Of the three branches of government in New York State — the executive, the legislative (including the Assembly and the State Senate), and the judicial — the State Senate has traditionally leaned toward the Republican Party. That bastion of power crumbled in November, as Democrats wrenched the Senate out of Republican hands, winning a full 40 out of 63 State Senate seats, a clear and significant majority.

One of those Democrats is State Senator Simcha Felder, who won the race for the 17th District with 84.3% of the vote. But that victory isn’t being celebrated up in Albany. Senate Democrats announced last week that Felder will not be allowed back into the party conference and has so far been excluded him from any party leadership positions.

Just a few months ago, Felder was considered the “kingmaker” in Albany, representing the swing vote in a Senate that was almost evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. Since 2013, when he first entered the State Senate, Felder has caucused with Republicans. He leveraged that power to pass legislation the benefited his community, everything from free busing for yeshivah school kids to a law passed at the 11th hour last year that reduced requirements for secular studies at yeshivos.

Felder’s district includes Boro Park and Midwood, communities whose values are increasingly aligned with Republican Party, especially as Democratic agenda leans further and further to the left. Whether New York Democrats will warm to Felder eventually and welcome him back to the conference is an open question. A Felder spokesperson told the New York Daily News that “the senator is looking forward to conferencing with the Democrats at the appropriate time.”

Ezra Friedlander, a public relations consultant who has worked with Democratic Party members, praised Felder’s loyalty to his constituents. “People have to understand that politics isn’t a mussar sefer,” said Friedlander, the CEO of the Friedlander Group. “I think that Simcha was very upfront about wanting to benefit the community. He made his intentions very clear from the get-go that he would decide with whom to caucus based on what was best for his constituents. He did this to help the community.”

In fact, says Friedlander, Governor Cuomo asked Felder to rejoin the party preelection, but he chose not to. “He had an opportunity when it was very clear that the Democrats would regain the majority but he refused out of a sense of loyalty,” Friedlander said. “It wasn’t politically smart, but it shows his character. He never misled anyone. He’s been transparent and upfront to a fault. And I think even the Democrats respect him for that.”

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 743)