Simcha Felder Wins NYC Council Special Election in a Landslide

<img src="https://cdn.cityandstateny.com/media/img/cd/2025/03/25/54408402154_5b004bb4d4_o/860x394.jpg?1742952840" alt="State Sen. Simcha Felder, right, speaks with state Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris.">

State Senator Simcha Felder has secured a resounding victory in the New York City Council special election, capturing 81.7% of the vote. This win marks his return to the council after previously serving two terms. His opponent, Harold “Heshy” Tischler, a self-proclaimed “Team Trump” candidate and known COVID-19 rioter, failed to gain significant traction.

Despite low voter turnout (just under 700 in early voting), Felder's win was decisive. His experience as a veteran lawmaker and prior representation of the largely Orthodox Jewish district in Brooklyn played a significant role in his success. While Felder's past political alliances, including a period of caucusing with the Republican Senate conference, might have been expected to influence the results, his strong local support overshadowed these factors.

Felder's victory indicates that MAGA politics may not have as strong of a hold in this specific district as initially anticipated.

Felder's Political Journey:

Felder's political career has seen its share of twists and turns. He previously caused a stir by aligning with the Republican state Senate conference, even giving them a slim majority. However, after Democrats took control of the Senate, he rejoined the Democratic party.