Hikind Reestablishing as Godfather of Orthodox Politics; Agudah Tries to Push Out Caller?

Assemblyman Dov Hikind blogs today that he and David Greenfield - Rabbinic leaders, Mosdos and Askonim - will hold a "Super Jewish Press Conference tomorrow for candidate Simcha Felder". It's an open secret that these three politicians weren't fond of each other, and that Hikind and the 2 others weren't talking terms, to say the least. Now, the Felder campaign is starting to reestablish Hikind as the godfather of Orthodox South Brooklyn's politics. Its easy to see in it a consequence of the Storobin strong showing, that shook up all the political forces who decided that they have to reestablish the political order against the strong grassroots. The question how long it can last.

Felder appearing on Dov Hikind's show Motzei Shabbos

In other reports on the establishment's efforts, a commenter on my site is criticizing Agudah's threatening and calling Nachman Caller to drop out of the race. Sources close to Agudah and Caller haven't responded to my requests to comment on the allegation, but Michael Fragin reiterated that "Caller will be a candidate for GOP senate. And if you still doubt his intentions, he established a @Caller4Senate twitter account.

Caller, of course, was pushed out from the race to replace Simcha Felder by Shia Ostereicher and Assembly Speaker Silver, who worked with Hikind to defeat David Greenfield. In discussions with Silver he spoke about being appointed to a state task force, but I don't know if it materialized. Maybe it's time to revive these talks...

And my fellow bloggers and news junkies Jacob Kornbluh - a vivid Storobin reporter - and Yossi Gestetner are clearly rooting against Felder. The special election prove that these young forces can't be underestimated.

Also, the NY Post is reporting that the taxpayers' cost for the special elections to replace Kruger - with the increasing likelihood that winner will never make it to Albany - will be about 1 million dollar. $750,000 went to set up the elections, and rest was and will be spent for the counting an re-canvassing and the expected recount. The NY Times' city room initially criticized the special election for costing $350,000. Spending such an amount for a vanishing position, will hopefully wake up the state government against these special elections, that are only saving political clubs who can easier appoint their chosen candidates, avoiding primaries.


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