New Plan Creates Asian Majority District

A plan for newly drawn boundaries has created a 51% Asian state Assembly district made up of parts of Sunset Park, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst.

Asian-American groups had promoted a district to help enfranchise a community that has grown 46% in the last ten years, writes the Daily News.

“We love it,” said Steve Chung, head of the head of the United Chinese Association of Brooklyn. “We would like to elect someone who can represent us, support us, and know our interests and our needs.

“It can really motivate a lot of Asian people. Before they might feel reluctant [to participate in politics] and I don’t blame them,” he said. “They have a better chance to win now.”

The plan also redraws state Senate districts. The Senate maps, drawn up by the GOP dominated state Senate, create a “super Jewish” district in Borough Park, Midwood and parts of Flatbush, giving Republicans the upper hand among the district’s conservative Orthodox Jewish voters.