Republicans made significant gains across the five boroughs of New York City, with former NYPD sergeant Steve Chan winning a State senate seat in Southern Brooklyn and Alec Brook-Krasny and Michael Novakhov holding onto their Assembly seats. The wins came despite opposition from incumbent Democrat Iwen Chu.
Chan’s victory was fueled by Asian-American voters who opposed a forthcoming homeless shelter in Bensonhurst. Republican candidates had made combating the shelter a key campaign issue, particularly targeting long-term homeless New Yorkers rather than newly arrived migrants from the Southern Border.
The results marked a significant shift for Brooklyn Democrats, who lost control of several seats to Republicans. Assemblymembers Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn and Justin Brannan expressed confidence that Democrats would regain some ground in the future, but acknowledged the challenges ahead.
For Republicans, Tuesday’s wins were a “red wave” fueled by voter frustration with the status quo. The party chairman, Richard Barsamian, said that crossover Democrat support was crucial to their success.
Source: https://www.thecity.nyc/2024/11/06/steve-chen-iwen-chu-red-wave-southern-brooklyn