Brooklyn, NY – Kings County may be Barack-lyn now, but the President-elect’s unorthodox candidacy turned many Democratic south Williamsburg voters into McCainiacs.
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While Barack Obama won the vast majority of Brooklyn votes in the Nov. 4 election, McCain drew more than four times as many voters than Obama in the largely Hasidic neighborhood between Flushing Avenue and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway — even though registered Democrats outnumber Republicans five to one in the area.
In the three adjoining election districts, McCain got 792 votes to Obama’s 146 — an 84-percent-to-16-percent thrashing. Those numbers stand in stark contrast to the overall Brooklyn vote, which went 79–20 in Obama’s favor.
Then again, south Williamsburg is unique. Census data show that more than half of the population is not in the labor force and 75 percent of residents speak Yiddish in the home.
And it’s not as if the McCain supporters flaunted their love of the Arizona senator. McCain buttons and “Country first” signs are rare — and flashy “Republican red” is never the color of the day in a Satmar Hasidic neighborhood dominated by black hats, coats and side-curls.
Obama won 77 percent of Jewish votes nationally, according to exit polls, but Williamsburgers didn’t like the first-term senator’s temperament. That’s ironic, given that Obama was derided as the candidate who would undermine Israel — something Satmars believe must happen if the Messiah is ever to return.
But on the streets, “Israel wasn’t a big issue,” said McCain supporter Shlomo Friedman, 50, the owner of Meyr Auto Center on Flushing Avenue. “It’s more people here are not going to go with someone [Obama] who’s not so stable.”
Even younger voters were looking for a steady hand. Saul, a 28-year old restaurant manager and self-described liberal, voted Republican because he was “more comfortable with McCain running the economy.”
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-Manhattan) visited the neighborhood before the election to stump for Obama, but Satmar leaders made no endorsement, according to Hasidic activist Isaac Abraham.
Still, several residents said that Rabbi David Niederman, the director of United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg, made his influence felt.
“Hasidic people don’t care who the president [of the United States] is, they just ask somebody who knows something — like people at UJO,” claimed a bearded fishmonger, who refused to share his name, as a co-worker with long side curls nodded.
There could be a simpler reason for McCain’s overwhelming support — his age.
“My wife and I were for McCain,” said Shlomo, a 25-year-old teacher. “The Jewish religion says we have to give respect to the elderly and listen to what they have to say.”
That was basically my reason for voting for McCain, his age and experience, plus his serving in the military. I have nothing personal against Obama, and I don’t give a hoot for Israeli, those Zionists who hate charedi jews with all of their heart.
IM PROUD TO BE A WILLI !!!!!!!!!!! WHY DIDNT ALL YOU PEAPLE VOTE FOR McCAIN..
Even with me living in BP I’m proud with my Williamsburg peers.
But guys don’t be sour loosers, next 4 years Obama is the only president of the USA. Time for the repulican party to get their act together
boro park went 54 obama 46 mccain or at least zip code 11204
Somthing is wrong with this story. Does Williamsburg have only 928 voters? (792 + 146 =928). To my knowledge, Williamsburgh has over twenty thousand registered voters.
The reason why Willi went so overwhelming for McCain I believe is since most people here still remember how it looked under the Dinkins administration. Dinkins won the majority in Willi, and in other jewish communities, but later when they had riots he abandoned the jewish community.
Also I believe that Rev. Sharpton is a supporter of Obama, so one can understand why Willi voted McCain.
Nice try WB but i’m really sorry it didn’t work out for McCain. What worries me are the 77% of Jewish voters that can’t see beyond their sad liberalism and voted for Obama. I really hope I am wrong on Obama…the price for being right will be very high for us to pay.
11213 yidden went to mccain. nit yidden 100% obama
“Census data show that more than half of the population is not in the labor force”
of course, women in willi are housewives, bringing up a family and therefore have no time to work. why is there no mention of that?
this article only covers part of willi. “largely Hasidic neighborhood between Flushing Avenue and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.” this is less than 1/3 of the yiddish neighborhood.
Then again, south Williamsburg is unique. Census data show that more than half of the population is not in the labor force and 75 percent of residents speak Yiddish in the home.
So sad, how do you live? Where is all your money coming from?
Local newspaper here in Riverdale, the *Riverdale Review*, reports big Obama margins locally ranging from 68% to 86% depending on the polling place. That is actually a better showing for McCain than in the rest of the Bronx, which Obama won with 88% of the vote. The local State Assemblyman, Jeffrey Dinowitz, was quoted as saying “We have a high concentration of Orthodox, who most people assume were going to vote for McCain. But clearly a significant number of religious Jews voted for Obama. There is no other way to explain the numbers.” Assemblyman Dinowitz’s observations are consistent with mine; I personally know many religious Jews in Riverdale who were enthusiastic Obama supporters.
monsey went like 95% mccain