Democrats Flip Brooklyn Seats as Lander Heads to Congress
Brad Lander won New York’s 10th Congressional District with 83.2% of the vote, defeating Republican challenger. At an election-night gathering in Park Slope, the former city comptroller cast the Democratic victories as a demand from voters for action on affordability and economic inequality. He said he would press for affordable housing, Medicare for all, immigrant rights and Palestinian rights, while opposing antisemitism and supporting Jewish communities’ safety.
Lander also pledged to back Brooklyn’s Hakeem Jeffries for House speaker, while holding Democratic leaders and colleagues accountable. He called for reducing wealthy donors’ influence, including contributions from Wall Street, AIPAC, cryptocurrency investors and artificial intelligence companies, and said Congress should prohibit its members from trading stocks.
In southern Brooklyn, Democrat Larry He defeated Republican state Sen. Steve Chan by more than 14 percentage points, while Joyce Xie beat Republican Assembly member Lester Chang by nearly six points. The victories flipped two districts where Chinese American candidates from both parties had competed. He and Xie campaigned on housing, affordability, support for families and small businesses, and public safety.
Some Bensonhurst voters cited safety concerns, including a fatal stabbing and a proposed homeless shelter. Others emphasized rising costs and economic pressures, with some saying these concerns had shifted their support toward Democrats. One voter who backed Donald Trump and Republicans in 2024 said she had changed her preference as the cost of rent, food and utilities rose. Lander said he would push for the priorities he campaigned on and seek to rebuild voters’ trust by delivering for working people.
Brooklyn Voters Demand Action on Costs and Political Influence
Brooklyn voters delivered a clear rebuke to Republican leadership: Larry He and Joyce Xie ousted Republican incumbents in southern Brooklyn, while Brad Lander won a decisive victory in New York’s 10th Congressional District. The results reflected voters’ concerns about rising living costs and the need for government to serve ordinary families.
In Bensonhurst, voters described rent, food and utility bills as central to their choices. One woman who supported Donald Trump and Republican candidates in 2024 said higher daily expenses had moved her toward Democrats. Others pointed to inflation’s burden on people with low incomes. He and Xie campaigned on affordability, housing, support for families and small businesses, and public safety.
Lander said voters were demanding more than cautious politics. He pledged to pursue affordable housing, Medicare for all, immigrant rights and economic justice, while supporting Palestinian rights and opposing antisemitism. He also promised to challenge the sway of affluent contributors and lobbying groups, and to push for a ban on congressional stock trading.
His message was that Democratic victories must translate into results, not merely a change in party control. Lander said he would support Hakeem Jeffries for House speaker while holding party leaders and lawmakers accountable. Voters, he argued, expect Democrats to deliver on the concerns that shaped their choices.
Democrats Win Brooklyn Seats Amid Safety and Affordability Concerns
Democrats swept two Republican-held state seats in southern Brooklyn and sent Brad Lander to Congress, but voters’ concerns show the party faces a demanding test: proving it can address public safety and the cost of daily life. In Bensonhurst, some residents cited a fatal stabbing and a proposed homeless shelter as reasons for concern, even as He and Xie won their races.
Economic pressures also shaped voters’ choices. A woman who voted for Donald Trump and Republicans in 2024 said rising costs had shifted her support toward Democrats, while other residents described inflation’s impact on low-income people. He and Xie campaigned on affordability and public safety, among other local concerns.
Lander, who won 83.2% of the vote in New York’s 10th Congressional District, promised to fight for a broad progressive agenda, including Medicare for all and immigrant rights. He also said Democrats must answer to voters rather than donors, and called for restrictions on congressional stock trading.
The new Democratic lawmakers will face pressure to turn campaign promises into improvements voters can feel. Lander said he would back Hakeem Jeffries for speaker but hold party leadership accountable, while southern Brooklyn voters who want progress on affordability and safety will be watching what the new representatives do.
Reported by Brooklyn Paper, THE CITY.
