On November 3rd, the election results for the 17th Senate District of Southern Brooklyn were announced. Incumbent Republican Senator Steve Chan lost his bid for re-election to Democratic challenger Larry He. Chan received 14,179 votes, amounting to a vote share of 41.92%, while He triumphed with 18,672 votes, giving him a significant 55.21% of the total and leading by 4,493 votes.
This district, known for its substantial Chinese community, encompasses areas such as Sunset Park, Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, and Bath Beach, where the Asian population makes up a striking 48.6% of the residents. The competition between these two Chinese candidates was intense and highlighted the differing political perspectives of Asian voters on community issues and political alignments.
On the afternoon of the election day, Chan took to social media around 5 PM, stating that “hundreds of socialists have deployed in the only two Republican Senate districts in New York City, declaring war on our way of life,” urging voters to unite and cast their ballots. Meanwhile, Larry He garnered support from a number of Democratic political figures, including City Council Speaker Julie Menin, State Senator John Liu of Queens, Assemblymember Ron Kim from Chinatown, and Brooklyn’s Democratic chair and current Majority Whip of the New York State Assembly, Rodneyse Hermelyn. These politicians made several appearances in Brooklyn in the lead-up to the election to bolster He’s campaign.
In the highly publicized controversy surrounding the homeless shelter proposal on 86th Street, voters opposed to the project demonstrated a diverse range of political viewpoints. The 86th Street voters supporting Larry He emphasized that since 2023, under the leadership of figures including Sherry Wang, Anthony Coton, and He himself, they had organized large-scale protests and rallies involving thousands of attendees, which successfully stalled the approval of the shelter project. They view Larry He as someone who is “substantive and effective,” favoring a candidate with practical capabilities, leading them to prioritize individual candidates over party affiliation.
It is noteworthy that the 17th District has emerged as a majority Asian population area in recent years; however, voter turnout significantly declined compared to the previous election two years ago. In 2024, when Chan was first elected, he won with 55.12% of the votes, and the total votes cast were around 52,000. This year, the number of voters dropped to approximately 33,800, marking a nearly 35% reduction in participation. This shift in voter engagement has become a prominent characteristic of the recent election, raising questions about the factors influencing this decrease in turnout among the electorate.