Watch Simcha Felder’s victory speech.

As Democratic President Barack Obama swept to a re-election victory Tuesday night, Brooklyn voters sent a Republican and a conservative Democrat to Albany to represent their newly drawn Senate districts.

The shadow of last week’s hurricane hung over Election Day in Brooklyn, as voters in areas hit hardest by the storm headed to the polls today.

As the Nov. 6 election approaches, Sen. Golden and his Democratic challenger Andrew Gounardes have squared off at recent events in Dyker Heights and Bay Ridge where community members had the opportunity to ask the two candidates about the issues that matter to them. On both occasions, Golden came under fire for his record on women’s issues—in particular, his record of addressing gender discrimination in the workplace.

State Sen. Martin Golden called spying on mosques “absolutely wrong” at a forum dominated by Arab and Muslim voters, a stark contrast to his earlier stance praising the NYPD’s counterterrorism efforts, which include infiltrating and eavesdropping on Muslim places of gathering and worship.

Republican Sen. Marty Golden and Democratic challenger Andrew Gounardes faced off in their first debate of the race at Saint Phillip’s Episcopal Church in Dyker Heights on Tuesday.

BROOKLYN, NY—With less than one month remaining until Election Day, State Senator Martin Golden and his Democratic challenger Andrew Gounardes are gearing up for the final leg of the race. The most recent filing deadline for campaign finance disclosures passed two days ago. Gounardes released his 32-day pre-general report on deadline, but Golden has not  Read more »

Who wins the support of labor unions and the working class—groups that participate more actively in elections than other organizations—will be a deciding factor in the presidential election. It is the same in Brooklyn’s 22nd Senate District, which convers Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights.

Age: 27

Occupation: Stay at home mom

Residence: 78th Street in Bay Ridge for 6 years

Registered Party: Democrat

Who will she vote for in this presidential election? President Barack Obama

By Chenjie Ding BROOKLYN, NY—Transit officials have promised to repair flooding, peeling paint and other problems at the Bay Ridge Avenue Subway station by the end of 2013, according to Sen. Martin Golden. The aging station — used by more than 2.5 million riders a year, according to the MTA’s website –regularly draws complaints from  Read more »

Age: 60+

Occupation: writer

Neighborhood: Bay Ridge

How Long She’s Lived in Brooklyn: 15 years

Party affiliation: Independent

Who is she going to vote for: Mitt Romney.