On Tuesday, David G. Greenfield, the executive director of the Sephardic Community Federation, defeated two opponents in a special election to succeed former City Councilman Simcha Felder of Brooklyn on a seat representing the ethnically mixed neighborhood of Bensonhurst and Orthodox Jewish strongholds of Borough Park and Midwood.
31-year-old Greenfield trounced Joseph Lazar, former Buildings Department official, to win by an amazingly wide margin. Prior to the election, the intense and “acrimonious” campaign had drawn the attention of the state’s political bigwigs. About 58 percent of the voters voted in favor of Greenfield, 40 percent of the votes went to Mr. Lazar, and Kenneth Rice, a Police Department lawyer, grabbed the remaining votes, according to unofficial results.
Speaking after his in a community center on Ocean Parkway, Mr. Greenfield said that he had emerged victorious in every neighborhood in the district. He said that his victory had sent a message throughout Brooklyn, saying. “They’re hearing the sounds of people coming together instead of being pushed apart. This seat does not belong to political power brokers.”
The contest lasted nearly two months, featuring renowned figures and scrappy newcomers. Many accusations were hurled against the candidates, accusing them of employing dirty tricks and influencing the election by involving political heavyweights. This was implicit in the accusations of Mr. Lazar and Mr. Greenfield.
While Assemblyman Vito J. Lopez, Brooklyn Democratic chairman, campaigned for Mr. Greenfield, Assemblyman Dov Hikind backed Mr. Lazar. Even Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was reportedly backing Mr. Lazar on the pretext of their friendship.
While Mr. Lazar had the support from some of the prominent Hasidic organizations, Mr. Greenfield was said to be supported by the young Jewish generation of voters.
Sal Cali, one of Mr. Greenfield’s supporters, said at the community center: “Brooklyn is multicultural. Greenfield is the one candidate that was working with all of the groups.”
While Greenfield was reported as saying, "We won every single neighborhood in the district. This seat does not belong to political power brokers, it does not belong to the special interests. It belongs to the people of this community."
