NEW YORK — Stephanie Ruskay and Eli Northrup are candidates in the Democratic primary for New York State Assembly District 69. The two candidates hold differing positions on buffer zones around houses of worship, an issue addressed by recent legislation in New York City and New York State that restricted demonstrations near such venues.

Ms. Ruskay, a rabbi, stated her support for buffer zones to protect synagogues from protests. "In the world as we wish it was, I don't think that you should have [to] have a buffer zone," Ruskay said. "But in the world that we actually live in right now, I think that we do need one." Mr. Northrup, a public defender, opposes buffer zones around houses of worship, stating that outlawing protest within a certain distance of an institution would not pass constitutional muster.

The State Assembly District 69 covers much of the Upper West Side and all of Morningside Heights, including the Columbia University campus. The Assembly seat opened in the fall when Assembly member Micah Lasher decided to run for Congress. Ms. Ruskay attended New York's annual Israel Day Parade in May. Eli Northrup received endorsements from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Jews for Racial & Economic Justice.

Ms. Ruskay received endorsements from New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, New York City Comptroller Mark Levine, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, former Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger, ActJew, and the New York Solidarity Network. Mr. Mamdani, who did not attend the Israel Day Parade, resisted signing the City Council's buffer zone bill pertaining to houses of worship. The bill became law with a veto-proof majority, and Mamdani vetoed a separate bill implementing buffer zones around schools.

Mr. Northrup volunteered for Mayor Mamdani's mayoral campaign, and District 69 overwhelmingly supported Mamdani in the 2025 mayoral race. Mr. Northrup is the grandson of a Jewish civil rights lawyer who worked on Supreme Court cases to combat antisemitism and racial segregation in the 1950s. Regarding identity terms, Northrup said, "I don't know that it's serving us to be categorizing people as Zionist or anti-Zionist." He added, "I certainly don't see myself in those terms."

Both Ms. Ruskay and Mr. Northrup support building more affordable housing, filling the district's vacant storefronts, supporting unions, and enforcing labor laws. They have also voiced commitment to fighting US President Donald Trump and his immigration policies. Ms. Ruskay's campaign raised $436,381. She received $25,000 from the American Centerpoint PAC, which was formed on June 11 with Adeena Rosen as its sole contributor. Mr. Northrup's campaign raised $443,522.