While most Brooklyn neighborhoods battle over who better represents Democratic Party values in primary elections, Bay Ridge is a model of the country’s two-party system where general elections are competitive and still matter.
Which made the annual Bay Ridge Democrats holiday party at the Longbow Pub & Pantry, 7316 Third Avenue, more of a circle the wagons type celebration then the unified front that many Democratic Clubs in the borough enjoy.
“In most areas in Brooklyn it’s a matter of not being Democratic enough but down here its a different terrain,” explained Club President Justin Brannan. “We’re surrounded by Republicans here so maintaining a flag as a Democrat is not an oxymoron. It’s about building a party and letting people know that we’re here and that’s why the club is really growing.”
Brannan co-founded the club in 2010 by putting two older clubs together. Democratic District leader Joanne Seminara headed one of the clubs and former District Leader Ralph Perfetto headed the other, Brannan said.
And while registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans 2-1 in Bay Ridge, the neighborhood is a bastion of middle class values where voters tend to be more moderate in their views and vote for the person running for office more than the party to which they belong.
This helps to explain how the neighborhood is the only one in Brooklyn with four elected Republicans – Congressman Michael Grimm and Assembly Member Nicole Malliotakis (both of whose districts are mainly in the Republican stronghold Staten Island), and State Sen. Marty Golden.
This leaves City Councilman Vincent Gentile and Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny (who splits Bay Ridge with Malliotakis) as the only Democratic lawmakers in the area.
“There was no (Democratic) club in Bay Ridge when I started in politics,” said Gentile. “I came up through a civic organization (Bay Ridge Community Council) and not a clubhouse so it was pretty much difficult for me because I was unknown from the political structure in Bay Ridge. When I used to come into the neighborhood as a Democrat, I was surrounded by Republicans.”
Gentile, who also served as a State Senator, said he is very pleased to see the growing strength of the Bay Ridge Democrats.
“This club is vital for anyone interested in public service now. A club has the ability for potential candidates to be known and be known from others. It makes it easier to have structure behind you if you decided to jump into elected politics and an elected race,” he added.
And with Gentile term-limited out in three years, expect the Bay Ridge Democrats to field an extremely qualified candidate in what promises to be a bare-knuckle political showdown with a Republican to succeed him in the city council.
