An endorsement from a conservative Borough Park legislator and a debate over a park on the other side of the borough could cost City Council candidate Brad Lander some votes in the upcoming primary.
Political insiders say that Assemblymember’s Dov Hikind’s support of Lander could hurt the candidate as he tries to cultivate votes from the Lesbian, Gay, Bi−Sexual and Transgender (LGBT) communities in Park Slope and Carroll Gardens.
Hikind’s recent and highly publicized outrage over a push to honor LGBT men and women at Holocaust Memorial Park in Sheepshead Bay is not sitting well with voters in the 39th District, some allege.
“It might not be a defining issue in this race, but a lot of progressive voters in Park Slope think that Hikind is out of touch,” said one political insider. “While Lander acts like a progressive on the surface, his statements kind of ring hollow once you find out that he was happy to pursue support from a guy like Hikind.”
The issue was first mentioned in City Hall News. Hikind’s support of Lander, which was secured months before the assemblyman spoke out against plans to honor LGBT victims at Holocaust Memorial Park, will undoubtedly go a long way in securing voters in the Borough Park end of the district.
Still, the support comes with a small amount of controversy.
“I don’t know why he would single out the LGBT community in this way,” said Bob Zuckerman, who is also running for the 39th Council District. Others in the race include Josh Skaller, John Heyer and Gary Reilly.
Zuckerman, who is gay, said that the Hikind endorsement is “troubling to a lot of progressives in the district.”
“It doesn’t come up a lot, but it’s hanging out there,” he said. “We were out petitioning one day and we ran into a canvasser for the Working Families Party and he had heard about Hikind and was very upset.”
The Working Families Party is endorsing Lander for City Council.
“[Hikind’s support] certainly doesn’t help Lander,” said Alan Fleishman, Democratic District Leader for the 52nd Assembly District in Park Slope. “It’s a double−edged sword with Hikind − you may get the Orthodox vote but you alienate the progressives.”
Lander, however, believes that voters will be able to differentiate his beliefs from Hikind’s.
“We’re building a broad and diverse coalition of support… one that I’m proud of,” said Lander, who said he has several members of the Lambda Independent Democrats, the borough’s leading LGBT political club, supporting his campaign. “The voters know that I am a longtime supporter of marriage equality and support LGBT rights and that I agree with the Parks Department’s plans to recognize all the victims of the Holocaust.”
At the same time, Lander said that he is gratified to see so much support from Borough Park residents.
“[Borough Park’s] an important part of the district that deserves representation,” he said. “We may disagree on some issues, but residents there still want someone to fight for affordable housing and small businesses and that’s what I can provide.”
