A rundown of the potential firsts in New York politics.
Published on City & State New York.
This year, New York voters have the opportunity to elect a number of candidates to the state Legislature who would mark historic firsts. Here's a look at the candidates looking to make history in 2018.
FIRST MUSLIMS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE
Robert Jackson and Charles Fall are poised to become the first Muslims in the state Legislature. Jackson beat state Sen. Marisol Alcantara, a former member of the Independent Democratic Conference, in a closely watched Democratic primary and is expected to easily win in November.
I’ve been a Muslim since 1975. I haven’t just recently become a Muslim,” Jackson said in 2010, when he was the only Muslim member of the New York City Council. “And all of my entire family are Muslim, my wife, my three daughters.”
Fall, who won his Democratic primary in Staten Island, is also expected to win against two third-party opponents. He previously served as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s citywide Islamic liaison, and touted the passage of legislation that added the Muslim holidays Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha to the school calendar.
“This is something I’ve gone through, being a Muslim, you had to choose between going to school and taking a test, or spending the religious holidays with my family,” Fall said. “So having the two Eids on the daily calendar, now our kids can actually spend the holidays with their families.”
FIRST ASIAN-AMERICAN STATE SENATORS
John Liu, the former New York City comptroller, could become the first Asian-American to serve in the state Senate. But the Taiwanese-born politician, who was the first Asian-American elected to the New York City Council and then the first elected to a citywide post, must beat Queens state Sen. Tony Avella, who lost to Liu in the Democratic primary but is continuing to run on third-party lines.
“Yes, I’m the first Asian-American, but as I often say, I wish I were the ninth or 10th,” Liu told the Times Union. “I mean, for goodness sake, it’s 2018.”
Liu also could share the historic feat with Jeremy Cooney and Kevin Thomas. Cooney and Thomas would be the first Indian-Americans elected to the state Legislature. However, they both have tough battles against longtime incumbent Republicans, Cooney against state Sen. Joseph Robach and Thomas against state Sen. Kemp Hannon.
Cooney told City & State that his story illustrates the American dream. “I was born in an orphanage in Calcutta, India, one of the poorest cities in the world and here I am now running for state office, possibly becoming one of the first South Asians and first Asians ever to be elected to the New York state Senate,” he said. “One of our biggest supporters here in Rochester is Indian-American. He’s a Republican, he has always supported Republicans, but he said ‘I have a 2-year-old son and I want him to see that you can vote for brown people just like us.’ The fact that there’s never been representation is crazy in 2018. I take that responsibility really seriously.”
FIRST HASIDIC JEW IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE
Simcha Eichenstein is running unopposed in Assembly District 48, and when he wins he will be the first Hasidic Jew elected to the state Legislature. Of course, he wouldn’t be the first Orthodox Jew ever elected – Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who is vacating the seat, is Orthodox.
Eichenstein grew up in Borough Park in the Bobov community, a Hasidic sect within Haredi Judaism. “I guess someone has to be the first but I’m certain I won’t be the last,” Eichenstein said. “Our vibrant and growing community is filled with Hasidic civic-minded individuals who are eager to give back to the community as public servants. … It will be a pleasure to dispel any stereotypes that anyone might still have of the Hasidic Jewish community.”
FIRST “DREAMER”
Catalina Cruz, the Democratic nominee in the 39th Assembly District has been heavily campaigning on her identity as “Dreamer” – a cohort that immigrated here illegally as children – and how she would be the first one to hold office in New York.
“When the DREAM Act was originally written, thousands of undocumented youth like myself pinned their hopes and dreams on action from the federal government,” she said in a statement. “Today, many more continue to live in fear while facing uncertain futures. All are DREAMers, and Americans in every which way except on paper.”
FIRST DOCTOR LEGISLATOR IN MODERN TIMES
Dr. Jeffrey Ascherman, a Republican, claims that if he wins his bid to unseat Democratic incumbent Assemblyman Dan Quart in District 73, he will be the first doctor in the state Legislature in over 50 years. City & State could not find any information that refutes that claim. However, there have been other state legislators in the health profession, including former Assemblyman Steve Katz, who is a veterinarian, and current state Sen. Terrence Murphy, who is a chiropractor.
Ascherman is a plastic surgeon and part of his practice includes doing breast reconstruction surgeries after mastectomies. He said he was inspired to run for office after two patients within a few months were told by their insurance companies that they had to have their breast reconstruction surgeries done as outpatient procedures. According to Ascherman, the procedure usually requires a three- or four-day hospital stay. “That’s not even safe,” Ascherman said. “It’s just not right.”
After that, he realized there were currently no doctors in the state Legislature. He said that in the past, he has received a number of requests to write up opinions in support of health bills in the Legislature but he felt that wasn’t enough. “I realized I could write an example that no one would ever see but if I could be there and explain it, I could help everyone,” he said.
FIRST BLACK REPUBLICAN LEGISLATOR IN MODERN TIMES
If Joe Pinion wins in Assembly District 90, he would be the first black Republican in the state Legislature in over 100 years. In 1917, Edward A. Johnson, an ex-slave, was elected to the Assembly as a Republican. Since 1917, no other black Republican has been elected to the state Legislature, although the major-party platforms have changed substantially over that time.
However, it is unlikely that Pinion will win his race against Democrat Nader Sayegh for the vacant seat. The Yonkers district has been safely Democratic for a number of years. Shelley Mayer, the Democrat who vacated the seat in April after she won a special election for state Senate District 37, ran unopposed in the 2016 election and won by a landslide in 2014.
FIRST SUPERHERO IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE
Holy November elections! Cayuga County Legislator Keith Batman is running for the 126th Assembly District! “I don't have a cave lair or rocket propelled batmobile,” he admits on his campaign website. “I'm not that kind of Batman. Fortunately, I do have the dedication and work ethic our district fosters and understands.”