Simcha Felder

Last updated

It's my belief is that the party is not merely a vessel for someone's personal ambition to take someone from where they are to where they want to be. The party represents certain principles. Here you have someone who took the Democratic line, ran on it, won on it, and immediately stood with the Republicans.

In the 2018 Democratic primary in September 2018, Felder defeated Blake Morris, [46] a lawyer. [47] Felder won re-election on November 6, 2018. [48]

The 2018 elections saw the Democrats win control of the State Senate for only the second time since World War II. Felder sought to rejoin the Senate Democratic Conference. However, on December 31, 2018, the Senate Democratic Conference announced that Felder would not be allowed to rejoin its ranks. Even without Felder, the Democrats had 39 Senate seats, seven more than the 32 needed for a majority. [49] On January 9, 2019, the Daily News reported that Felder had decided against caucusing with the Republicans, and was looking forward to rejoining the Senate Democrats "'at the appropriate time'". [2]

Felder was accepted into the Democratic caucus July 1, 2019 after having voted with the Democrats on multiple major pieces of legislation. [50]

In 2022, following redistricting, Felder--who represented New York's 17th Senate District--sought re-election in New York's 22nd Senate district. [51] Felder won re-election in the 22nd Senate District in November 2022. [52]

Felder's final day in the legislature was April 9, 2025. He stepped down from his Senate seat after being elected to the New York City Council. [53] His farewell speech marked only the third time he had ever spoken on the Senate floor. [54]

New York City Council (2025–present)

Felder returned to the New York City Council in 2025. [55] [56]

Following the 2024 election of New York City Councilmember Kalman Yeger to the New York State Assembly, Felder announced his candidacy for Yeger's seat on the New York City Council representing District 44. [57] Felder had held the same seat during his previous City Council tenure. On March 25, 2025, he won the seat with more than 81% of the vote. [58]

Personal life

Felder resides in Borough Park, Brooklyn. [59]

References

  1. Vielkind, Jimmy (August 10, 2016). "Republicans crow that Felder is running on GOP line". POLITICO.
  2. 1 2 Lovett, Kenneth (January 9, 2019). "Without the Dems or the Republicans, Brooklyn state Sen. Felder an island to himself". Daily News .
  3. Rivoli, Dan (March 26, 2025). "Veteran of Orthodox Jewish politics returns to Council". ny1.com.
  4. "Simcha Felder's outsized impact on education". City & State NY. August 28, 2018.
  5. Vielkind, Jimmy (March 29, 2018). "With budget stalled, Felder pushes moratorium for yeshivas". POLITICO.
  6. "Beth Aaron Congregation" . Retrieved June 4, 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 Runyeon, Frank (October 4, 2016). ""Heretic." "Maverick." "Opportunist." "Advocate." Who is the real Simcha Felder?". City & State. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  8. Lytle, Baruch (March 19, 2025). "State Senator Simcha Felder, Eyeing Move To City Council, On Babka, Trump, And His Approach To Public Service". JewishPress.com.
  9. 1 2 Witt, Stephen (April 12, 2018). "Simcha Felder: Independent Thinker, Political Pragmatist". politicsny.com.
  10. Katinas, Paula (November 30, 2015). "In Public Service: Felder aims to make life easier for residents". Brooklyn Eagle.
  11. Katz, Celeste (April 24, 2012). "Dov Hikind, David Greenfield Endorse Simcha Felder For New "Super-Jewish" State Senate Seat". nydailynews.com.
  12. "2001 New York City Election Results" (PDF). Vote.NYC. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  13. "2005 New York City Council Election Results, District 44" (PDF). Vote.NYC. November 22, 2021.
  14. "2009 New York City Council Election Results, District 44" (PDF). Vote.NYC. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  15. "Council's Felder Sides With Mayor". New York Sun. April 14, 2005.
  16. "Boro Park Pol Favors Gay Speaker Hopeful". The Jewish Week. December 30, 2005.
  17. "Felder's Private Office". New York Observer. January 13, 2006. Archived from the original on July 6, 2008.
  18. "City Adds Funds For Catholic, Jewish Schools". New York Sun. July 10, 2006.
  19. "Simcha Felder Against Allowing Religious Symbols In Schools". New York Sun. June 19, 2007.
  20. "NYC Councilman Wants Caffeine Labeling". Associated Press. February 20, 2007.
  21. "Law would destroy my livelihood!". The Brooklyn Paper. May 5, 2007.
  22. "$1,000 fine for feeding pigeons? N.Y. considers". NBC News. November 14, 2007.
  23. "Felder: I'm a Malcolm Smith Democrat". New York Daily News. June 2, 2008.
  24. "Felder is Not a Doghouse Democrat". Room Eight NY. August 4, 2008.
  25. "The Last Days of Pay to Play". New York Magazine. February 26, 2007.
  26. "UN Takes A Beating". The Jewish Week. December 17, 2004.
  27. "U.N. signs contract with Skanska for HQ renovation". Reuters. July 27, 2007.
  28. "Probe: Chief didn't use slur". Newsday. August 4, 2007. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
  29. "Mayor Bloomberg sets date for City Council special election to fill Simcha Felder's vacant seat". silive.com. February 1, 2010.
  30. Witt, Stephen (August 5, 2008). "Race's red hot rhetoric - Parker, Stewart, Felder in fierce war of words • Brooklyn Paper". www.brooklynpaper.com.
  31. Confessore, Nicholas; Hicks, Jonathan P. (September 10, 2008). "Silver Sidesteps a Challenge, but Other Incumbents Fall in Primary". The New York Times.
  32. 1 2 3 Silberstein, Rachel (May 30, 2018). "Sen. Simcha Felder, explained". Times Union .
  33. 1 2 "Brooklyn Dems' Frank Seddio Calls Simcha Felder Plan To Caucus With Senate GOP 'A Betrayal'". New York Daily News. November 14, 2012.
  34. Benjamin, Liz (September 5, 2018). "Analysis: Eyes on Senate in Albany power struggle and these 5 races". spectrumlocalnews.com.
  35. Miller, Rick (January 3, 2018). "Young: Republicans to maintain control in Senate". oleantimesherald.com.
  36. Mogul, Fred (May 24, 2018). "New York Democrats Select Their Candidates—And 'Purge' a State Senator". wnyc.org.
  37. "Group picks slick pol for Oil Slick Award" . Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  38. "Klein Offers Hostile Abortion Amendment, Fails (Updatedx2)". State of Politics. June 21, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  39. Balofsky, Ahuva (July 11, 2013). "Abortion Bill Scheduled for Shabbat". BreakingIsraelNews.com. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  40. "NYS Sen. Dems Delay Abortion Vote". The Lid. July 7, 2013.
  41. "2014 New York State Senate Election Results" (PDF). Elections.NY.gov.
  42. 1 2 "2016 New York State Senate Election Results" (PDF). Elections.NY.gov.
  43. Wang, Vivian; McKinley, Jesse (April 3, 2018). "The Curious Case of the Yeshiva Carve-Out". The New York Times.
  44. Campbell, John; Spector, Joseph (April 24, 2018). "Simcha Felder to stick with Senate Republicans, denying potential Democratic control". Democrat and Chronicle .
  45. Cutler, Nancy. "Cuomo crows about a Democratic Senate majority as he waits on Simcha Felder". The Journal News .
  46. "IDC and other New York legislative 2018 primary results". City & State NY. September 14, 2018.
  47. Clark, Amy Sara (August 8, 2018). "Can A Progressive Upend Felder?". The Jewish Week .
  48. Feldman, Ari (November 7, 2018). "Simcha Felder Is Kingmaker No More — Faces 'Different World' In Albany". The Forward .
  49. Lovett, Kenneth (December 31, 2018). "EXCLUSIVE: NYS Senate Dems say thanks, but no thanks to Simcha Felder's return to Democratic conference". Daily News .
  50. Reisman, Nick (July 1, 2019). "Felder Joins Senate Dem Fold". NYstateofpolitics.com. Archived from the original on July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  51. Khurshid, Samar (September 22, 2022). "Races to Watch in New York's 2022 General Election". Gotham Gazette.
  52. "2022 New York state legislative general election results". City & State NY. November 8, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  53. "Simcha Felder Leaves NY State Senate for City Council, Leaving a Lasting Legacy". Boro Park 24. April 9, 2025. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  54. Beeferman, Jason (April 9, 2025). "Late budget blaming continues". Politico . Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  55. "District 44 - Simcha Felder". council.nyc.gov. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  56. Tracy, Matt (April 24, 2025). "Council approves bills to protect gender-affirming care after hospitals cave to Trump". gaycitynews.com.
  57. "Simcha Felder Enters Race For NYC Council Special Election". BoroPark 24. December 2, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  58. "Simcha Felder wins back his former City Council seat in landslide vote". Brooklyn Eagle. March 26, 2025. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
  59. Rivlin-Nadler, Max; and Evans, Lauren. "Meet The Senator Who Stands Between New Yorkers And Universal Health Care", The Village Voice , May 25, 2017. Accessed February 8, 2019. "That one vote is represented by State Senator Simcha Felder, of Borough Park, Brooklyn."
Simcha Felder
(03-20-19) NY State Senator Simcha Felder during Senate Session at the NY State Capitol, Albany NY (cropped).jpg
Felder in 2019
Member of the New York City Council
from the 44th district
Assumed office
April 10, 2025
Political offices
Preceded by New York City Council, 44th district
20022010
Succeeded by
Preceded by New York City Council, 44th district
2025present
Succeeded by
Incumbent
New York State Senate
Preceded by New York State Senate, 17th district
2013–2023
Succeeded by
Preceded by New York State Senate, 22nd district
2023–2025
Succeeded by