The bench: Mike Ryan, District Attorney Candidate

In a race garnering less attention than some more contentious races for seats in Albany or DC, the District Attorney elections are coming up this fall, and one of the few off year elections we will see. The incumbent, is DA Dan Donovan (R) and the challenger, as noted in the title, is Attorney Mike Ryan (D). While it is doubtful there will be messages coming out of this race that we can use to carry over into the Congressional race, there are many lessons. Similar to Manny Innamorato's strategy, Mike Ryan has decided to bring his message directly to the residents of the island campaigning door to door. Via Wrobleski's polit.bureau;

"We're out walking and knocking on doors every night," Ryan told us at Democratic headquarters in Port Richmond. "When we're not out walking, we're speaking to the political clubs."

Instead of focusing on prime voters in Democratic districts, Ryan says he's trying to hit every section of Staten Island possible.

The second part of that quote may be the most important, bringing the message to what otherwise would be considered the Republican base. It would have been sensible to see some Congressional candidates working with Ryan to build off the work of Innamorato's campaign. Rebuilding our efforts every campaign to introduce our Democratic message in the South Shore and mid island is an unnecessary expense of time and money that we need to change.