U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-Central Brooklyn, Coney Island and parts of Queens) today endorsed Democrat Ethan Lustig-Elgrably for the vacant 46th Assembly District seat.
The district includes Coney Island, Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and a slice of Brighton Beach.
“I strongly support Ethan Lustig-Elgrably to represent Southern Brooklyn in the State Assembly. Throughout his public service career, Ethan has worked hard to deliver real results for our community time and again. He is a leader we can count on to fight for us in Albany,” said Jeffries.
Lustig-Elgrably said he was honored to have Jeffries’ endorsement.
“He [Jeffries] has been a strong voice for Southern Brooklyn in Congress, and he has been a fierce advocate for our schools, seniors, NYCHA residents, and working families. It is critical that our federal and state leaders have a good partnership, and I am excited to work with Congressman Jeffries to deliver results when it comes to standing up to President Trump, protecting our NYCHA residents, and improving the transit resources for our communities,” said Lustig-Elgrably.
The endorsement ramps up the pressure on Lustig-Elgrably’s Democratic primary opponent, Coney Island Activist Mathylde Frontus, as Lutig-Elgrably has locked up the endorsement of just about every elected official and then some in Southern Brooklyn.
This includes Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, City Councilmember Mark Treyger, State Sen. Diane Savino and Assemblymembers William Colton, Peter Abbate, Jr. and Steven Cymbrowitz.
Lustig-Elgrably also enjoys a huge campaign war chest advantage. According to State Campaign Finance records Lustig-Elgrably has nearly $66,000 to spend on the primary while Frontus has about $3,000.
Frontus refused comment on the endorsement.
The grandchild of a Holocaust survivor, Lustig-Elgrably was born, raised, and lives in Southern Brooklyn. He most recently worked for the parks department and previously served as legislative director, and then chief of staff for Treyger, who is also the area’s Democratic district leader.
The seat opened up earlier this year, when former Assemblywoman Pamela Harris stepped down as she was facing federal corruption charges, and on which she was convicted after taking a guilty plea deal.
Assuming Lustig-Elgrably gets past Frontus, he will face Republican Steven Sapertsein in what may be a more competitive election. Saperstein has more than $45,000 in his campaign war chest without a primary opponent, and the district, although largely Democratic, includes pockets of conservative voters pockets.
The primary election is Sept. 13 and the general election is Nov. 6.
