LOWER MANHATTAN — Longtime U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler will face his first contested primary in 20 years when 10th District voters head to the polls for New York's Democratic primary Tuesday.
Nadler, 69, who has represented much of western Manhattan from the Financial District to the Upper West Side as well as parts of Brooklyn including Borough Park for 24 years, is squaring off against Oliver Rosenberg, a 30-year entrepreneur with no political experience.
In May, Rosenberg accused Nadler of trying to get him to quit the race by sending his allies to bribe him — an allegation a Nadler campaign spokesman called "absurd."
But Rosenberg's most trenchant challenge revolves around Nadler's controversial vote to support President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran in 2015, something Rosenberg and many, especially in New York's Jewish communities, have called a mistake.
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Nadler was the only Jewish congressman in New York to support the president's Iran pact — which is meant to stop Iran from producing nuclear weapons in exchange for relief on economic sanctions. As the 10th District is heavily Jewish, Rosenberg is hoping Nadler's decision could derail the otherwise largely popular incumbent's chances of winning.
Nadler told the Wall Street Journal that he stands by his Iran decision and does not think that will hurt his chances of winning. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, who voted against the Iran deal, has given his support to Nadler, as has Obama, The New York Times and others.
Rosenberg, an openly gay Orthodox Jew, has endorsements from State Assemblyman Dov Hikind, a Democrat who represents parts of Nadler's district, along with the New York Daily News. He also had comedian Jackie Mason make robo-calls for his campaign and trash-talk Nadler's support of the Iran deal.
Polls open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m on June 28.
To find your polling place, check the NYC Board of Elections website.
Correction: This story has been updated to state that Nadler was the only Jewish congressman in New York to support the president's Iran pact.
