Simcha Felder, a revered long-serving politician in Brooklyn's Orthodox Jewish community, is going back to where it all began — the City Council.

Felder, a Democrat who was first elected to the City Council then state Senate, overwhelmingly won the special election for a Council seat. He got 82% of the vote — out of nearly 5,500 counted so far.

What You Need To Know

  • Simcha Felder started his career in the City Council before he was elected to the State Senate

  • Felder won 82% of the vote counted so far in Tuesday's special Council election; his opponent Heshy Tischler got 17%

  • The candidates could have a rematch in the November election

“I feel very good that the voters overwhelmingly supported the candidate that I voted for,” said Kalman Yeger, a state assemblyman in south Brooklyn who used to hold the seat Felder just won.

“I know Simcha Felder, and I know the job he can do and will do because I’ve seen him do it,” Yeger continued. “I’ve seen him do it in the city and I’ve seen him do it up here in Albany.”

Felder relied on voters to reward him for his record of over two decades in office and basically ignored his opponent, Heshy Tischler.

Tischler is a trash-talking, Trump-supporting Republican businessman known for street protests. He only got 17% of the vote.

“Some people in different groups thought, ‘Heshy, you keep running, you keep trying, you keep losing,’” Tischler said after the results came in. “You know, I do it for the community.”

Tischler tried to mock Felder and criticize him for being out of the district too often and not on the front lines for fights against a homeless shelter in the district. Voters simply did not buy it.

“I do believe it’s a ‘get things done, the person you know, you trust’ attitude, and Simcha made that case,” he said.

The Council seat will be up again for election this November, with a possible rematch for the two candidates who just faced off this week.

While the special election is over, the campaigning in southern Brooklyn will continue. Felder’s state senate seat will be open — and it could be a pick pick up opportunity for Republicans.

The district is conservative, with voters there are increasingly voting Republican. If the right candidate runs, they could take it. Sources in the district think that could be Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, a Ukranian-born, pro-Trump attorney.

NY1 was unable to contact Vernikov. She did post on X “Mazal tov“ to Felder for his win.

A strong Democrat could keep the seat for the party, maybe Yeger — the newly minted assemblyman and former councilman.

NY1 asked him, but Yeger did not give a firm yes or no.

“I am very grateful to the people who sent me to Albany,” he said.