Republicans pulled off a rare victory in deep-blue New York City on Election Day, capturing a Brooklyn judicial seat that GOP officials say their party hasn’t won against a Democrat in more than a century.
Republican Etan C. Harris appeared to defeat Democrat Susan Liebman in the race for Brooklyn’s 8th Municipal Court District Civil Court judgeship Tuesday, securing 50.91% of the vote, according to unofficial election results.
The narrow victory, by approximately two percentage points, would mark the first time in 105 years that a Republican running without Democratic Party backing defeated a Democrat for the district’s judicial seat, according to local GOP leaders.
The result stood out amid a difficult election night for Republicans across New York City, where Democrats captured several GOP-held legislative seats.
Harris, a first-time candidate and longtime civil litigation attorney, celebrated the apparent victory with supporters Tuesday evening but stopped short of formally declaring himself the winner.
“We’re projected to win. I hope we will!” Harris told supporters at his election night gathering.
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“It’s my first race. What do I know? I know law! I don’t know elections.”
While Republicans have won judicial positions elsewhere in Brooklyn in recent decades, those candidates appeared on both Republican and Democratic ballot lines.
Harris ran exclusively on the Republican and Conservative Party lines, making his apparent victory particularly unusual in a borough where Democrats have historically dominated local elections.
Kings County Republican Party Chairman Liam McCabe celebrated the result as a “historic win,” comparing Harris to an unlikely survivor of the Democratic Party’s broader electoral success.
“He made history,” McCabe told the New York Post.
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“Even in a Democratic blizzard, we had this Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer flying through the storm and, you know, will only be that much stronger next time around.”
The apparent Republican breakthrough came as Democrats defeated nearly every GOP incumbent running for state Assembly and Senate seats in Brooklyn.
Harris, a Sheepshead Bay resident with 16 years of experience practicing civil litigation, campaigned on a platform emphasizing public safety, judicial fairness and efficiency.
He presented himself as the “law and order candidate,” pledging to deliver impartial decisions and improve the administration of justice for southern Brooklyn residents.
His campaign manager, David Storobin, credited the result to “good, old-fashioned campaigning” rather than a sophisticated political operation.
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Storobin argued that Harris’ performance demonstrated that a Democratic Party endorsement does not automatically guarantee victory in a Brooklyn judicial contest.
“Ethan is an extremely hard-working person. And I believe he’ll make a good judge precisely because of that — To run against that Democratic machine and win shows what a great candidate he was,” Storobin said.
Harris also received support from Republican New York City Councilmember Inna Vernikov, who represents portions of southern Brooklyn.
According to Vernikov’s office, Harris was the only candidate in any Brooklyn race to receive her endorsement and campaign support this election cycle.
Vernikov said local Republicans had identified the judicial contest as a potential pickup more than a year before Election Day.
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“A little over a year ago, we saw a rare opportunity to flip a judicial seat from blue to red in our area. Thanks to the support of so many volunteers, the Brooklyn GOP & Conservative Party, Etan Harris is going to be the first Republican civil court judge in over 100 years,” Vernikov told the Post.
The councilwoman also praised Harris’ legal background and commitment to an impartial judiciary.
“Etan will bring a non-biased, apolitical approach to the bench, as well as integrity and competence. I was proud to support him and help get him to the finish line.”
The election comes as Republicans across New York face difficult questions following widespread Democratic gains in Tuesday’s midterms.
Unlike congressional and legislative races, however, judicial elections determine who will preside over legal proceedings rather than who will write public policy.
New York City Civil Court judges serve 10-year terms and handle civil disputes involving matters such as contracts, debts and property damage.
Although the unofficial results point to a Harris victory, the election remains subject to final certification.
For Brooklyn Republicans, the apparent result offers a rare bright spot following an election night dominated by Democratic victories.
Harris’ 50.91% showing could end a 105-year drought for Republicans running independently of the Democratic ballot line in the district, delivering an unexpected judicial pickup in one of New York City’s most Democratic boroughs.
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