Purim Elections Shaping Up

Storobin Vs. Fidler
Republicans ask for later Primary together with Presidential Primary

The NYT and covered today the race to replace Kruger. David Storobin, a lawyer and Vice Chair will probably run on the republican line. He appeared yesterday with Senate Majority leader Dean G. Skelos, State Senator Marty Golden and leaders of the Frum Russian community, at a breakfast that he arranged in Manhattan Beach Jewish Center. (Storobin insisted that this was not a fundraiser.)

Storobin with Skelos and Golden and Jewish leaders

Though outnumbered 3 to 1, the Republicans, fresh from the Turner victory in a Congressional district that includes most of the area that Mr. Kruger represented, aren’t giving up on the seat. Turner won this part of the district 2/1.  

Meanwhile, Fidler is confident he already secured enough leadership votes to run on the Democratic ticket, and County Chairman Vito Lopez already referred to him as the party’s candidate.

Lew Fidler

Storobin with Mayor Bloomberg

Date: The election is expected sometime after early March, which coincides with Purim, a good time for lively political rallies for the Jewish communities and for Purim jingles. (Hint: it hasn’t worked last time).

Brooklyn GOP Chairman Craig Eaton called for the special primary to be held on April 24. It’s the same date as the GOP presidential primary, which will increase the republican turnout. Eaton argues that it will be cost effective, avoiding a separate special elections, and is pointing out that the NY-9 elections took place the same day as the democratic primary (it was also the republican primary, but republican primaries in the city are a joke). A later primary will also allow more time for the unknown republican primary to raise funds and pick up momentum.

War Chest: Fidler enjoys a formidable campaign war chest, with $332,000 in his treasury as of July, and he has widespread name recognition in the district, which also includes Brighton Beach, Midwood and Mill Basin.

Issues: Before even confirming his candidacy, Storobin already started to attack his opponent, telling David Freelander of the Observer that: “Lew Fidler doesn’t fit this district ideologically,” Mr. Storobin noted that Mr. Fidler is pro-gay marriage and has voted to increase taxes. So, expect morality to be a major issue.

He described Fidler as “the most liberal elected official and this is not a liberal district.” He believes that his message will resonate with the Orthodox and the Russians. “Every time you talk about taking money from the wealthy, the Russians get very upset. And the orthodox Jews are very socially conservative. These are not the kind of people that vote for Lew Fidler,” he’s quoted.

Storobin wrote an article earlier this year criticizing the democrats for dividing and suppressing the voting power of Russian communities. “Soviet Jews left behind their jobs as doctors and lawyers in Russia to become maids and cab drivers in the United States, so that their children could someday be treated as equals. Being able to get the worthy in their community elected was part of the American Dream they sought,” he penned, concluding that their dreams were denied. He hopes to partly correct this now.

David who? Storobin was profiled by the SF Community Colleges Examiner, as a positive role model when choosing a college major. He grew up poor, by a single mother, and borrowed for his higher education. He quickly established an own law office, and succeeded nicely. He was attracted to law because the intellectuality in it, and his wish to assist people.

Who else: According to the Brooklyn Daily, there is chance that Judge Igor Oberman, Borough President Markowitz’s liaison to Russian community, will enter the race. Oberman tried to run against Kruger in the 2010 primary, but dropped out. Storobin and Oberman will have to start fund raising from ground.

UPDATE: Here you can watch videos of the Storobin Hanukkah gathering.

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