BOROUGHWIDE — Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, one of Brooklyn’s most influential Democratic figures, announced she will step into a new chapter and will not seek re‑election as county leader though, according to some on the Executive Committee, she still holds the votes to win.
Bichotte Hermelyn announced her decision on Spectrum NY1 Monday evening. She said she made the decision nearly two years ago, marking a deliberate pivot away from the constant churn of party battles and toward the work she has long said matters most: community, legislation, the law and family.
In recent months, Bichotte Hermelyn stood at the center of Brooklyn’s political turbulence, navigating court rulings, reformer challenges and shifting district‑leader dynamics. Critics called her restructuring of the party a power grab; she insists it was about protecting the institution’s integrity.
“Leadership is allowing others to lead,” she said. “Change is good, and I’m moving with change.”
Despite the noise, Bichotte Hermelyn maintained a clear and viable path to re‑election, surprising many observers who assumed she would continue to fight for the chairmanship.
Under her tenure, the party became more transparent, more engaged and more community‑involved. She helped usher in the most diverse judiciary Brooklyn has ever seen, expanding participation and bringing everyday residents into the political process.
She will also be remembered as a leader who was bold, led with an iron fist and never led with fear. She fought battles alone that others avoided, often absorbing the pressure while colleagues stayed behind the scenes.
Her departure comes at a personal and community crossroads. With six college degrees, a husband, a four‑year‑old child and her district facing an immigration crisis, she says the moment calls for a different kind of service and a little more normalcy. She joked that she wants to enjoy her Netflix videos “without anyone challenging my wit.”
She leaves with influence, the votes and the ability to support a successor she believes in. Her actions not only shaped politics but also shook the courts, triggered election‑law battles that created precedent and sparked judicial jockeying over who would take the cases.
Bichotte Hermelyn’s legacy includes the hottest galas, the most newsworthy stories, the most diverse Bench and the fairest, most transparent processes the party has seen. By many measures, she surpassed the leadership impact of any county chair before her. Her next chapter will be shaped not by the power she could have retained, but by the values she is choosing to elevate.
As she steps away from the chairmanship, one title follows her into the future: Emeritus. The party should declare her Democratic Party Chair Emeritus.
Anthony Beckford is a prominent progressive political figure, activist, single father, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and entrepreneur based in Brooklyn. He recently served as the Democratic district leader and male state committee member for the 43rd New York State Assembly District, representing neighborhoods including Flatbush, East Flatbush, Crown Heights and Prospect Lefferts Gardens.
He is the First Vice Chair of the Kings County Democratic County Committee and also chairs both the rules and public relations committees for the Kings County Democratic County Committee.