David Pechefsky

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David Pechefsky

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 26, 2018

Contact

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David Pechefsky was a 2018 Democratic candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 1st Congressional District of New York.

Biography

Pechefsky worked for the New York City Council and for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Mayor’s Office of Appointments. He also worked for the National Democratic Institute and for Generation Citizen. He received his bachelor's degree from Hunter College and his Master's in international development from American University.

Elections

2018

See also: New York's 1st Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House New York District 1

Incumbent Lee Zeldin defeated Perry Gershon and Kate Browning in the general election for U.S. House New York District 1 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lee Zeldin (R)	51.5	139,027
		Perry Gershon (D)	47.4	127,991
		Kate Browning (Women's Equality Party)	1.1	2,988

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 270,006 (100.00% precincts reporting)
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Patricia Latzman (Working Families Party)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House New York District 1

Perry Gershon defeated Kate Browning, Vivian Viloria-Fisher, David Pechefsky, and Elaine DiMasi in the Democratic primary for U.S. House New York District 1 on June 26, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Perry Gershon	35.5	7,902
		Kate Browning	30.6	6,813
		Vivian Viloria-Fisher	16.3	3,616
		David Pechefsky	11.5	2,565
		Elaine DiMasi	6.0	1,344

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 22,240
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Brendon Henry (D)

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Lee Zeldin advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House New York District 1.

Women's Equality Party primary election

The Women's Equality Party primary election was canceled. Kate Browning advanced from the Women's Equality Party primary for U.S. House New York District 1.

Working Families Party primary election

The Working Families Party primary election was canceled. Patricia Latzman advanced from the Working Families Party primary for U.S. House New York District 1.

Campaign themes

2018

Pechefsky’s campaign website stated the following:

“	HEALTHCARE We need a “Medicare for all” or single-payer type system that puts people over profits. Our current system leaves millions without affordable care and wastes billions on overhead costs and marketing. INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE We need free higher education for all so that our young people can fulfill their potential and be innovators and risk takers, and not be stifled by crushing debt. We also need to provide relief to those that are currently saddled with unmanageable debt. JOBS I support a $15 minimum wage. Working people need to be treated fairly. Big businesses can afford it, and small businesses will benefit from greater consumer demand. We need to put in place a real schools-to-jobs system, recognize the importance of unions in building the middle class, and pursue trade deals that respect worker rights both here and abroad. PARENTAL LEAVE The US is one of the few countries in the world and the only wealthy country that doesn’t have a law that requires paid parental leave. It is time for us to change this. NATIONAL SECURITY We need to stop engaging in military interventions in places we don’t understand and where escalating violence only makes things worse. Unnecessary military spending doesn’t make us safer and takes away from investing in our human and physical infrastructure at home. The Iraq war was a disaster. Think of all the good things we could have done with the trillions spent on it. THE MIDDLE EAST Only a comprehensive approach that addresses underlying political, social, and humanitarian issues will makes things better. I support a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians. Siding with Saudi Arabia in regional power struggles, when it is one of the worst regimes in terms of human rights in the world and an exporter of extremist ideology, makes no sense. ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT Investing in solar and wind should be a priority. We are already losing out to other countries in this area. It will create jobs and preserve our planet for future generations. Our dependence on fossil fuels comes with both bad political and environmental consequences. INVESTING IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE We need a major program to invest in our infrastructure - roads, bridges, ports, and public transportation - but for public good, not private profit. RESPECTING OUR COMMUNITIES Communities should have a voice in public policy beyond advocating with their representatives. I support the expansion / introduction of participatory budgeting and planning initiatives that give communities a real say in public works projects and other programs impacting on them. WOMEN'S HEALTH Women’s health care shouldn’t be a political football. Women should be able to make choices about their health including abortion, which should be safe, legal, and rare...which requires both access to birth control and sex education. IMMIGRATION It shouldn’t have to be repeated that this is a country of immigrants. I support compassionate and sensible immigration reform that provides a path for undocumented immigrants who are contributing to our society to become citizens. CRIMINAL JUSTICE We have more people in jail, AND more people in jail per capita than anywhere in the world. Our current system ruins people’s lives, is incredibly racially discriminatory, hasn’t been proven to reduce crime, and is horribly expensive. We need to end racial discrimination in our criminal justice system and expand and improve alternative to incarceration and reentry programs. CAMPAIGN FINANCING REFORM We need to reduce the distorting influence of money on our politics. Regardless of what the Supreme Court does or doesn’t do, measures such as greater disclosure and small-donor public matching programs are needed. GUN CONTROL We need gun control measures like universal background checks, cracking down on illegal weapon sales, and limiting access to high-capacity magazines and military-style assault weapons. There is not one solution or law that will prevent acts of gun violence, but Congress doing nothing is not an option. EQUAL RIGHTS I am for equal rights for all. Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect and discrimination against any individual or group is unacceptable. LGBTQ rights are human rights and people from the LGBTQ community should have the same rights as anyone else when it comes to marriage, adoption, and protection against all forms of discrimination--whether in the workplace, or simply when trying to buy a wedding cake. TAX POLICY I oppose any tax plan that funnels more money to the very rich. There is absolutely no evidence that tax cuts to wealthy corporations and individuals will lead to economic growth which actually benefits either the middle class or the working poor. Driving up the deficit, like the Republicans have just voted to do, will lead to assaults on Social Security, Medicare, and other important programs. We do need tax reform that makes our tax policy fairer and simpler, and our tax dollars should stop going to pad the pockets of defense contractors at the expense of better investments. HOUSING Long Island is facing a housing crisis. There just isn't enough housing that people can afford and there isn't enough good quality housing. Communities need to come together and figure out what kind of housing they need to be a thriving place, but the federal government needs to step up to the plate and invest in housing.That way our seniors can downsize if they want to but stay close to their kids and grand kids, young people can get a start in life without having to move away, and working families can have a better shot at making ends meet. Investment in housing also makes economic sense - every dollar of new construction has a multiplier effect generating more business and pumping dollars into our local economy. REPARATIONS It will make us stronger as a nation if we more directly confront the history of slavery and racial discrimination, and try to tackle its impact on our country. Despite progress made in many aspects of American life, when it comes to race matters, we have a very long way to go. The continuing wealth gap between black and white people, institutionalized racial bias in our criminal justice system, and political marginalization of black people in many communities all needs to be addressed. I am convinced by the correctness of the case for reparations, however I do not know the best form reparations should take. As a member of Congress, I will support legislation that establishes a commission to study and make proposals regarding reparations.	”
—David Pechefsky’s campaign website (2018)

See also

Suggest a link

• United States House of Representatives
• New York's 1st Congressional District election, 2018
• New York's 1st Congressional District

External links

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

New York's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Kirsten Gillibrand (D)

Chuck Schumer (D)

Representatives

District 1

Nicholas LaLota (R)

District 2

Andrew Garbarino (R)

District 3

Tom Suozzi (D)

District 4

Laura Gillen (D)

District 5

Gregory Meeks (D)

District 6

Grace Meng (D)

District 7

Nydia Velazquez (D)

District 8

Hakeem Jeffries (D)

District 9

Yvette Clarke (D)

District 10

Daniel Goldman (D)

District 11

Nicole Malliotakis (R)

District 12

Jerrold Nadler (D)

District 13

Adriano Espaillat (D)

District 14

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D)

District 15

Ritchie Torres (D)

District 16

George Latimer (D)

District 17

Michael Lawler (R)

District 18

Pat Ryan (D)

District 19

Josh Riley (D)

District 20

Paul Tonko (D)

District 21

Elise Stefanik (R)

District 22

John Mannion (D)

District 23

Nick Langworthy (R)

District 24

Claudia Tenney (R)

District 25

Joseph Morelle (D)

District 26

Tim Kennedy (D)

Democratic Party (21)

Republican Party (7)