Potential Candidates: Assembly member Peter Abbate

The following is the fourth part of a series on potential candidates for this Congressional seat. Currently only one candidate has declared, Steve Harrison.


Peter Abbate is a member of the New York State Assembly, representing the Brooklyn neighborhoods of; Borough Park, Bath Beach, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst. His district is overlapped on the congressional district (green below);

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Abbate was first elected in 1986, has won re-election every two years since.

2006
Pater Abbate (D, WFP): 74%
Lucretia Regina-Potter (R): 26%

Why he could be the nominee
From his Assembly bio; "He passed legislation to help maintain veteran police and firefighters within the City of New York and sponsored legislation to establish a presumptive accidental disability retirement related to exposure to elements in connection with the World Trade Center tragedy for public employees who rendered rescue services in the wake of the attack." Staten Island has a large population of active and retired NYPD and FDNY members.

He serves as chairman of the Government Employment Committee which creates strong connections to the labor community.

The Daily News reported;

Abbate, a Brooklyn Democrat who has been in the Assembly 22 years, said several labor leaders approached him last week during a fundraiser to see if he would be interested and that he had a discussion about the seat with Brooklyn Democratic boss Vito Lopez earlier this week.

Why he might not be the nominee
Abbate's name has rarely been mentioned. He would seemingly start behind all of the prospective candidates as well as the presumed candidates Harrison and Recchia.

His Assembly district is in Brooklyn and he brings very little to his candidacy that is not offered elsewhere. Sen. Savino's senate district overlaps his so she has him in terms of winning that district. Sen. Savino also probably has stronger labor support in the district. He would start a congressional campaign with no money.

see also:
Potential candidates: Sen. Diane Savino
Potential candidates: Assembly member Mike Cusick
Potential candidates: City Council member Mike McMahon