In a heated televised debate, U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman and former City Comptroller Brad Lander sought to distinguish themselves from one another as they competed for New York’s 10th Congressional District seat ahead of the June primary.
The candidates discussed Israel, the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, affordable housing, jails and immigration during the hour-long debate hosted by Spectrum News New York 1.
Discussion about Israel dominated the first 10 minutes of the debate. Both candidates are Jewish and NY-10, which covers lower Manhattan, northern and eastern Brooklyn, including Park Slope, includes a large Jewish population. When asked why he participated in the Israeli Day Parade over the weekend, Goldman said he was "proud" to participate and to celebrate the nation of Israel. The incumbent, however said he "strongly oppose this government of Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu."
Lander, who did not march in the parade since "Israel is committing genocide in Gaza," said he would not be sending additional U.S. military aid to Israel, if elected.
"Representative Goldman has voted for every standalone aid package to Israel for all the 2,000-pound bombs that destroyed all of the hospitals and schools and most of the homes in Gaza," he said.
Goldman said voters should not solely focus on the candidate's view on Israel, as it was "not the most important issue in this district."
"What is most important that I hear from the voters is Donald Trump in the White House tearing our immigrant neighbors away, destroying our democracy, corrupting everything from the White House, and taking away health care, food benefits, so many of the concerns," he said.
Both candidates supported dismantling Immigration and Customs Enforcement and noted they did not support local law enforcement helping the federal government with civil immigration enforcement.
On affordable housing, Lander said his work to rezone Gowanus, which will eventually bring in 8,000 new homes (of which about 3,000 are earmarked as affordable units), gave him the experience and expertise to expand federal affordable housing plans, if elected.
Goldman, however said that the affordable housing in Gowans has yet to be built.
"What transpired is that the market rate and luxury apartments have been built first and the vast majority of affordable were put on the worst environmentally unjust land and are still waiting to be built," Goldman said, referring to Gowanus Green, an affordable housing development that is currently going through an environmental clean-up process.
The incumbent then mentioned his accomplishments chairing the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Task Force, which has had numerous contentious meetings where residents say there was no consensus on the city's proposal that will transform 122-acres of the Brooklyn waterfront.
"I shepherded through the Brooklyn Marine Terminal redevelopment project, which has 6,000 units of housing at 40% affordable," he said. "And we made sure not only to reduce gentrification, but also to ensure that the affordable housing is built at the same rate as the market housing."
Lander suggested there was no consensus.
"It is possible to help people get excited about what inclusive growth can look like, but only if you start from real conversations with neighbors," Lander said, noting the creation of the Gowanus Neighborhood Coalition for Justice that helped public housing residents inform government on what their needs were as the area transforms.
Both candidates said they support closing Rikers Island and building borough-based jails, including one in Downtown Brooklyn and lower Manhattan. When asked if they would support Senator Chuck Schumer if he decides to run for reelection, Lander said it was "time for a new leadership" in the Democratic Party, while Goldman said he would deal with the issue when the time comes.
Despite the spirited debate, the candidates, who both wore blue blazers with orange ties in a nod to the New York Knicks making it to the NBA Finals, did praise one another for their advocacy work for immigrants in federal detention centers and public housing residents.
The next televised debate between the two is scheduled for June 15 on Pix 11.
