Hikind Endorses Thompson For Mayor In Test Of Clout

Assemblyman Dov Hikind endorsed Bill Thompson for mayor, throwing his full support behind the man that almost defeated Mayor Michael Bloomberg the last time around. The New York Post is reporting that some of Thompson’s opponents welcomed Hikind’s endorsement, noting that his record of backing winners is less than solid.

Hikind’s endorsement of Thompson comes on the heels of his recent endorsement of Ken Thompson for Brooklyn District Attorney. Hikind’s support of the opponent to long-serving incumbent Charles Hynes came as a surprise considering Hynes’ decades long ties to the Orthodox community Hikind represents in Borough Park. The endorsement of Ken Thompson put Hikind in direct opposition to Councilman David Greenfield, who is backing Hynes, testing the supposed clout that a Hikind endorsement is supposed to carry in the Orthodox community.

A report by Politicker described the scene as Hikind proceeded to guide mayoral candidate Bill Thompson through his district:

To demonstrate, Mr. Hikind whisked Mr. Thompson up and down Avenue J, shouting to men, women and children walking the streets to come meet the former comptroller.

“Come say hello! Come say hello! Bill Thompson!” Mr. Hikind boomed on the sidewalk, waving voters over.

“He’s a good guy, he’ll be a great mayor and a great friend,” he periodically added, while yanking Mr. Thompson into kosher bakeries, a fruit market, a 99 cents store and a Dunkin’ Donuts.

From the middle of the traffic-clogged street, a bus driver began honking at Mr. Thompson, who has been endorsed by the Transportation Workers Union.

“The bus driver wants a picture with you maybe?” a quizzical Thompson aide offered.

Laughing, Mr. Hikind prodded Mr. Thompson to wade into the two-way street, where a long line of cars were stopped at a red light. Mr. Hikind led Mr. Thompson to the bus driver’s window, where they posed for quick pictures. They scurried from the street not long before the light changed to green and the rush began again.

Racing into a gourmet deli, Mr. Hikind pointed out the meat and pastry spreads were especially abundant because it was the day before Shabbos. “Are we getting fish?” Mr. Hikind asked, pushing the reluctant mayoral candidate to share bites of gefilte fish before they bolted for the next campaign stop.

Thompson was asked by the Post if he wanted the endorsement from a man who donned brown black-face makeup at a Purim Party earlier in February.

“I have known Dov for over 30 years . . . He acknowledged it was a mistake — he apologized for it. I know what type of person he is and I know what’s in his heart. I don’t have hesitation in taking his support,” Thompson said in response.

The endorsement, as well as his endorsement of Ken Thompson for DA, amounts to a major test of clout between two of the area’s – and Orthodox community’s – political leaders, Hikind and Councilman David Greenfield. The two have exchanged more than their share of vitriol over the year, and even created a small sideshow when they squabbled over their DA endorsements. In the mayor’s race, Greenfield has endorsed Christine Quinn. On September 10, if two candidates endorsed by Greenfield or two by Hikind appear to have attracted more of the Orthodox vote in the area than the other, it will be clear who holds more sway over the community.

CORRECTION (12:26 p.m.): Greenfield’s office reached out to us to say that Greenfield will not be making any endorsements in the mayor’s race, instead focusing his full attention to getting Hynes re-elected. We regret the error in reporting that he endorsed Christine Quinn, which is inaccurate. And it also poses less of a test between the two, as the DA’s race is already heavily weighted towards Hynes. But if Ken Thompson receives a significant portion of the Jewish vote – even if not a majority – it still represents a win for Hikind in the battle for influence.