Fossella may not endorse anyone

Despite being the Republican nominee to replace Vito Fossella, the Republican Congressman, Fossella apparently hasn't decided if he is going to endorse Bob Straniere. I don't mean to do Bob from Manhattan's work for him, but he is the Republican candidate in this race and was selected to be the Republican endorsed candidate by a selection committee made up of Fossella loyalists. Despite that Fossella may not endorse Straniere;

...Rep. Vito Fossella said he doesn't know if he's going to endorse anyone for the House seat he's vacating -- including fellow Republican Straniere.

McMahon fundraising midnight deadline

Today is the last day of the third quarter and a major deadline for fundraising. If you are a McMahon donor or have been thinking about getting behind his campaign, donating today before midnight is the most important time to show your support. Because this will be the last FEC quarter update before the election it is crucial to once again vastly outpace Straniere in cash raised and send a message to the NRCC to Republican supporters to stay away, its a lost cause. Any amount helps;

Donate to Mike McMahon by Midnight!

Obama up 19 in latest poll

Remember Tom was telling us we should be concerned that Obama might be underperforming in New York, but it wasn't his belief, it was the belief of others that he was just sharing with us? Well there is now a third poll released since his cherry picked outlier. SurveyUSA shows Obama now up 19 points, 57%-38%.



Expect Tom to have a new article any day saying the race won't be close and his last article on the polling was a mistake and unprofessional...

McMahon on the House Economic Stabilization vote

Council Member Michael McMahon today released the following statement on the failure of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 in the House of Representatives:

"When Americans across the country receive their 401k statements at the end of the month, the gravity of today's vote will be clear. Over the past week, Republicans and Democrats came together to create an imperfect but necessary answer to the financial crisis, and it failed. Now tens of thousands of jobs in the district are in danger on Wall Street, and Main Street will feel the pressure as student loans, mortgages, small business loans and credit freeze up. I applaud Rep. Fossella for his vote today, and wish that more had joined him. I urge Congress to continue negotiations, and bring a new solution to the table by the end of the week."

-- Council Member Michael McMahon

Fossella votes YES on bail out bill

The House just finished voting on HR 3997, the Financial Markets Bill that give the Treasury Department money to intervene in bailing out financial markets.  Vito Fossella voted YES .  The bill failed.

Straniere's Finance Chair, a Clinton donor

Bob Straniere announced his new Finance Chair Michael Menicucci recently in a press release. He praised his choice;

“There is no one better to lead our fundraising efforts here in the city and in the greater New York area,” said Straniere.

An FEC search turn ups that Menicucci's only sizable federal contributions have been to Hillary Clinton. Menicucci and his firm Menicucci Vila & Associations have each contributed twice, here and here, to the Democratic Senator. It is quite telling of Straniere's campaign that he chooses someone to lead his fundraising efforts who is a Democratic donor, has never donated to Rep. Fossella in any significant amount nor Straniere's own campaign.

DFNYC linkup this Wednesday at Muddy Cup

Staten Island
7:00pm
Muddy Cup, 388 Van Duzer Street [Google Map]
hosted by Al Dykes

Fossella refusing to comment on the bailout plan

via the Advance;

But the congressman himself, outgoing Republican Rep. Vito Fossella, did not make himself available for an interview about the crisis that has gripped the nation, and his constituents, for days.

While Fossella's Washington office issued two statements in response to an Advance request for an interview with Fossella, neither offered a hint on how he might vote on a bailout package.

Nor did the statements answer direct questions put forth by the Advance, including whether Fossella is part of the House Republican contingent that are bailout holdouts and where he stands on whether taxpayers should foot part or all of the bailout bill.

Really no surprise here. Fossella in one of his final votes in Congress is refusing to publicly make a statement, share his view or represent his constituents. He did this with congestion pricing. Worse he has done this with the war in Iraq. As a Congressman he does not feel it is his job to answer to his constituents.

No one supports Bob Straniere

If you go to Bob Straniere's website one of the first things you may see is his list of "endorsements."  Really Bob, these are the best endorsements you got?  Where are all the local Staten Island elected Republicans?  Oh that is right they are refusing to support you.  Anyway here is Bob from Manhattan's long list of supporters, in case you miss it he has it twice on his home page;

Gov. Pataki, left office in 2006.  He oversaw the demise of the Republican Party in New York. 

Sen, Joe Bruno, retired from the State Senate, and is now under FBI investigation. 

Former Republican candidate for Governor John Faso, really?  really!  The guy who ran for but got embarrassingly blown out in the race for Governor, losing by more than 32%.  Faso only won 28% of the vote.

Rep. Peter King, from Long Island not NYC.

Rep. Randy Kuhl, from upstate not NYC.

The Staten Island and Brooklyn Republican Parties, in case you were unsure he needs to reaffirm that yes he is the Republican nominee

John Friscia and Craig Eaton, he lists individually despite them being the respective Republican Party chairs from Staten Island and Brooklyn.  Again a little desperate that he needs to promote endorsements from the party he was nominated by to run for Congress.

Please, please would you just believe Bob is really the Republican candidate for Congress.  This is getting painful to watch. 

Do you want Straniere and the market in charge of your healthcare?

He does!  While banks are failing and the market is going through tremendous turmoil do you really want Bob from Manhattan and his "market-based solutions" in charge of your healthcare and the healthcare needs of your family?  Market-based solutions seem to be devastating our banking and loan industry why not let them do the same for healthcare? From Bob's website ;

Offer market-based solutions so that affordable and appropriate healthcare will be available for each and all New Yorkers.

Suspicions on Straniere's judicial nomination

So what happens if you are nominated for a juducial office and don't know? Bob Straniere doesn't know why he was nominated for a Manhattan judicial position;

"I don't know where this bizarre endorsement has come from."

The Manhattan GOP who nominated him is not talking;

"The Manhattan GOP has yet to explain why they voted to nominate Straniere for a Supreme Court seat, an election that Straniere has no chance of winning because of Manhattan's overwhelmingly Democratic voter registration."

And even members of the Republican party think there was something unethical going on;

"There ought to be an investigation," he said. "How can you nominate somebody for judge without them knowing it? People are wheeling and dealing all day long."

This starts to get very suspicious because while we knew Bob didn't know why he was nominated, we later find out Straniere did not know he was nominated;

"Straniere further maintains that he didn't even know that the party had nominated him for the slot until informed about it by the press."

and state law says he has to potentially officially decline it;

"Manhattan Republicans had until midnight last night to file a certificate of nomination for Straniere with the Board of Elections. But Straniere said he would "absolutely" decline the nomination, in writing, if required by law."

So what would have happened if Straniere never found out he was nominated in Manhattan, his home borough, and then never formally declined the nomination?

Bob from Manhattan's Manhattan residence

If you zoom out far enough, eventually you can see the district that Bob Straniere is running for Congress in. Bob from Manhattan actually lives in the Fourteenth Congressional district represented by Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney who he choose not to run against. Note that the Bronx is actually closer to his apartment than Staten Island.


View Larger Map

Straniere hit on his Manhattan residence

in light of his judicial nomination in Manhattan, where he has been living, the DCCC takes the opportunity to remind the actual residents of the district why Bob from Manhattan is a bad choice;

"The commute to the Manhattan courts would have been more convenient from his midtown Manhattan home than schlepping all the way to Brooklyn and Staten Island. Besides, when you've been sued for shady finances as many times as Bob Straniere has, you're familiar with the court system."

 

Carrie James 

Regional press secretary at the DCCC

Republicans flailing, Democrats united

I've been saying this for a while now .  The NY Times is noticing;

 

There couldn't be a greater contrast between the two parties' support of their candidate for the Congressional seat representing Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn.  Councilman Michael E. McMahon is the Democratic nominee for the House seat on Staten Island. 

Mr. McMahon has been supported by all the elected officials in the district, including State Senator Diane J. Savino and the Assembly members Michael Cusick, Janele Hyer-Spencer and Matthew J. Titone.

and this painful Republican juxtaposition;

By comparison, Mr. Straniere has been dogged daily with questions about whether he actually planned to run or withdraw from the race. And the Republican candidate has not been endorsed officially by a single elected official on Staten Island in his own party.

see also: July 16; Assemblyman Tobacco will not support Straniere 

Bob from Manhattan's official 'thanks, but no thanks'

Scan 080924170924 - Upload a Document to Scribd

Fossella to run on third party line

In a new twist Fossella has submitted enough signatures to qualify his 'Family Values Party' for the November ballot. (No this isn't true)

Bob from Manhattan declines judicial nomination

He is running for Congress! And with this kind of party support it will be a fun month;

“It’s over. Completely over,” said Guy V. Molinari, the former Staten Island borough president who had led the effort to seek an opportunity for Mr. Fossella to run.

“I think we had a good chance of getting him to run before this,” Mr. Molinari said. “But we ran out of time and Bob Straniere is not that kind of team player. He has a terrible, terrible record and we simply were counting on the wrong man. All the scurrying around that we did turned out to be for naught.”

Kind of funny that Bob Straniere, who lives in Manhattan, was nominated for a judicial position in the borough he lives in, Manhattan, and declined it to run for Congress in Staten Island. He really has the interest of Staten Islanders and Brooklynites as his top priority. So much so he said he will move to the district if he wins! Don't fret;

“Robert Straniere earned himself the Republican nomination for the 13th District,” said Brendan Buck, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee. “And we are fully behind him and his campaign.”

Unfortunately that support does not include money or actual, well, support.

Fossella's Money

Currently Vito Fossella is sitting on about $270,000 in campaign funds. Campaign funds that are going no where because he has no current campaign. He had been using this money to fund his legal defense in his DWI arrest but stopped after it became public knowledge. We don't know what he has done with the money since July 1 since his next filing isn't due until the end of September. What we do know is that from FEC records he has given no money to his National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC) who is in desperate need of cash despite being able to move unlimited amounts to them. He had made 14 contributions, totaling $227,000 in the past. This is potentially quite telling of his relationship up to and since his arrest and announced retirement plans. Considering Bob Straniere only had about $11,000 and the NRCC was struggling to find money to support endangered incumbents across the country Fossella could use his funds to help his party. Or he could sit on it. It looks like he is choosing the latter.

Law Enforcement Unions Endorse McMahon for Congress

from press release;

PBA, DEA, CEA, LBA, SBA and Court Officers all Back McMahon in Bid For Congress, Citing McMahon’s Extensive Record Fighting for Officers on Safety and Resources

September 24, 2008 – Several law enforcement unions today backed Council Member Michael McMahon in his bid for Congress in New York’s 13th Congressional District, citing McMahon’s long record of fighting for law enforcement officials’ needs, including providing bullet proof vests for the city’s officers and fighting for sufficient police forces on Staten Island.

The Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, Detectives Endowment Association, Captains Endowment Association, Lieutenants Benevolent Association, Sergeants Benevolent Association, and the New York State Court Officers Association and New York State Supreme Court Officers Association all endorsed McMahon.

“New York City’s law enforcement officers are on the front lines every day, fighting for the safety of our citizens, and protecting our way of life. I’ve been proud to fight for their needs on the City Council, and I’ll continue that fight in Washington to ensure that all our law enforcement officers have the resources they need to keep us safe. I’m grateful to have their endorsement, and promise to honor it by advocating for our brave officers in Congress. From the threat of terrorism to the danger of crime on the street, our law enforcement officers are there for New Yorkers, and when in Congress, I will make sure that our government is there for them,” McMahon said.

“Mike McMahon has always been a strong voice for this city’s police officers, and the PBA is proud to endorse him for Congress. From fighting for our personal safety to fighting for his constituents’ safety by pushing for more precincts on Staten Island, Mike McMahon understands the needs of police officers, and knows the importance of making sure we have the tools to keep New Yorkers safe. I’m proud to say that he’s the best man for the job in Congress,” PBA President Pat Lynch said.

“When Staten Island’s population boomed, and needed more officers to keep the streets safe, Mike McMahon was there to make sure that New Yorkers had the protection they needed to stay safe. He fought for the 121st Precinct in Graniteville, and he’ll continue to fight for resources we need from Congress to protect New Yorkers. When we’ve needed him, Mike McMahon has been there for law enforcement officers. I’m honored to be there for him now, pledging my support to get Mike McMahon to Congress,” said Dennis Quirk, the President of New York State Court Officers Association.

"The members of the CEA are happy to endorse a candidate who strongly supports passage of the James Zadroda 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, an act that provides much needed financing for the medical treatment of those emergency workers who responded to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In many cases, the dramatic health effects and cancers attributed to exposure to the toxins at Ground Zero are just beginning to be known. Mike McMahon shares our belief that the heroes that came to our aid should not be forgotten by our government," said Roy Richter, President of the Captains Endowment Association.

During his seven years on the City Council, McMahon helped to get safety vests for police officers, worked to open the 121st Precinct in Graniteville, and ensured that law enforcement officers serving overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan weren’t hit with bills by the city when they returned home from duty. He continues to push for the opening of the 120th Precinct on Staten Island so that the county has the resources it needs to keep the streets safe.

In addition, McMahon has ardently urged Congress to act on medical funding for first responders sickened by their work at Ground Zero following the attacks on September 11th. He voted in favor of a Council resolution urging Congress to pass the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, and has pledged to support the legislation once elected.

The law enforcement officers’ endorsements are a major boost for McMahon, and follow the Uniformed Firefighters Association and Uniformed Fire Officers Association endorsements in the primary.

McMahon remains in a strong position going into the general election, with national observers rating the race “likely Democrat” across the board.

McMahon received key support in the primary and going into the general, including primary endorsements from the Staten Island Advance, New York Times, Brooklyn Paper and Courier Life, endorsements from elected leaders including Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator Charles Schumer, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, former Mayor Ed Koch, and members of the New York City Congressional Delegation, and critical labor support from the New York State AFL–CIO, the United Federation of Teachers, 1199 SEIU Healthcare East, UFCW, and RWDSU.

Upon entering the race, McMahon also earned a spot on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's vaunted “Red to Blue” program, promising financial, communications and strategic support from the national party.

The General Election will be held on November 4th.


updated the bad formatting

Village Voice blog shows us some love

via Runnin' Scared;

The NY13 Blog looks at the increasingly interesting case of Bob Straniere, Republican candidate to succeed Vito Fossella in Congress. Fossella declined to run for reelection this year after a drunk-driving/second family scandal, but the unpopularity of Strainere, plus some recent polling and public appearances, have fed rumors of a Fossella comeback.

Thanks Roy!

Fossella and the financial crisis

One of the side benefits of not having Vito Fossella in office starting next year is that the lobbyist money he has been receiving goes elsewhere and his influence on the Commerce Committee is done. The trouble with Fossella still being in office is one of his last votes in office may relate to our housing and banking crisis and whether or not we move towards fixing these problems, whether to the aid of Wall Street or main street American interests. I am no expert so I will leave you with one quote on why Republicans want him to stick around and the corporate interests also want him around. via the Advance;

Molinari said that the $700 billion financial services bailout being negotiated in Washington gave him further impetus to reach out to Fossella, who is chairman of the Capital Markets, Economic and Information Security Task Force of the House Republican Policy Committee.

Fossella's Financial Industry donors;

Bank of America $41,500
Morgan Stanley $31,500
UBS $28,500
JP Morgan $27,500
Credit Suisse $20,500
Goldman Sachs $17,500
Citi $17,000
Merrill Lynch $12,500
Lehman Brothers $11,000
HSBC $10,500
Prudential $10,000
E*trade $9,000
Bank of New York/Mellon $8,500
Capital One $8,500
Fannie Mae $7,500
AIG $7,500
Bear Sterns $6,500
Charles Schwab $5,000
Fidelity $3,000

LTE: Republicans not backing Fossella

In a recent Letter to the Editor in the Advance a Republican resident writes about her disdain for Fossella;

So Vino Fossella, the "disgraced" congressman, wants to throw his hat back into the ring. A little time has gone by and we haven't really seen or heard from him lately. So are we now supposed to just forgive and forget the shame and humiliation he not only brought down upon himself and his own family, but also for the rest of us who had come to admire and put our trust and faith in him?

He has the chutzpah to go around acting as though nothing happened and he thinks he can now successfully run against the candidate who has already been chosen by the Republican Party to succeed him, Robert Straniere, an honest and hard-working politician who is squeaky clean and has a great track record as a champion of the people of Staten Island for more than a quarter century.

Unfortunately for Bob Straniere his own party leaders think he has his own ethics problems.

update: fixed formatting of this post

Best quote about Fossella

Elizabeth Benjamin on Fossella's desire to run again;

"the fact that he's looking at an October court date plus possible jail time for his DWI charge potentially complicates things"

Straniere nominated for judgeship

So there are three ways Bob from Manhattan can get off of the ballot, death, moving out of the state and being nominated for a judgeship.  Last night he was nominated, possibly against his desire, for a judgeship position.  From the NY Post ;

Republican Robert Straniere, who's running for Rep. Vito Fossella's seat, was nominated as a Manhattan judicial candidate last night - a move that could pave the way for the disgraced congressman to get back on the ballot and run for re-election.

Several Republican sources said the New York County GOP made the nomination with the understanding that Straniere would accept it.

But Straniere, a former Staten Island assemblyman who's been at odds with fellow Republicans, hasn't been contacted about the judicial post and "unequivocally" plans to turn it down, his spokesman told The Post.

There are very mixed signals here. Bob Straniere is saying he doesn't want the judgeship and is running for Congress.  Bob can simply not accept it and this farce of a Fossella comeback is dead.  This simply could just be a lot of political pressure and maneuvering by a party that  has lost its leadership and is falling apart or this potentially, and I say this with much hesitation, could open up the seat for Fossella to be renominated.  I don't see a path for Fossella to win if he goes down this road.  He does not have the Conservative Party line and at this point can not get it.  He has a trial date later this Fall in October for his DWI arrest.  It would take immense arrogance on his part to jump back in.  Since the Republican Party has been a joke in this race for months now I am not ruling it out.

Tim Cochrane, Conservative Party nominee

Who?

Brooklyn Republican Tim Cochrane is the Conservative Party's new candidate for the 13th Congressional District seat, replacing Paul Atanasio, who dropped out earlier this week.

Interestingly their nominee appears to be a registered Republican and not a Conservative Party member. The Republicans you may recall have a nominee already, Bob Straniere. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle mentions that Cochrane was being considered for the nomination along with Atanasio back in the spring;

Conservatives are looking to two Brooklyn possibilities. One is Paul Atanasio, 59, who nearly unseated Brooklyn Democratic Congressman Leo Zefferetti in 1980. The retired investment banker is an enrolled Conservative Party member, and Long was his campaign manager in his 1980 race. Atanasio is the brother-in-law of Larry Giovanna, a close friend to Kassar, Long and other top conservatives The other Brooklyn resident is Tim Cochrane, Xavarian High School’s director of development.

Tom Wrobleski concern trolling over Obama polling in NY

In April I talked about Tom Wrobleski being a concern troll for saying Obama at the top of the ticket would hurt the Democratic congressional nominee despite the only numbers, primary day turnout, showing quite the opposite. Today Tom pushes a Siena poll that shows Obama up 5 points in New York;

Borough Democrats aren't too concerned about polls last week that showed presidential candidate Barack Obama on some shaky ground in New York State and New Jersey.

A Siena College poll showed Obama up by only 5 points over Republican John McCain in normally true-blue New York.

I say Tom is pushing the poll because that poll was conducted from September 8-10. Tom chose that poll because the narrative seems good, Obama could be in trouble in New York. The only problem is that there have been two new polls in New York between that poll and Tom's column running that show Obama up 12 and 14 points respectively. You would have to go back to another Siena poll in April to show Obama with only a 5 point lead. Here is the polling for New York. See if you can find the same reason for concern that Tom found;



So why did he hand pick one poll that would otherwise be considered an outlier instead of saying all other polls and all poll averages show Obama is up double digits over McCain in New York? To borrow from our last post on Tom being a concern troll;

"It seems the biggest thing stopping that is that it wouldn't be news worthy."

Sunday: McMahon for Congress South Shore Office Kick Off

from the campaign;

Join us for a canvass kick off and refreshments with Mike
Sunday, September 21, 12:00PM
McMahon for Congress South Shore Headquarters
4001 Hylan Blvd [Google Map]

to RSVP: 718-698-0649

Mayor Bloomberg Endorses McMahon as Best Candidate to Fight for the 13th CD in Congress

via campaign press release;

September 19, 2008 – Council Member Michael McMahon today received his second major endorsement in the general election race for the 13th Congressional District from New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. Mayor Bloomberg today endorsed McMahon for Congress for Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn, citing McMahon's proven record of achieving results on the City Council and his thorough knowledge of the district.

"Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn need a strong voice in Congress to get results in transportation, health care and the economy," Mayor Bloomberg said. "During the last seven years, Mike and I have worked together to deliver just those kind of results:  increasing ferry service, developing a workable solid waste plan after decades of stagnation, holding the line on government spending, and saving surpluses for tougher times like the ones we're in now. The 13th Congressional District and all of New York City need a proven leader like Mike to fight for results in Washington. He's delivered during his seven years on the City Council, and I know he'll work just as hard in Washington. I am proud to endorse Mike McMahon for Congress, and urge all of the voters of Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn to send him to Washington this November."

"Mayor Bloomberg has set a new standard for what New Yorkers should expect from their leaders, and it's been a privilege to serve under him on the City Council for the past seven years," McMahon said. "Together, we've worked to bring home real results for New Yorkers, and I'm honored to have his endorsement to continue that work in Washington. When in Congress, I promise to do my best to meet the mayor's example of independence, courage and creativity in winning real results for my constituents. With his support, I'll fight tooth and nail to get the results on transit relief, smarter health care policy and real economic solutions that we need on Staten Island and in Southern Brooklyn."

McMahon and Mayor Bloomberg have a long history working together for the benefit of Staten Island and New York, including work on the Ferry Bill, creation of the city's first solid waste management plan that permanently closed Fresh Kills, and expansion of the city's recycling program.

McMahon has a history of reaching across the aisle to achieve results. The New York Times lauded McMahon for his non-partisan approach in its primary endorsement, stating McMahon "has proved adept at reaching out to moderates and conservatives. That broad appeal would be an advantage in representing this conservative-leaning district." The Staten Island Advance also cited McMahon's history of cooperation in its primary endorsement of McMahon, writing "he has consistently disdained partisan rancor in favor of getting positive results, and that rare trait will stand him in good stead in a fractious Congress."

McMahon also received the endorsement of Conservative Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro last week, citing McMahon's consistent record of looking beyond party to achieve results.

Mayor Bloomberg's endorsement is the latest in a series of good news for McMahon, who is in a strong position going into the general election. With national observers rating the race "likely Democrat" across the board, McMahon closed out the primary with a huge vote total and enthusiasm edge over his Republican opponent, with 11,792 votes for McMahon in the primary compared to only 3,617 for the Republican. In addition, as of the last filing deadline, McMahon held a forty-five-fold cash on hand advantage over his Republican opponent, with $500,000 on hand going into the general as opposed to $11,000 for the Republican.

McMahon received key support in the primary and going into the general, including primary endorsements from the Staten Island Advance, New York Times, Brooklyn Paper and Courier Life, endorsements from elected leaders including Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator Charles Schumer, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, former Mayor Ed Koch, and members of the New York City Congressional Delegation, and critical labor support from the New York State AFL–CIO, the United Federation of Teachers, 1199 SEIU Healthcare East, UFCW, RWDSU, the UFA and UFOA.  

Upon entering the race, McMahon also earned a spot on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's vaunted "Red to Blue" program, promising financial, communications and strategic support from the national party.

The General Election will be held on November 4th.


online: Mike McMahon for Congress

Mayor Bloomberg endorses McMahon (D)

via the Advance;

"Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn need a strong voice in Congress to get results in transportation, health care and the economy," Bloomberg said. "During the last seven years, Mike and I have worked together to deliver just those kind of results: Increasing ferry service, developing a workable solid waste plan after decades of stagnation, holding the line on government spending, and saving surpluses for tougher times like the ones we're in now.

"I am proud to endorse Mike McMahon for Congress, and urge all of the voters of Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn to send him to Washington this November."

What is the value of the Conservative Party ballot line?

With the Conservative Party line opening up on the ballot this November I revisited some old posts on the value in terms of votes the party brings its nominee.  Back in 2004, the last presidential election year, the Conservative Party line gave Fossella 10,221 votes.  Fossella beat Harrison by about 13,000 votes.  The conservative line had 6% of the total votes cast in 2004 and 4.5% of the total votes cast in 2006.

The Conservative Party vote trends have been going down in recent elections while the Indy and Working Families lines have seen increases.  However in this district the Conservative Party is far and away the largest minor party in vote totals.

see also:
Fossella losing the Conservative ballot line?
WFP, Con, and Ind Party Strengths
WFP, Con, and Ind Party Strengths, Part II

DCCC confident? NRCC broke?

The DCCC has been doing some major ad buys in districts across the country but has yet to find the need to do any ad buys for this district yet. So far they have spent money in 32 congressional districts. The NRCC on the other hand hasn't spent any money in this district to support Bob Straniere, but for a very different reason, they are broke. It also may have to do with them having no confidence in Bob from Manhattan. Either way it looks like they have no plans to get involved in this race. It is not a year to be a Republican candidate. It is really not the year to be a Republican candidate no one likes.

Swing State Project is tracking all these expenditures and saving me some time in the process.

A bunch of candidate speculation lately

So Paul Atanasio has withdrawn by accepting the nomination for a judgeship, the legal way to withdraw and let the party replace him on the ballot.  This is intriguing because it stirs speculation;

1. Bob from Manhattan could get the line and not have Conservative votes go to a spoiler candidate.  Then again no one likes him;

The Brooklyn party organization has already rejected Democratic candidate Michael McMahon, and Kassar today said, "I don't see any interest among my members in recommending to the state party that we endorse [GOP candidate] Bob Straniere."

"That would do nothing for us," said Kassar. "He hasn't really put together much of a campaign despite winning the Republican primary."

2. Carmine Morano could get the line along with his Independence line, a further sign that no one wants Straniere

3. Fossella could get the line, after rumors earlier this week he was looking to get back in.  This though is highly unlikely because he would have a hard time beating Straniere let alone getting a plurality of the vote to win.  The state Conservative Party leader also indicated this isn't likely right now;

"Right now there is no designated, agreed-on or handpicked candidate at all," Long said. "This just happened. I don't see (a return of Fossella) was very plausible. I have no knowledge of whether he's even interested. He's tying to take care of his personal life. I'm telling you that I have had no conversations with him."

4. McMahon could be nominated if the party wants to have some minor influence and if they feel Straniere has no chance of winning. 

In addition to that fun Jim Wyne, the Republican primary loser has indicated that he is battling on and plans to run a write-in campaign.  He recently resigned his party position as GOP Finance chair and might want to send a nice thank you to the party that didn't want him by playing spoiler and helping McMahon if he pursues this route.

Paul Atanasio drops out

Atanasio has the Conservative Party ballot line in Brooklyn.  The Advance is reporting his withdraw from the race;

"Brooklyn Conservative Paul Atanasio told the Advance this morning he is no longer in the race to replace Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) in the House of Representatives."

Straniere fails to mention Iraq on his website

Just like Fossella , Bob from Manhattan does not consider foreign policy or our current war in Iraq an issue of enough importance to address it with any policy proposals on his website.  Bob does tout his self named initiative of hiring wounded veterans for his staff, which is noble, but falls short of addressing the need to support our troops before they get injured and before we deploy them in a war.

"With more than 30,000 soldiers coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan with physical injuries, we owe these families whatever support they need."  Bob Straniere

What we need is more than support after the fact.  Here is what leadership looks like ;

"If elected, I will be a strong advocate for responsible efforts to end the war in Iraq, and I will push to make sure that Congress does not grant more war funding without also ensuring that plans for our withdrawal are being designed and enacted. We must thank our soldiers for their service by bringing them home safely, responsibly, and as soon as possible." Mike McMahon

Bob from Manhattan finally gathers his thoughts on major policy issues

Two months after getting into this race Bob Straniere finally released his policy positions on his *NEW* issues page!

BREAKING: Fossella still a selfish corrupt public official

So apparently people think Fossella wants back in and had his potential sights on the November ballot;

"It's absolutely true," a source close to Fossella said of rumors that Fossella and his allies are quietly plotting his comeback.

There was a lot of hype about it.  Really a lot.

There was one small problem, no not his DWI arrest, or affair, or faulty family values, it was Bob from Manhattan.  Bob, now the official Republican candidate for Fossella's soon to be old job can't just give up the position and let the county party decide a replacement.  Nor should he.  He has been the black sheep of the party and treated as such.  Surely no one thought Fossella should remain in DC but he still gets more respect than Bob. 

This whole premise of Fossella coming back seems a little lofty and a lot ego driven.  The man who threw his own party into shambles believes he is the only one who can now save it?  In all reality the party should ostracize him and keep him as far away as possible if there is any hope of recovery in the next few years if only Fossella did not build it up and appoint his supporters to be the party stalwarts.  But logistically it is not in Fossella's interest to run this November.  He is sitting on nearly $300,000, assuming court costs are not eating into that, far more than Bob has and will ever amass.  That money will still be around next cycle, unless his treasurer embezzles it.  Trying to run on the Conservative Party line or any other minor party will only make this an even more lop sided victory for McMahon.  Really if Fossella wants to save his party he would likely be eying 2010.  So why not push some polling and news stories to give himself some more media attention and start the narrative that Bob Straniere can't win and maybe just maybe Fossella is the guy they need.  Plant that seed now and hope for the best come next fall when candidates start making moves.  Fortunately for us, and probably his own party he humbly and graciously thanked all those who wanted him to get back in (guessing mostly his former campaign staffers and consultants) and denied the rumors he pushed;

"I am deeply humbled by the outpouring of support that I have received from people throughout the district through these difficult times, but I am not a candidate for Congress," Mr. Fossella said in a statement released by his office. "As I have stated before, my priorities are my family and serving the people of Staten Island and Brooklyn."

Of course it also doesn't hurt if he damages Straniere's chances of winning, because should Bob pull this one out he is the new king maker in the party and that would be devastating to Fossella.

BP Molinaro Endorses McMahon for Congress

via press release;

Building on Long Relationship Working Together for Staten Island, Molinaro Endorses McMahon as Best Candidate to Fight for the 13th CD in Congress
September 13, 2008 – Council Member Michael McMahon today received his first major endorsement in the general election race for the 13th Congressional District from Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro. Molinaro, who is a Conservative, crossed party lines to make the endorsement, touting McMahon as the best candidate to fight for the needs of Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn in Congress given his record of winning results as a City Council member and his thorough knowledge of the district.

The announcement took place at the St. George Ferry Terminal, where McMahon and Molinaro have been partners in fighting for the improvements and infrastructure necessary to turn the terminal into an economic engine for the North Shore.

"Borough President Molinaro has broken the mold for what we expect from a leader on Staten Island. I am honored to have his endorsement, and will do my best to meet his example. With his support, I pledge to bring the fight for real change for this district all the way to Washington, and work day and night to get the results that we all need on Staten Island and in Southern Brooklyn. From better traffic solutions, to smarter health care policy and real economic relief for the middle class, it's time Washington worked for us and not the other way around," said McMahon.

"Mike McMahon has always been there for Staten Island, and now Staten Island needs to be there for him. Mike has consistently delivered for Staten Island on increased ferry service, a long-term solid waste plan, new parks and libraries, and more nurses for our schools. I know he'll bring that same fight for the district to Washington, and that's why I am endorsing him as the best and only choice to represent the 13th Congressional District in Congress," said Molinaro.

McMahon and Molinaro have a long history working together for the benefit of Staten Island, and winning results for the borough. The two were instrumental in the creation of the Growth Management Task Force that successfully dealt with problems of over-development, and the Traffic Mitigation Task Force that brought together city, state and federal agencies to create and implement solutions to the growing traffic problem on Staten Island. The Task Force led to the elimination of left turns on Hylan Boulevard, created more "Park and Rides", and helped establish the S89 bus service over the Bayonne Bridge.

In addition, Molinaro was at the ready when parties reached an impasse on McMahon's solid waste management plan, ensuring that everyone returned to the table and worked out a deal for the good of the city and borough, guaranteeing that Fresh Kills would remain closed by mandating that each borough deal with its own trash. McMahon and Molinaro also worked closely together on the Ferry Bill that delivered increased ferry service for Staten Island commuters, and procuring the funding and planning necessary for the creation of the Mariner's Harbor Library.

This is Molinaro's third endorsement of McMahon, following his endorsements for McMahon in his City Council races in 2003 and 2005.

McMahon has a long history of reaching across the aisle to achieve results. The New York Times lauded McMahon for his non-partisan approach in its primary endorsement, stating McMahon "has proved adept at reaching out to moderates and conservatives. That broad appeal would be an advantage in representing this conservative-leaning district." The Staten Island Advance also cited McMahon's history of cooperation in its primary endorsement of McMahon, writing "he has consistently disdained partisan rancor in favor of getting positive results, and that rare trait will stand him in good stead in a fractious Congress."

Molinaro's endorsement is the latest in a series of good news for McMahon, who is in a strong position going into the general election. With national observers rating the race "likely Democrat" across the board, McMahon closed out the primary with a huge vote total and enthusiasm edge over his Republican opponent, with 11,792 votes for McMahon in the primary compared to only 3,617 for the Republican. In addition, as of the last filing deadline, McMahon held a forty-five-fold cash on hand advantage over his Republican opponent, with $500,000 on hand going into the general as opposed to $11,000 for the Republican.

McMahon received key support in the primary and going into the general, including primary endorsements from the Staten Island Advance, New York Times, Brooklyn Paper and Courier Life, endorsements from elected leaders including Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator Charles Schumer, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, former Mayor Ed Koch, and members of the New York City Congressional Delegation, and critical labor support from the New York State AFL–CIO, the United Federation of Teachers, 1199 SEIU Healthcare East, UFCW, RWDSU, the UFA and UFOA. 

Upon entering the race, McMahon also earned a spot on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's vaunted "Red to Blue" program, promising financial, communications and strategic support from the national party.

The General Election will be held on November 4th.

Wyne resigns from GOP finance chair position

via the NY Times;

“Honestly, I cannot serve effectively under the current leadership who instead of denouncing, supports a racist candidate Robert Straniere for Congress who attacked my race and religion to become a congressman,” the letter states. “And I believe I was not given the nomination of the Republican Party because of my religion and ethnic background.”

BP Molinaro to endorse McMahon tomorrow

Molinaro to Endorse McMahon as Best Candidate to Fight for Staten Island and 13th CD in Congress

September 12, 2008 – Borough President James Molinaro will announce his endorsement tomorrow, Saturday, September 13th at 2 pm, of Michael McMahon for United States Congress in New York's 13th Congressional District.  The announcement will take place at the St. George Ferry Terminal, which McMahon and Molinaro are working together to build into an economic engine for the North Shore of Staten Island.

WHAT:     Molinaro Endorses McMahon for Congress
WHO:     Borough President James Molinaro; Council Member Michael McMahon
WHERE:     St. George Ferry Terminal
WHEN:     Saturday, September 13, 2008
TIME:     2:00 pm

McMahon will fight for the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2008

Sadly 7 years later we still have to fight for healthcare funding and research for our very bravest. Mike McMahon has come out strongly in support of HR 6594, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2008 and many other federal bills relating to the health of our first responders. From his earlier press release announcing the endorsement by the Uniformed Fire Officers Association and Uniformed Firefighters Association we see what Mike will do for the district when he is in Congress;

In Congress, McMahon will fight for dedicated resources for the first responders sickened by their work responding to the terrorists attack on September 11th and on the pile after the towers fell. He has pledged to support the creation of a coordinated, permanent program to provide medical monitoring and assistance to first responders affected by the attacks. Currently, medical assistance for first responders relies in annual appropriations which do not guarantee continued care and support. By creating an entitlement fund for first responder care, our bravest would be assured sufficient resources for their medical needs.

McMahon also supports the reopening of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) to provide compensation for economic loss and injury related to September 11th. Reopening the fund would allow those affected by the attacks, but who did not file or became ill after the initial December 22, 2003 filing deadline, to claim losses. It would also allow for earlier awards to be readjusted if the initial judgment proved to be too low in the intervening years. The fund would replace the costly and time-consuming litigation-based system currently in place.

McMahon fully supports the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2008 (H.R. 6594), named after the NYPD detective who died in January 2006 after working 450 hours at Ground Zero, which would create both the dedicated medical fund and reopen the VCF. The bill extends resources to all eligible first responders and community members affected by the attacks. It is currently pending in the House.

Mike McMahon for Congress

Post primary thoughts

First congratulations to Mike McMahon and his campaign staff. The GOTV effort was great and the turnout shows. We go into the general election with a large cash advantage to take our message to the voters and a very energized base who is ready to vote for a Democratic candidate.

Many thanks to Steve Harrison and his supporters. Many of them, Steve included have been long time readers and commenters here. We all share the belief that Fossella needed to go and that this district was ready for change. Steve has shown that you can run on progressive values in this district.

The disagreements between the campaigns and supporters are a testament to their hard work in motivating voters and making many people believe that government can work for them. When we all saw the flaws with Fossella, two of them stepped up the challenge and put their lives on hold to run for Congress. They both deserve our thanks and appreciation for doing what so many of us are not able to do.

I said yesterday that going forward we are united in one cause, flipping this seat. For all of you Harrison supporters I hope you take a look at Mike McMahon's campaign. For all the reasons you supported Steve know that Mike offers the only chance to make those causes a reality in this race now. If you believe in ending the war in Iraq, in providing healthcare for all and support labor and our working class, Bob Straniere will do nothing about that for this district.

Mike McMahon for Congress

Democratic turnout, the story of last night

One of the greatest victories that gets lost in the emotion of last nights results is that the Democratic turnout crushed the Republican turnout. Not only did Democratic voters out number Republican voters but Steve Harrison's vote total surpassed that of the Republican victor, Bob from Manhattan. Steve received 3,885 votes to Bob's 3,617. 61% of all the voters yesterday voted for a Democratic candidate.

Democratic votes - 15,677 (61%)
Republican votes - 6,156 (39%)

Clearly our base is excited and ready to elect a Democratic Representative this November.

CREW names Fossella as top 24 most corrupt

No surprise here, but an annoying reminder that Fossella is still in office representing this district;

CREW’s Most Corrupt Members of Congress provides a detailed analysis of the unethical and sometimes illegal activities of 24 congressmen and women who have most egregiously betrayed the public’s trust.

snip

Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW, said today, “With soaring gas prices, a housing market in crisis, rising unemployment, and a nation at war, elected officials should be prioritizing their constituents’ needs over their own self-interests. Unfortunately, the members of Congress listed in CREW’s Most Corrupt report have decided that their personal needs are paramount to those they represent. This report holds them accountable for those choices.”

Bob from Manhattan broke, McMahon has massive cash advantage

via The Hotline;

"In NY-13, NYC Councilor Michael McMahon (D) and ex-Assemb. Robert Straniere (R) each smashed their party's opposition and will face off in a race to replace Rep. Vito Fossella (R). Straniere, however, enters at a huge disadvantage. He had just $11K CoH at the end of the primary (and raised just $14K for the race), while McMahon had nearly $500K CoH entering the general."

Harrison endorses McMahon

via the Brooklyn Paper;

But in the end, Harrison did endorse McMahon as "the best candidate against the Republicans," though is "not a shoo-in."

Great move by Steve.  I am glad this didn't take a while to happen.  There is still a lot of work that needs to be done in a short amount of time to flip this seat.

Congrats & Thank You

(Guest post by Ahmed Kokon)

First of all, I'd like to congratulate Councilman McMahon on his victory last night. It was a hard fought campaign that increased the debate on important issues that concern all Americans.

At the same time, we must also congratulate Steve Harrison. Since his first run against Vito Fossella, he has been advocating for progressive causes and, as stated by the DCCC, Harrison paved the way for Fossella to be taken down. Harrison has inspired me personally and has always generously given time to sit down with me or anyone else who wanted his ear. When we look back at the fall of the Republican Party, we must not forget the contributions of that attorney from Brooklyn.

Thank you to an amazing candidate who gave us all something to believe in, thank you to a hardworking staff led by a campaign manager who took on the most Herculean of tasks and executed them with perfection and ease, thank you to the volunteers who powered the campaign and gave us all faith, and most of all, thank you to the voters for voting.

This truly has been an honor and we have made inroads with regards to progressive issues and innovative techniques in politics. We must all remember that the Internet is vital in the discussion of issues among voters. In the end, we all visit this website because we are passionate about our beliefs, one of which include a better America. So thank you to Jonah for giving me the opportunity to share our campaign with you.

To all the voters in NY-13, let us do all that we can to have a Congressman McMahon and a President Obama come November 5th.

Democratically yours,
Ahmed Kokon

465 of 523 Precincts Reporting - 89%, Bob declared winner

democrats
harrison - 3,267 (26%)
mcmahon - 9,491 (74%) DECLARED WINNER

republicans
wyne - 2,251 (41%)
bob from manhattan -  3,298 (59%) DECLARED WINNER

446 of 523 Precincts Reporting - 85%, McMahon declared winner

democrats
harrison - 3,096 (26%)
mcmahon - 8,686 (74%) DECLARED WINNER

republicans
wyne - 2,141 (40%)
bob from manhattan -  3,1668 (60%)

362 of 523 Precincts Reporting - 69%

democrats
harrison - 1,930 (27%)
mcmahon - 5,251 (73%)

republicans
wyne - 1,769 (41%)
bob from manhattan -  2,591 (59%)

The Democratic race is over, McMahon will win with about 70% of the vote.  Wyne has made some small movement but Bob from Manhattan will likely pull this out with at least 55%.

295 of 523 Precincts Reporting - 56%

democrats
harrison - 1,930 (27%)
mcmahon - 5,254 (73%)

republicans
wyne - 1,435 (40%)
bob from manhattan -  2,134 (60%)

213 of 523 Precincts Reporting - 41%

democrats
harrison - 1,513 (29%)
mcmahon - 3,694 (71%)

republicans
wyne - 1,023 (40%)
bob from manhattan -  1,537 (60%)

134 of 523 Precincts Reporting - 26%

democrats
harrison - 850 (29%)
mcmahon - 2,060 (71%)

republicans
wyne - 571 (38%)
bob from manhattan -  873 (62%)

   
   

94 of 523 Precincts Reporting - 18%

democrats
harrison - 532 (31%)
mcmahon - 1,209 (69%)

republicans
wyne - 351 (40%)
bob from manhattan -  534 (60%)

45 of 523 Precincts Reporting - 9%

democrats
harrison - 187 (27%)
mcmahon - 513 (73%)

republicans
wyne - 141 (38%)
bob from manhattan -  229 (62%)

update: I had McMahon and Harrison reversed. Fixed.

AP election results

You can find all of the New York Congressional race results here. Scroll down to find the 13th District.

After tonight a united front

Polls close in a couple of hours.  The GOTV efforts are almost over, the final ballots will be cast and we will soon have a Democratic nominee.  After that our objective is all about winning this seat back and offering this district a change in elected leadership.  In terms of site policy I am not going to allow divisive comments or anything that attacks either of our Democratic candidates in the comments of this blog.  I am not saying don't be critical of policy or campaign decisions but there will be no leeway for personal attacks on either of our great candidates.  Best of luck to both campaigns and their hard working staff and all of you who have volunteered.  We all win when this seat is ours.

Rain will lower voter turnout

With rain all day the already very low turnout that was expected is going to get a lot lower.  Could make things interesting.  How is turnout at your polling location?

VOTE TODAY

Polls are open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m

Call 866-VOTE-NYC if you have any questions about your voting location

VOTE

Primary Day Tomorrow

Polls are open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m

Call 866-VOTE-NYC if you have any questions about your voting location

VOTE

Realtors PAC endorses McMahon

via the Advance;

"Michael McMahon has demonstrated his commitment to homeowners and private property rights in the City Council and we are confident he will continue that commitment as Staten Island's and Brooklyn's representative in the U.S. Congress," Dawn Carpenter, president of the Staten Island Board of Realtors. "We have always enjoyed a good working relationship with Mike McMahon and we're pleased that RPAC has chosen to support him in his campaign for Congress."

Bob from Manhattan frustrated at democratic process

You have to admit the primary on the Republican side has been better than any movie plot line you would pay to watch.  That said it is a little obnoxious that Bob from Manhattan finds the democratic process to be an "annoyance";

"We're going to win and win big," Straniere predicted of his match-up with Wyne -- which he called "this annoyance of a primary."

It is unfortunate that the front runner for his party's nomination for a Congressional race would find the Democratic process 'annoying.'

New Harrison video on YouTube

Republicans to end their headache Tuesday, start a new one Wednesday

The Wall Street Journal is taking a look at the Republican primary this Tuesday;

Mr. Straniere's big plus is that he's a known quantity. He is a former state assemblyman; he has the endorsement of his local newspaper and of Peter King, a Republican congressman from nearby Long Island; and he's working donors at the Republican National Convention like an old pro.

Mr. Straniere's big minus is that he's a known quantity – he seems to have made some enemies in his own party and he lost his statehouse job by being ousted in a primary. What's more, he used a Manhattan address on his campaign petitions. That's perfectly legal, but there are voters who prefer to be represented by someone who sets down roots in their district. Guy Molinari, a former congressman and Staten Island borough president who is still influential in local politics, told the New York Times: "We threw him out of office and got him off of Staten Island. And we don't want him back."

The article talks about how the Republican Party will catch a break after Tuesday. It humorously ends the piece "After Tuesday, their 13th District nomination nightmare will be over." That is true since they will have a nominee who won the primary and at least this whole primary nightmare (Fossella, Powers, son of Powers, Wyne, Straniere, Atanasio, that DA guy...) for the party will finally be over. It is a small victory considering their general election headache will only be worse as they will have either Bob from Manhattan or Jim Wyne officially as their candidate.

note: fixed formatting

Two days left..

(Guest post by Ahmed Kokon)

I've been traveling around the district today and I headed to the Harrison HQ in Staten Island.

After chatting with several of the volunteers inside, I decided to jump on the expressway to get to the Brooklyn HQ.

It was supposed to be a 15 minute ride but it turned to be a 30 minute ride.

Why? Traffic.

We really need a Congressman who will do something about that, don't you think?

Someone who will tear down those toll booths and put in High Speed EZPass.

Steve Harrison, where are you?

Looks like he's busy making phone calls to voters.

Let me step out of his office and get back to work here.

Talk to you soon!

p.s. I will be adding multiple posts daily till Election night to the Steve Harrison Campaign blog if you'd like to follow the campaign more closely!

Hillary rallies for McMahon

via AP

After many many years, Fossella does something

Sadly its now that he has nothing to lose and on his way out of office. Ironically the Brooklyn Daily Eagle credits it to his clout in Congress. Fossella, now making public appearances (though not to talk family values) held a press conference announcing federal funding for the 86th street subway station. A station in much need for years finally will get some rehab and Fossella who failed to get any funding while in the majority for many years has some how now found the ability to round us $5 million for the station. A few years late and potentially now as a political gimmick to avert his Democratic successor from achieving this feat and showing him up. While we know Fossella has no clout the Daily Eagle nonetheless attributes the new found money to just that;

Showing his still-potent political clout, Fossella, a Republican-Conservative who dropped his re-election campaign in May after his DUI arrest and revelation of his extramarital affair, appears to have stolen McMahon’s thunder with his station rehab announcement.

So where was this 'clout' for the past ten years? Where was this 'clout' when he was in the majority? Maybe Fossella can get a consultant job with the MTA where he can wield more of this influence on NYC's behalf.

McMahon campaign is very wrong for attacking Rep. Owens

Monday we mentioned that former member of Congress, Rep. Major Owens had endorsed Harrison. Normally when I get endorsement news like this I try to wrap it up in one post and move on since most of the various news outlets recycle the story and press release and there is little news after the initial announcement. Since the announcement of this endorsement though McMahon's campaign has carelessly and needlessly decided to attack a former member of Congress and his son, who are from his own party;

"It's unfortunate that the Owens are still bitter from Chris' fourth place loss to replace Major in 2006. Council Member McMahon is proud to have earned the endorsement of the Staten Island Advance, New York Times, AFL-CIO, Sen. Charles Schumer, Sen. Hillary Clinton, Borough President Marty Markowitz and more than a dozen current members of Congress--including Rep. Yvette Clarke, who soundly defeated Chris in 2006."

In my opinion the endorsement by Rep. Owens and even that of his son was not going to be ground breaking. They speak to a progressive audience most of whom are already breaking for Harrison. The endorsement never seemed like it would be damaging to McMahon and so I find this rebuttal so absolutely unnecessary and astounding. Alienating members of one's own party and former members of Congress who deserve a lot more respect than that shown is senseless. I am scratching my head over this.

Straniere's party problem

No Republican elected official has endorsed Bob from Manhattan. Now Straniere can't even get the support of fellow Republican candidates who might be on the ballot with him this November;

Carmine Morano, the Independence Party candidate for Congress who is asking that Republicans write in his name in next Tuesday's primary, has picked up the endorsement of a fellow office-seeker.

snip

Thomas is the Republican Party's candidate for state Senate in the 23rd District, covering the North Shore and Brooklyn.

Firefighters Endorse McMahon for Congress

Standing with UFOA and UFA, McMahon Outlines Proposals to Care for Ailing 9/11 First Responders
September 4, 2008 – The Uniformed Fire Officers Association and Uniformed Firefighters Association, the political voice for New York's firefighters, today announced their endorsement of Michael McMahon for United States Congress in New York's 13th Congressional District. The announcement came in front of FDNY Engine Company 168 on Staten Island’s South Shore, where McMahon worked with his fellow Council members to include much needed fire services during the station’s construction in 2004.

McMahon has a long record of fighting for the resources our first responders need to keep New Yorkers safe including his work on the City Council to provide health coverage for first responders sickened by their work following the September 11th attacks, vocally supporting victims and relatives in their effort to receive payments from the Victims’ Compensation Fund, ensuring firefighters are equipped with necessary tools like personal safety ropes while on duty, ending the city practice of sending bills for housing and meal allowances to city employees – including firefighters – who returned from service overseas, and fighting to keep a fifth firefighter on each engine company.

In addition, McMahon has ardently urged Congress to act on medical funding for first responders sickened by their work at Ground Zero following the attacks on September 11th. He voted in favor of a Council resolution urging Congress to pass the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, and has pledged to support the legislation once elected.

"Firefighters are on the front line every day ensuring our safety, and its essential that the government is there for them too. From fires to terrorist attack, firefighters never say no when duty calls. It’s time for government to repay that debt. When elected to Congress, I pledge to push for the funding our first responders need to get medical care for 9/11-related illnesses. I’ll also fight to get the funding for state of the art communications systems and devices like life-saving personal safety alarms so that our firefighters can better protect not only New Yorkers, but themselves as well,” McMahon said.

“Mike McMahon has always been a strong voice for this city’s firefighters, and the UFOA is proud to endorse him for Congress. From 9/11 health issues, to readiness and funding for equipment, Mike understands the life and death needs New York firefighters face every day. He’ll be the advocate New York firefighters need in Washington,” said UFOA representative Captain John Dunne.

“When Staten Island’s South Shore needed a fire station, Mike McMahon was there, and when New York’s firefighters needed better health care and necessary equipment, he was there too. Mike McMahon has always been there for New York’s firefighters, and he’ll be there in Congress when we need him to fight for expanded health care and equipment,” added UFA Staten Island Trustee Don Ruland.

In Congress, McMahon will fight for dedicated resources for the first responders sickened by their work responding to the terrorists attack on September 11th and on the pile after the towers fell. He has pledged to support the creation of a coordinated, permanent program to provide medical monitoring and assistance to first responders affected by the attacks. Currently, medical assistance for first responders relies in annual appropriations which do not guarantee continued care and support. By creating an entitlement fund for first responder care, our bravest would be assured sufficient resources for their medical needs.

McMahon also supports the reopening of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) to provide compensation for economic loss and injury related to September 11th. Reopening the fund would allow those affected by the attacks, but who did not file or became ill after the initial December 22, 2003 filing deadline, to claim losses. It would also allow for earlier awards to be readjusted if the initial judgment proved to be too low in the intervening years. The fund would replace the costly and time-consuming litigation-based system currently in place.

McMahon fully supports the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2008 (H.R. 6594), named after the NYPD detective who died in January 2006 after working 450 hours at Ground Zero, which would create both the dedicated medical fund and reopen the VCF. The bill extends resources to all eligible first responders and community members affected by the attacks. It is currently pending in the House.

The firefighters’ endorsement is another sign of the of the McMahon campaign’s continued momentum. In the past month, McMahon has picked up key labor endorsements, including the New York State AFL–CIO, the United Federation of Teachers, 1199 SEIU Healthcare East, CSEA, the New York League of Conservation Voters, and the Public Employees Federation. McMahon has also received endorsements from elected leaders including Senator Charles Schumer, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, former Mayor Ed Koch, and members of the New York City Congressional Delegation.

Last month, the Staten Island Advance and New York Times also endorsed McMahon in the Democratic Primary, citing his long record of accomplishment and history of reaching across the aisle to achieve results in a moderate district.

McMahon has also earned a spot on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's vaunted "Red to Blue" program, signaling that the campaign is a top national priority for the Democratic Party. The "Red to Blue" program was a proven success in the 2006 cycle, raising nearly $22.6 million for 56 campaigns. It highlights top Democratic campaigns across the country and offers them financial, communications and strategic support.

The Democratic Primary will be on September 9th, and the General Election will be held on November 4th.

NRCC buys air time in 26 districts, not NY-13

The NRCC has announced two major ad buys, first they bought $9 million of ads for 14 races, then $8 million for 12 more races. The problem they are giving up on NY-13 and not investing any money here. Meanwhile the DCCC has indicated they will spend upward of $1.3 million on ad buys for this seat if necessary.

Rep. Major Owens endorses Harrison

via the NY Daily News;

Steve Harrison, who is trying to push back against the tide of inevitability that is bouying his Democratic primary opponent, Mike McMahon, in the 13th CD, will be endorsed this evening by former Rep. Major Owens at a public forum in Staten Island, the Harrison campaign announced.

Rep. Owens retired from Congress in 2007 and was succeeded by Rep. Yvette Clarke in Brooklyn's 11th Congressional District. Rep. Clarke has previously endorsed McMahon.

Harrison and McMahon's Sunday Conversation

Harrison, McMahon on UPCLOSE
Uploaded by marc1a

thanks to Marc for the video

Bob gets some endorsement, but no money or other support

So Bob from Manhattan, who can't vote for himself in his own election because he doesn't live in the district gets endorsed by some other guy who doesn't live in the district.