A leader within the progressive Democratic Party has endorsed a pro-Trump candidate for New York’s 10th Congressional District and said incumbent U.S. Rep. Jerrold ”Jerry” Nadler (D-Western Brooklyn, Manhattan’s West Side) does not care about the Upper West Side or Israel.
In a video with more than 7,000 retweets and 16,000 likes on Twitter, Mark Meyer Appel, the founder and executive director of the Bridge Multicultural and Advocacy Project and president of the Voice of Justice, a social advocacy organization, has gone on record to say he is voting for Naomi Levin, a millennial Zionist Republican in spite of Nadler, who happens to be Jewish as well.
I’m actually voting for a Repub. first time in like 30 years. I’m a progressive Dem. I stand for belief in working for our community, representing or community. As a lifelong resident of the UWS…I know J.Nadler doesn’t care…we need to cross party lines.’ @MarkMayerAppel #bold pic.twitter.com/elUKhwypVu
— Naomi Levin (@NaomiLevinNY) October 8, 2018
“I’m actually voting for a Republican first time in like 30 years,” Appel said in the Tweet, ”I’m a progressive Democrat, I stand for belief in working for our community, representing for our community.”
Records indicate that Appel, although a longtime resident in the Upper West Side, now lives in Long Island and is not registered to vote in the district. Nevertheless Appell said he was voting symbolically as he is heavily involved in citywide multicultural dialogue and the promoting of peace.
As such, he confidently denounced the 71-year-old Congressman for not being a progressive, an authentic Democrat, nor someone who is concerned about major issues in his district or international relations with Israel.
“Jerry Nadler is not a progressive. I don’t consider him a Democrat. I don’t consider him a candidate who cares about the Upper West Side…He was never there on any issue that was important,” Appel said.
Appel would further justify his decision of voting for a Republican by stating Levin is a defender for Israel, as he spoke ostensibly to fellow Jewish residents.
“Naomi is a fighter. She cares about Israel,” Appel said. “We have to cross party lines … we have to vote for the right person.”
Levin, who claims to be a moderate pragmatist with a strong belief on a pro-Israel and American alliance, said Appel’s endorsement was encouraging amidst a polarizing political discourse.
With the hashtag #BringTheFocusBackOnUs, Levin seeks to persuade left-leaning voters to nominate her with bipartisan rhetoric.
“Many Democrats feel disappointed in their leadership, and I am willing to cross party lines to get their concerns to the forefront. My strategy is to reach everyone.” Levin said.
The Upper West Side is perceived as a heavily Jewish neighborhood, and it seems as Levin is capitalizing on her opponent’s wiliness to support former President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, which has divided Jewish communities both liberal and conservative-leaning ideologues alike.
Levin believes the deal is flawed, supporting a regime that works against the aforementioned Israel-American alliance.
“Many Jews in the community, the most Jewish district in the country, have been betrayed by their representatives,” Levin said.
