Immigrant communities in Brooklyn played a key role in the Nov. 3 midterm elections, as Democrats reclaimed several Republican-held legislative seats and secured victories in races across the borough,
In South Brooklyn, Chinese immigrant voters identified affordability, public safety and immigration enforcement as key issues influencing their electoral choices.
Joey Cohen-Saban defeated Michael Novakhov in Assembly District 45, while Joyce Xiaoqiong Xie and Larry He declared victories in Assembly District 49 and Senate District 17, respectively.
Haitian American Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, the outgoing chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, joined the celebrations following the victories. She has emphasized the importance of language access and engagement across Brooklyn’s diverse communities, drawing on her own experience as the daughter of Haitian immigrants.
“As a Haitian immigrant, I know the power of making our voices heard,” Hermelyn said in an interview with Caribbean Life. “By bringing our communities together and listening across languages, we are making our seats blue again.”
Immigrant representation also featured in judicial races. Reported Supreme Court winners included Haitian American Betsey Jean Jacques, Nigerian American Lola Waterman and Indian American Hemalee J. Patel. Countywide Civil Court victories included Grenadian American Celeste Felix, Trinidadian American Danielle Noel and Puerto Rican Christine Ortiz.
Caribbean American candidates also recorded significant victories in legislative races. Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, won reelection in Brooklyn’s 9th Congressional District with more than 89 percent of the vote. State Sen. Roxanne Persaud and Assembly Member Monique Chandler-Waterman, who ran unopposed, also secured new terms.
Assembly Member Brian Cunningham, the son of Jamaican immigrants, won reelection in the 43rd Assembly District with more than 90 percent of the vote. Assembly Member Jaime Williams received 90 percent in her race for the 59th Assembly District.
The next challenge for elected representatives will be translating campaign priorities into policy, particularly in affordable housing, public education, public safety, child care, mental health services and small-business support. Continued engagement with residents will be central to ensuring that Brooklyn’s diverse communities remain represented in government.
