It was in early in 1994 when the special election was called to replace former assemblyman now Attorney General Oliver Koppell. The 81st County Committee met to nominate the candidate of the Democratic Party, and the choice was District Leader Jeffrey Dinowitz. Dinowitz received the endorsement of Congressman Eliot Engel, then New York Attorney General Oliver Koppell whose assembly seat was going to be filled, and then Bronx Borough President Freddy Ferrer.
There were however two other candidates in that special election Mark Friedlander and Herb Mckay. Mr. Friedlander since he could not get the Democratic Party line chose to run on the Liberal line which helped elect Rudy Giuliani mayor in1993. Mr. Ray Harding head of the Liberal Party at the time also was able to get Mayor Giuliani, and former Mayor Ed Koch to endorse candidate Friedlander. The Bronx Democratic County Leader Mr. George Friedman also endorsed Mark Friedlander even though the 81st Democratic County Committee voted for Jeffrey Dinowitz as its candidate.
Even though he had the Democratic Party line Dinowitz was not the favorite in that special election. It was expected that candidate Friedlander being an Orthodox Jew would be the candidate of the Conservative Party. In a special election such as this the Conservative Party could bring out 1,000 or more voters to the candidate of the party. Since Friedlander chose to run on the Liberal Party line Conservative Party Chairman Bill Newmark was furious, and found a candidate to run on the Conservative Party line. Mr. Herb Mckay a former fire Chief of the Riverdale fire house, and resident of the highly Conservative Woodlawn area was the candidate of the Conservative Party in the special election.
The results of the special election were as follows
Democrat Party candidate - Jeffrey Dinowitz - 2,685 votes 42%
Liberal Party candidate - Mark Friedlander - 2,495 votes 39%
Conservative Party candidate Herb McKay - 1,229 votes 19%
Jeffrey Dinowitz won by 190 votes.
With his son Eric Dinowitz as the MC the 20 years in office party of Jeffrey Dinowitz was celebrated by over 200 friends, and other elected officials all who had only kind words for the hard, honest, and humble work that has and is being done by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz. Dinowitz's answer was "It is easy when you are having fun at what you do". Photos of the event should be self explanatory. You can click on any photo to make it larger.
Left - Leslie Swanson sings the national anthem.
Right - Councilman Andrew Cohen with his campaign manager his daughter Sarah. 
Left - Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and City Controller Scott Stringer. Both are former members of the state assembly with Dinowitz.
Right - Dinowitz is next to current Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Carl Heastie, City Comptroller Stringer, and Community Board 8 member David Kornblauh.
Congressman Eliot Engel heaps on the praise for his good friend Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz.
Left - During his speech BP Diaz mentions Assemblyman Dinowitz is number one with him.
Right - Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz says that you have to have fun at what your doing, and remarks "Is it 20 years already".