Special Assembly Election to Replace Rosenthal Set for Sept. 12
Hamodia | By Reuvain Borchardt
NEW YORK — A special election to replace retiring Democratic Queens Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal will be held Sept. 12, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday, after Rosenthal, 32, stepped down to take a position as vice president of government relations at UJA.
The 27th Assembly district includes Queens’ Flushing, Kew Gardens Hills, Whitestone and College Point neighborhoods. It is heavily Orthodox Jewish and Asian-American, and two of the leading candidates to replace Rosenthal are Orthodox.
Sam Berger, 25, is nearly certain to get the Democratic nomination, and Dovid (David) Hirsch, 34, is a candidate for the GOP nod, according to multiple party insiders who spoke with Hamodia on Monday. There is no primary for special elections; each party’s candidate is chosen by party leadership.
Rosenthal told Hamodia he and the three other district leaders will nominate Berger, who is a son of one of the district leaders, Paula Berger, and who recently graduated St. John’s Law School.
“We all share a common goal: to ensure the safety and welfare of our homes, schools, streets, and families,” Berger said in a statement Monday. “If you send me to Albany, I pledge to be your relentless advocate, tirelessly working to address the issues that matter most to you. As your representative, I will introduce legislation aimed at enhancing the well-being and quality of life in our neighborhoods.”
“Sam is a devoted father, an advocate, and a proud product of the very community he aspires to serve,” said Rosenthal. “His personal and professional experiences equip him with the knowledge and passion needed to be an outstanding representative for our district.”
If elected, Berger would be the youngest current assemblymember. Rosenthal held that title when he was first elected as a 26-year-old in 2017, in a special election to replace his close friend Michael Simanowitz, a”h, who had died of cancer at age 46.