Statement by Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn Regarding 2022 General Election Results

Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn (LID) shares the joy of Democrats across the country at an election that showed unprecedented Democratic strength for the president’s party in a midterm election. Democrats across the country stood up for progressive values of reproductive justice, democracy, labor rights, a fairer criminal legal system, and equality and dignity for the queer community, and defied expectations by holding the Senate, flipping two Governorships, and flipping state legislative chambers in three states. It was also a banner day for LGBTQ+ candidates nationwide, with Massachusetts and Oregon electing the country’s first lesbian governors, and the first trans man elected to a state legislature in US history in New Hampshire.

Here in New York, we are so pleased that Governor Kathy Hochul was reelected and kept Lee Zeldin’s right-wing agenda far away from the governor’s office. We also congratulate statewide winners Senator Chuck Schumer, Attorney General Tish James, Letenant Governor Antonio Delgado, and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, as well as the many LID-endorsed candidates who won their elections. We are grateful to the many volunteers from LID who made a difference volunteering during this election cycle, both in primaries and in the general election.

With that said, we would be remiss if we did not note that this election featured significant setbacks for the Democratic Party in New York State in general and Brooklyn in particular. Three Democratic Assembly incumbents in south Brooklyn, including LID-endorsed candidate Mathylde Frontus, lost their races for State Assembly, and LID-endorsed candidate Iwen Chu won her State Senate race narrowly. Statewide, Dems lost seats in the Assembly and Senate and lost three congressional seats (in a year when Democrats in many of our neighboring states were over performing).

When a debacle like this happens, there has to be accountability, starting from the very top of the state party. State Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs was asleep at the wheel in 2021, when the party mounted no effort to organize for three state ballot proposals that would have improved our electoral systems and avoided this year’s botched redistricting. Given another opportunity this year, the state party appears to have again failed to put significant resources to support vulnerable Democratic seats in south Brooklyn. It was left to local clubs to shore up incumbents like Mathylde and open-seat candidates like Iwen Chu in the new State Senate District 17. Jacobs’ main accomplishments appear to be sniping at progressives and devoting party resources to unseating progressive incumbents, such as Brooklyn’s own State Senator Jabari Brisport. For the good of the Democratic Party in New York State and nationwide, Jay Jacobs needs to resign ASAP.

Closer to home, the Kings County Democratic Party continued to focus more on preserving its historic patronage and power rather than mobilizing the vote for candidates. After the disaster of this fall’s County Committee meeting(s), which attracted citywide media attention, the party did not show any evidence of organizing for the November election until October 31, when they sent an email to County Committee members inviting them to phonebanks which, in many cases, there appeared to be no one organizing. In the meantime, the party held a lavish fundraiser on November 1 that raised no funding for actual election activities. The brunt of electoral organizing and volunteer energy on the ground in Brooklyn came from clubs like LID and our friends at Brooklyn Young Democrats, New Kings Democrats, Independent Neighborhood Democrats, Rep Your Block, South Central Brooklyn United for Progress, Bay Ridge Democrats, and others, in addition to the Working Families Party. We are grateful for all the energy these groups poured into the campaign and sad it could not be matched by a similar level of energy, enthusiasm, and care from the county party.

It was not long ago that the GOP had a majority in the State Senate, including a seat in south Brooklyn, which was only flipped by Democrat Andrew Gounardes in 2018 (thanks in part to the work of LID and other clubs). We can never take Democratic leadership or representation for granted, particularly as the local and state GOP are more energized and well funded than they’ve been in years.

At the end of the day, we are fortunate that Brooklyn is home to millions of dedicated, energized Democrats who are potential voters, volunteers, donors, and civic activists. These voters deserve a local Democratic Party that welcomes volunteers and has clear, transparent, and easy ways for them to help out. LID will continue to advocate for changes that will bring transparency, organizing energy, and a welcoming stance to the Kings County Democratic County Committee, and will continue to live out those values as we advocate for policies that empower, support, and uplift our LGBTQ+ community in Brooklyn and beyond.