City Councilman Joseph Addabbo, a candidate for Sen. Serphin Maltese's 15th District state Senate seat, chats with 113th St. residents (from l.) Sandra Sanchez, David Sanchez and Paramjit Singh. Farriella for News
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Some had flowing beards, and wore turbans and traditional dress. Others sported business suits. No one wore shoes.
They all listened to a campaigning politician decked out in a blue suit minus his wingtips.
"We [city officials] have a lot of learning to do with the Sikh community," said Councilman and state Senate candidate Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach). "As I go around my district, I encourage new residents to get involved."
Addabbo's visit to the Sikh temple underscores a wild card in his high-stakes showdown with 10-term GOP incumbent Serphin Maltese (R-Glendale): the burgeoning new immigrant population in the 15th Senate District.
As is the case across Queens, neighborhoods in the 15th District, like Ozone Park, Richmond Hill and Woodhaven, are becoming majority new immigrant.
According to the 2000 census, the 15th District was 56% percent white, 23% Latino and 11% South Asian. But the ongoing demographic shift has transformed the district from a GOP stronghold into a key battleground that could decide which party controls the state's upper house.
"If the demographics of this district hadn't changed, this district wouldn't be in play," said veteran political consultant Hank Sheinkopf. "The demographic argument will probably define the outcome."
In 2006, political newcomer Albert Baldeo - a Democrat running without party backing - came within some 800 votes of defeating Maltese.
Baldeo, a lawyer of Guyanese descent from South Ozone Park, cleaned up in neighborhoods like Richmond Hill, getting 68% of the vote, and Ozone Park, racking up 63%.
Addabbo said he has had several events, fund-raisers and campaign forays designed to court the new immigrant vote.
Maltese has launched a spree of mailings and TV ads.
He said 70% of district residents are homeowners. He added that many of the South Asian residents are entrepreneurs while many of the Latino residents are "family-values people."
"I think they are more interested in a Republican-Conservative message than a liberal-Democratic message," he said.
The Queens Democratic Party is also trying to lock down the ethnic vote by mounting an aggressive voter registration drive.
"There's been a huge voter registration drive and many of them are new Americans, who we believe tend to vote Democratic," said the party Executive Secretary Michael Reich.
But Sheinkopf said defeating Maltese is no easy task.
"The new look of the district should benefit Addabbo on paper," he said. "But Maltese has more money to try to manipulate the outcome - and money matters in politics."
