Joseph Hayon To Challenge David Greenfield In Council Race

Councilman David Greenfield, meet challenger Joseph Hayon. The Orthodox Hayon, a Republican, is challenging Greenfield for his seat representing the 44th District, according to a report by Politicker.

Hayon, who has twice run for the Assembly, lost both bids. He first challenged Steven Cymbrowitz in 2010. He then challenged Helene Weinstein, garnering 20.6 percent of the vote and losing by a huge 20,000 vote margin.

In his losing bid against Weinstein, he hammered her for being a gay-friendly candidate, a reflection of his deep conservative and Orthodox views. Similarly, when battling incumbent Steven Cymbrowitz, who had consistently voted against same-sex marriage, Hayon appealed to religious Jewish voters by mis-characterizing a bill Cymbrowitz voted for as forcing religious schools to “teach Kindergarten children to ‘tolerate’ or sanctify same-gender relationships.”

Hayon also made headlines in 2010 when, as a student at Kingsborough Community College (2001 Oriental Boulevard), the schoolbanned him from handing out pro-life literature on campus, a decision the school eventually overturned.

In this election, Hayon is accusing Greenfield of placing party above people.

“David Greenfield put his Democratic Party before the people from the district,” Hayon told Politicker. “We need someone who is going to represent the people of the district first.”