garnered just 32%.
“I’m humbled that the voters of the 22nd Senate District confidently voiced their support, and entrusted me to represent and fight for our community in Albany and in South Brooklyn as their state Senator,” Sutton said in a statement.
The district includes parts of Borough Park, Midwood, Homecrest, Gravesend, Sheepshead Bay, and Marine Park, and is home to a large Orthodox Jewish community.
Both parties had been gunning for the seat, which was vacated by conservative Democrat Simcha Felder in March after he won a special election for the 44th Council District.
President Donald Trump won SD22 by 71% in 2020, and took it by 77% in November. In 2022, a “Red Wave” unseated three Democratic Assembly Members in the area, and Republicans flipped nearby SD17 by more than 5,000 votes last fall.
Though Felder was a Democrat, he frequently caucused with his Republican counterparts and often ran on multiple party lines. In the 2024 election, he appeared on the ballot as a Democrat, Republican, and Conservative — and earned the highest number of votes on the Republican party line.
But SD22 voters have largely continued to support Democrats in state Assembly and City Council races, and continued the trend in electing Sutton. Turnout was low — only about 8% of the district’s more than 147,000 active registered voters participated in the election.
A co-founder of the Sephardic Community Federation who has served on the boards at the New York Cancer Center and the Safe Foundation, Sutton was backed by the Brooklyn Democratic Party and campaigned on three “key initiatives:” education reform, economic growth, and environmental protections.
“Sam Sutton has been a fixture in our community,” said Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, in a statement. “His senatorial nomination was unanimous—and for good reason. Sam is a consensus-builder, a champion for equity, and an ardent leader who brings both dedication and competence to the table.”
Caller, who was endorsed by Republican congress members Elise Stefanik and Mike Lawler, touted his “deep understanding of law” and “unwavering commitment to religious freedom.”
He pledged to enable “significant new housing development and “promote economic growth,” and to fight for the independence of Yeshivas and “maintain the character and values of our neighborhood while addressing critical needs.”
On May 20, a social media account tied to Caller’s campaign said he had called Sutton to congratulate him on the win.
“This victory represents a unified voice calling for positive change across our diverse district — and I am eager to get to work ensuring our constituencies’ pressing issues are solved,” Sutton said in a statement. “From tackling antisemitism to expanding economic development to improving public safety, I’m looking forward to working with my future colleagues in the Senate to advocate for Brooklynites and all New Yorkers.”
Ken Martin, co-chair of the Democratic National Committee, said Sutton’s victory showed that voters were “ready to reject” candidates who embrace Trump’s policies.
‘[Tuesday’s] victory, in a district Donald Trump won by 55 points in November, is yet another proof point Republicans are sinking,” he said in a statement. “While Trump and Republicans side with billionaires, voters are siding with strong Democratic leaders who will fight for everyday Americans, protect their rights, and uphold their freedoms.”
