While most New Yorkers aren’t seeing spirited local campaigns in their neighborhoods this election season, it’s a different story in South Brooklyn.

In State Senate District 17, freshman Democratic State Sen. Iwen Chu is facing a tough fight from Republican Steve Chan, an ex-Marine and retired police officer.

Chu has almost two years under her belt as the District 17’s sitting state senator.

“I’m [a] people’s person, so I want to make sure our students, our families, our communities, our seniors — they know who represents them in the state level,” Chu told NY1. “I was able to secure the $30 million historic funding for the AAPI community throughout the whole New York State two years in a row.”

Chu was a journalist, then a longtime aide to ex-state Assemblyman Peter Abbate, also a Democrat.

“Some of the bills, like my e-bike package, the governor already signed into law, that’s how I can make sure I deliver those promises,” Chu said.

A former U.S. Marine and 27-year veteran of the NYPD, Chan is backed by the area’s congresswoman, Nicole Malliotakis.

“I like to think that I know what’s going on in my neighborhood and my borough and the city. I went to school here. I served proudly in the United States Marine Corps for six years. I’m an NYPD police sergeant,” Chan said.

Formerly a Democrat, Chan said he no longer likes what the party stands for, in his view.

“Like all the neighbors and the community here around me, we’re all fed up. We’re fed up with the way the government is being run, the wasteful spending, the public safety issues, the migrant crisis. We’re just fed up,” Chan said. “The Democratic Party has been hijacked by the far left, Marxists and socialists. I don’t like, I no longer like the doctrine. I think it [borders] on craziness.”

District 17 covers parts of Sunset Park, Bath Beach and Bensonhurst. With a plurality of Asian voters, it was created in 2022 from New York’s once-in-a-decade redistricting process.

“I’m also surprised to be the first Asian woman [voted in],” Chu said. “I’m not going to be the last one.”

Chu narrowly defeated Republican challenger Vito LaBella in 2022, but this year is different. Both candidates are Asian-American. Chu is Taiwanese and Chan emigrated from Hong Kong.

Republicans hope to capitalize on recent trends showing more Asians are voting red. Although the district has over 68,000 registered Democrats and around 18,000 Republicans, over 41,000 voters aren’t registered in either party.

One hot issue in the district is a proposed homeless shelter for men in Bensonhurst, which Chan opposes.

“These people need jobs. You know, our homeless programs and services are a mess. Let’s revamp that,” he said.

Chu is also not on board, asking City Hall to hold a community roundtable.

“The city [admits] this is the first time they heard from the community’s real concern, and hopefully we’re still doing more negotiation over here. However, with the whole city atmosphere right now, the whole investigation, this is some [disturbance] in the process,” Chu said.

Both candidates say they oppose congestion pricing, as most constituents are car dependent.

“They have to drive, and when they have to drive, why [are] they being penalized?” Chu said.

“It’s just another tax on the working class,” Chan said.

Curbing crime — especially against Asian Americans — is a priority for Chan.

“The first thing we have to do is give the cops back what they need to effectively do their jobs,” he said.

It’s also a key issue for Chu in Albany.

“I was able to support and co-sponsor the legislation to increase the charge for retail theft and to increase [to] felony charges, to make sure those bad behaviors [have] consequences!” she said.

Early voting begins Oct. 26.