Two 20-something brothers from Brooklyn say that their bids for seats in the New York state legislature are not a way for them to find wives.
Moishy Tischler, 20, denied to the New York Daily News the rumors circulating that he and his brother, Abraham, are running for office in order to get married:
"We've been knocking on doors every night. People want a change," said Moishy, who denied their longshot candidacies have anything to do with impressing potential matchmakers as critics in the community have suggested.
"If somebody wanted a (wife) there are many other ways,” he said. “That’s not our goal."
Moishy is challenging a Democratic incumbent in a state Assembly primary, while Abraham, 21, is seeking a state Senate seat, both anchored in the Borough Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. Both districts include heavily Orthodox Jewish communities, where men often get married in their early 20s.
Abraham Tischler is challenging former Councilman Simcha Felder in the Democratic primary for the newly-created Senate seat. He briefly sought Felder's old Council seat in a 2010 special election before losing his slot on the ballot due to invalid petition signatures. Felder, who now serves as a deputy city comptroller, is reported to have been in talks with Senate Republicans about receiving their backing in the race. Republicans currently control the state Senate 33-29.
State Sen. David Storobin (R), who took office in June after winning a close special election, is also seeking the seat, and a top Senate GOP aide attended a recent fundraiser for his campaign.
Moishy Tischler is challenging Assemblyman Dov Hikind in the primary for his Borough Park seat. Hikind, a 30-year incumbent, is best known for his work on antisemitism issues in the state legislature. In 2008, Hikind endorsed John McCain over Barack Obama, based on, he said, the latter's former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright's views on Israel and what he saw as Obama's refusal to speak against Wright.