ט׳ תמוז ה׳תשפ״ו | June 24, 2026
Record Anash Voters Bring Positive Change to Crown Heights Elections
Ahron Gluck received 2,245 votes in a record showing for an Anash candidate, falling short against Brian Cunningham, while community-backed candidates won both district leader races and a Municipal Court judgeship.
In the New York State Assembly District 43 race, incumbent Assembly Member Brian Cunningham defeated challenger Ahron Gluck. With 99% of of ballots counted, Cunningham received 9,810 votes and Gluck received 2,245 from local anash residents in the Jewish community.
For The House of Representatives of the 9th Congressional district, incumbent Congress Member Yvette Clarke defeated Jewish candidate Mike Goldfarb.
For Brooklyn 6th Municipal Court District judge which includes parts of the Shchunah, CH PAC endorsed candidate Janice Purvis defeated DSA socialist challenger Michelle Desouza.
However, the largest win for the Crown Heights Jewish community in yesterday’s election was for the State Committee Members, locally known as Brooklyn district leaders. CH PAC endorsed candidate Akel Williams defeated DSA anti-Israel socialist incumbent Anthony Beckford for Democratic male district leader, and CH PAC endorsed candidate Nakisha Evans defeated incumbent Michelle Tege for Democratic female district leader. Tege was proudly endorsed by CH United and neither male district leader candidates were endorsed by CH United as they were undecided which one is better to support.
Over the last two years, the Crown Heights district leader Anthony Beckford has betrayed the CH Jewish community that elected him, advocating for “Palestine” and “Gaza” while spewing anti-Semitic rhetoric instead of just focusing on assisting with local issues which is under his control. Mr. Beckford received in yesterday’s election 4,459 votes and lost by 1,337 votes to Mr. Williams who received 5,796 votes and won.
That 1,337 votes difference which helped moderate candidate Akel Williams defeat the far-left incumbent, and win the State Committee Member – Democratic District Leader seat, was directly due to the Gluck campaign including Williams on all their voting lists and sample ballots content, and equally from the powerful endorsement of the CH PAC.
As reported multiple times on Anash.org articles this month which informed Lubavitchers to vote for Williams and Evens, because they are friends, supporters and allies of the Jewish community and that both have met numerous times in recent weeks with Crown Heights Askonim, and community activists ahead of their endorsement and voting initiative.
A Jewish community activist that is friends for many years with district leader elect Akel Williams, who lives in the Center of CH within the Shchunah, expressed that Akel is a common-sense politician and he his hopeful that on issues such as Yeshivas, the Homeless shelters, public safety, bike lanes, Kingsbrook Shul, the proposed MTA bus route to take over the entire Albany Ave and other concerns, that Mr. Williams, along with the new female district leader elect Nakisha Evans (who also won with the full support of Gluck and CH PAC), will faithfully represent our district and advocate for the issues facing the Jewish community.
The new district leaders also direct and oversee the election poll sites within the 43rd Assembly district and residents are optimistic that unlike until now, the new district leaders will work with neighborhood residents to assist with much more transparency and honesty to help every registered voter before turning them away, and to try their best to staff the poll sites for upcoming elections with local district residents of our beautiful diverse and multicultural neighborhood.
The district leaders also have a say on local Democratic Judge picks, and have committed to working with all communities in the 43rd Assembly district when deciding on their selections.
Overall, while former Assembly candidate Gluck’s loss is disappointing to the community, the fact that Gluck ran alongside the good district leader candidates, helped them receive the remaining votes needed to secure a win from anash voters and that win will tremendously benefit the Crown Heights Jewish community.
Gluck’s team has notified that they will be releasing a statement on the Assembly election results later today, but Gluck noted beforehand he would like to tremendously thank Anash.org for their full support featuring and generously promoting his Assembly and the State Committee Members campaigns, the reason why the good district leaders won in yesterday’s election is largely credited to Anash.org reporting on their campaign and encouraging residents of the Shchunah to vote for them.
On Election Day with the heated race for Assembly ongoing in Crown Heights, a talented Lubavitcher chosid and strategist published on his social media a thread highlighting how if the Askanim don’t take the community’s concerns seriously, then residents will independently rise-up once again and do what they feel is best to help represent the neighborhood.
Photos of former Assembly candidate Gluck, and community activists saying Mazal Tov at the celebration event held last night in Crown Heights for CH PAC endorsed District Leaders elect Williams and Evans and for Judge elect Purvis.
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