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

New Harrison video on YouTube

Pre-primary FEC filings

Here is where we stand with pre-primary filings (July 1 - August 20). Raised is money raised over that six week period, spent is money spent in that time period, CoH is cash on hand they still have and total raised is how much they have raised during the entire cycle;

McMahon (D)
raised - $218,000
spent - $276,000
CoH - $413,000
total raised - $717,000

Harrison (D)
raised - $17,000
spent - $35,000
CoH - $45,000
total raised - $201,000

Straniere (R)
raised - $15,000
spent - $3,000
CoH - $12,000
raised total - $15,000

Wyne (R)
raised - $9,000
spent - $98,000
CoH - $203,000
raised total - $9,000

* McMahon is running away with his fundraising numbers, outraising Harrison, Straniere and Wyne combined many times over.
* The Democratic candidates both outraised each Republican candidate
* Straniere who is the odds on favorite to win his primary is sitting on only $12,000, and he will spend much of that between now and September 9 leaving him almost completely broke to go into the general election should he win.
* Wyne loaned himself $290,000


h/t to Swing State Project

update: cash on hand numbers have been updated in the right column

Harrison files $16,659 in six weeks

From July 1 to August 20 Harrison has raised nearly $17,000 for this pre-primary filing. He had nearly $35,000 in expenditures and is currently sitting on $45,000 in cash on hand to close out this primary period.

McMahon has filed $218,000.

Conversation with Harrison at Central Family Life Center, Tuesday

Conversations with US Congressional candidate
Steve Harrison
Tuesday September 2, 2008
7pm
Central Family Life Center
59 Wright Street [Google Map]
Stapleton

Doors open at 6pm
Discussion begins promptly at 7pm

For more information please contact CFLC @ 718-273-8414

Democratic Congressional candidates Steve Harrison and Michael McMahon finally debate

via campaign email;

NY 13 Congressional District (Staten Island/Southwest Brooklyn) Democratic candidates Steve Harrison and Councilman Michael McMahon, who face each other in the Tuesday, September 9 primary for the seat currently occupied by scandal ridden retiring Republican Vito Fossella, finally square off in debates and joint TV appearances. However, none of these debates will be available for public scrutiny until Labor Day weekend when many are on vacation.

Harrison invited McMahon to debate in June and McMahon after initially not responding, eventually told the media he would accept the invitation.

Harrison, who in 2006 against Fossella, received a higher percentage of the vote than any Democrat ever under the district’s current configuration, debates McMahon on Cable network NY1’s Inside City Hall 7 PM Friday August 29 and repeated at 10 PM the same evening, both airing when many potential voters are vacationing or celebrating Labor Day weekend locally. McMahon chose this date. Time Warner cable will also make the debate available on its Staten Island on demand channel.

In another Labor Day weekend event, on Sunday August 31 at 11 AM, WABC TV’s UpClose will feature both candidates together in what is being billed as more of a joint appearance than a formal debate. WABC will make the appearance available on their website, 7online.com, after the segment airs.

Instead of separate endorsement interviews with Harrison and McMahon, Weekly Newspaper, The Brooklyn Paper, invited them both to a joint interview conducted in debate format. Audio from the endorsement interview will eventually be posted on their website, Brooklynpaper.com, but because of the date McMahon chose for the interview, it won’t become public until Labor Day weekend.

For more information visit HarrisonforCongress.com

Democrats.com endorses Harrison

Democrats.com, (not the Democratic Party) an online organization of Democratic activists has endorsed Harrison. The group is best known for their large email list which can drive money and support to candidates across the country. They had this to say in their endorsement email;

Steve Harrison is an "aggressive progressive" who supports all the issues we care about: immediate withdrawal from Iraq, no war with Iran, single-payer health care, stopping global warming, and protecting abortion rights.

Harrison is endorsed by Progressive Democrats of America, Democracy for NYC, Down With Tyranny, Stonewall Democrats, the National Organization for Women, and Gloria Steinem. Harrison earned the right to be the Democratic candidate in his 2006 campaign, when he won 43% against Republican incumbent Vito Fossella, the best showing ever for a Democrat in the district.

They are pushing to raise $16,000 for Harrison, not an unrealistic feat after they raised $25,000 through email asks for another Democratic candidate running for Congress in Georgia earlier in the summer. At this point the money will be useful for get out the vote efforts in the final two weeks of this primary campaign.

SUSA polls the democratic primary, McMahon leads

Swing State Project brings us the news;

SurveyUSA (8/18-19, registered Dem voters):

Mike McMahon (D): 64
Steve Harrison (D): 18
Undecided: 18
(MoE: ±4.3%)

As noted this is a poll of registered voters, not likely voters who will turn out for a September primary where very little else is on the ballot.

The National Organization for Women (NOW) endorses Steve Harrison for Congress

via campaign email;

Feminists pick Harrison over Michael McMahon in NY 13th Congressional District in Tues., Sept. 9 Democratic Primary

August 20 Press Conference

(Staten Island/Brooklyn) -- The National Organization for Women (NOW) will announce its formal endorsement of Steve Harrison as the strongest supporter of women’s rights in the race for New York’s 13th Congressional District (Staten Island/Southwest Brooklyn) Democratic nomination in a 2:00 PM Wednesday Aug. 20 press conference at the Staten Island Hotel, 1415 Richmond Ave., Staten Island, NY.

Harrison is running against New York City Councilman Michael McMahon in the Democratic Primary which will be held Tues., Sept. 9.

"NOW PAC is pleased to endorse Steve Harrison for the U.S. House of Representatives from New York," said NOW Political Action Committee Chair Kim Gandy. "We look forward to voters in Staten Island and Brooklyn sending a strong supporter of women's rights to Washington. Steve has the values we need to improve the lives of women and families in this country."

The Brooklyn Queens NOW Political Action Committee (BQ NOW PAC) recommended that the Washington-based organization headed by Gandy endorse Harrison. With a member-base of over 500,000 NOW is the largest organization of feminists in the country.

“We were impressed with Steve Harrison’s grasp of and support of our core issues: constitutional equality for women, reproductive rights, equal economic opportunity, stopping violence against women and ending gender and sexual orientation discrimination,” said Shirley Ranz, the chair of the local NOW PAC.

BQ-NOW Vice President Rachelle Suissa added, “If given the opportunity, Steve will definitely be the candidate who holds true to the values of women and minorities and who works to uphold civil rights and liberties each and every day. His ideology, experience, and candor all speak for themselves when it comes to these issues.”

McMahon’s record opposing abortion and his lukewarm support of other gender issues in general while a member of the New York City Council was also a factor in the endorsement, NOW officials said.

“McMahon is a political conservative who opposed choice when his vote counted in NYC Council,” noted BQ NOW Secretary Sherry Rogers. “We cannot support someone who waivers in his support of our issues to placate his RTL constituency. They have the Republicans for that. Who will speak for women; Steve Harrison!”

Harrison said he won’t let women of the 13th district down. “I am honored to receive this endorsement. In Congress I will fight for reproductive rights and to end gender discrimination,” Harrison said.

In 2006 against Republican incumbent Vito Fossella, Harrison received a higher percentage of the vote than any Democrat ever under Congressional District’s current geographic configuration. The scandal-ridden Fossella is not seeking re-election.

For more information about Steve Harrison visit HarrisonForCongress.com or call 718-745-2539. For more information on NOW visit NOW.org.

Harrison's Town Hall

I have been traveling for the past several days and wasn't able to cover the Town Hall event Harrison held the other night, my apologies

The Observer has a write up about Harrison's town hall event he held last night. You can read the comments of the online town hall at Harrison's website.

Online Town Hall Tonight!

(Guest post by Ahmed Kokon)

Join us tonight at 8pm at SteveHarrisonforCongress.com for an Online Town Hall.

Hope to see you there!

On the Issues: Congestion Pricing

(Guest post by Ahmed Kokon)

Remember Congestion Pricing? Guess what. It's back.

From yesterday's NY Times:

The financial crisis at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is breathing new life into an idea the Legislature rejected just months ago: congestion pricing.

Steve Harrison has strongly opposed Congestion Pricing from the beginning.

The plan is being positioned as a "Mercedes Tax", charging limo driven CEOs who whisk past working class commuters riding overcrowded buses and trains. In reality, congestion pricing won't discourage the rich from driving in. However, it will heavily penalize workers with inadequate public transit options.

But it's not only Steve Harrison who has been opposed to Congestion Pricing - it's also 74% of Staten Islanders.

With the MTA once again looking at Congestion Pricing, Harrison is still the only Democratic candidate for Congress who is against Congestion Pricing.

Video: Harrison on NY1

DFNYC phone banking for Harrison

via DFNYC email;

Steve Harrison is a progressive Democrat running for Congress in NY's 13th Congressional District, formerly held by Republican Vito Fossella. (Fossella resigned after a drunk driving arrest which lead to the discovery of an extra-marital affair and child with another woman.)

Democracy for NYC has endorsed Steve Harrison and DFNYCer David Hernandez is working with Harrison's campaign. The following volunteer phone banks have been set up in Staten Island and Brooklyn:

Staten Island Phone Bank
1738 Victory Blvd./ Manor Road
12-9pm Mon- Sat.
Contact Al Dykes or David Hernandez, 718 720 8683

Brooklyn Phone Bank
544 Bay Ridge Pkwy/ Bet. 5&6 Avenue
Contact Greg Collett to rsvp and for specific hours, 718 745 2539

If you are hearing this from me first chances are because you have yet to join DFNYC's email list. Go do it. They are a great organization and will be active all fall in races up and down the ballot.

What happened to our debates?

Independence Party nominee Carmine Morano has issued this challenge to all of our candidates;

I am proposing that, beginning August 15th, we hold a series of weekly debates and candidate forums from now until the September 9th Primary, and again from that time until Election Day, with all of the candidates who have qualified for the ballot.

It is intriguing. Morano has some massive odds stacked against him and any publicity and media coverage can only help his candidacy. "Harrison had already challenged McMahon to a series of five debates back in June, to which McMahon had no reply as he was setting up his campaign and collecting ballot petitions. McMahon did though make this statement;

"We look forward to scheduling debates with all the candidates," said McMahon campaign spokesman Patrick Brennan. "Right now, Councilman McMahon is focused on adopting a city budget that addresses the needs of his constituents and all New Yorkers."

Once candidates file their nominating petitions, Brennan said, "We will meet with the various campaigns and put in place a debate plan."

So where are the debates? We are six weeks out from the primary election and if it weren't for Morano's challenge I probably would have forgot about the above statement. Debates definitely will favor the challengers and those who are not front runners. We saw that with the Harrison vs. Fossella debates in 2006. Everyone but McMahon would almost certainly gain something from them. Straniere could beg Republicans to stop hating him, Morano and Wyne could tell Republicans and Conservatives they don't have to vote for Straniere, and Harrison could show off his debating skills and provide an alternative to all three. Would McMahon want to jump into that and would it help his campaign? If he is staying low and hoping his momentum and name recognition will carry him through the primary then I would have to venture that he would want to not get involved in a set up like this. Why submit yourself to prodding by Republicans when you still have to face off in a Democratic primary? Why debate partisan issues when you are defining yourself compared to someone within your party. My advice is that Harrison should embrace Morano's challenge and debate as often as possible and McMahon should hit the streets and knock on doors in Brooklyn and mid island and agree to one or two debate appearances close to primary day.

Harrison on Inside City Hall, Thursday 7pm

via the Advance;

On Thursday, Democratic congressional hopeful Steve Harrison will be the guest on NY-1's "Inside City Hall." The show airs at 7 and 10 p.m.

The NYTimes' make believe "unity" issue

Yesterday the Times put out a semi decent article about the Democratic primary. They covered the similarities and differences between McMahon and Harrison in terms of campaign style and policy issues. Had it ended there I think it would be a great introductory article to voters on this race. Instead they tried to skew it into a more controversial story, proposing disunity among the party simply because the voters of the district are being offered a democratic option, we call it a primary. The Republicans have one of those too, but it is the Democrats they would have you believe are in turmoil over this non-fight. So now this is getting some coverage with people picking up on this theme they are pushing such as the Albany Times Union's really awful digested link;

Democrats are scrambling to fill the hole left by GOP Rep Vito Fossella in Staten Island’s 13th CD.

* Democrats are not scrambling, they had no problems getting on the ballot unlike the Republicans.

* Democrats are not scrambling to "fill the hole" unlike Republicans who almost didn't find a replacement for Fossella and then Powers.

* Democrats are not a enduring disunity, the Republicans are the ones refusing to support their own candidates and calling for future party leadership changes.

Party Unity and the role of primaries

The New York Times has a rather interesting piece on Harrison and McMahon. The guise of the article is disunity in the party at a time when the party theoretically should be behind one candidate to maximize their chances of winning;

While the Republicans have endured a highly visible era of disunity, the Democrats in the district, which includes Staten Island and part of Brooklyn, are not exactly in lock step. In fact, they are now preparing for a hotly contested primary between two candidates cut from decidedly different cloth.

One candidate, Michael E. McMahon, a city councilman who represents the North Shore of Staten Island, is a self-described moderate who says he has a record of winning elections in a moderate-to-conservative part of New York.

The other, Stephen A. Harrison, a Brooklyn lawyer who ran against Mr. Fossella two years ago, refers to himself as a progressive who did better against Mr. Fossella — he won 43 percent of the vote in 2006 — than any other Democrat in previous elections.

The article goes on to compare several policy issues of the two candidates but it is the very end of the article that cuts to the real story.

The tensions between the two Democrats do not approach the challenges faced by the Republicans.

The disunity is among the Republicans not the Democrats. We are in the middle of a Democratic primary to see who will go on to the general election and hopefully DC. The Republicans are in the middle of a philosophical debate and actual infighting that is tearing their local party apart. While the Democrats will likely unify around the primary winner, several elected Republican leaders have promised not to campaign for their current front runner under any circumstances.

Stonewall Dems endorse Harrison

Robert over at the Albany Project brings us news that the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC has endorsed Steve Harrison.

McMahon the liberal?

Seriously. This is not some attack on him from the right, this is me trying to pinpoint his place on the political spectrum. I am not going to argue that he is more progressive than Steve Harrison but I am starting to wonder if he is more left of center than he has been pegged to be so far. Harrison to his credit has locked up is progressive support and positioning and it suits his campaign well. McMahon on the other hand has been thus far quiet about policy issues and we have only had his city council record, which does not always translate into national issues well and comments from others on his leanings.

It was quotes like these, via Politico that started correctly or incorrectly framing McMahon as a conservative leaning Democrat;

Indeed, one complicating factor for Powers is the role of the state’s Conservative Party, which has hinted that it could support the likely Democratic nominee, City Councilman Mike McMahon, for the general election. Brooklyn Conservative Party Chairman Jerry Kassar, who recently met with McMahon, said he would give serious consideration to endorsing the councilman, calling him a “moderate to conservative Democrat.”

“McMahon is in the mix this year as a popular Democrat that I would seriously consider supporting,” Kassar said. “He’s not as conservative as Powers, but he definitely appeals to us on some of the issues. He appeals to us on his opposition to gay marriage, and he told us he continues to support U.S. action in Iraq.”

Unfortunately for him, with the delay of his website launch and his slow or lack of campaigning per se, he has been very slow on addressing policy issues and rebutting attacks from either side. We have already seen scurrilous comments associated to previous candidates when Lanza claimed Domenic Recchia ruined Frank Barbaro's chances in favor of Fossella. That grabbed some quick attention and tarnished Recchia only to have zero follow up reporting. But maybe that was the point and maybe that is the point for the Republican and Conservative side of this race claiming honest or not support for McMahon.

Curiously after his site finally launched a quick visit will turned up a smiling photo and quote of Robert Kennedy and iconic progressive and liberal hero of my party. Certainly not what I would expect from a conservative. While on the other side of the race one would note that Harrison is astutely including an Obama logo on his home page. Bith appealing to a progressive and liberal side of the party. But what about that quote, those conservative or moderate leanings?

As per McMahon's Iraq issues page McMahon calls for the immediate start to removing troops from Iraq, opposes permanent military bases and calls for increases diplomatic solutions involving neighboring countries.


"Steve Harrison opposes the war in Iraq and calls for the immediate withdrawal of forces, consistent with our troops' safety." [taken directly from his Iraq issue page]


On healthcare McMahon calls for all Americans to have access to the same healthcare program that members of Congress receive, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.


Steve Harrison supports single-payer universal medical coverage.


Don't be mistaken on neither of those issues has either candidate taken a conservative viewpoint. Now one could argue it is moderate because both solutions to Iraq and health care are what a majority of our country want, but they are championed from the left. I don't want speak or put support on issues out there for McMahon, that is not my intent. Merely I think the conversation needs to start on where our two candidates stand for good or bad, or liberal or conservative. I do want to note that while McMahon's website launch is well received he does leave some to be desired. His issue pages covers 7 issues while Harrison covers 23. There are still lingering questions on issues of importance to not just the left but all voters such as the recent FISA debates. In a previous post I introduced an idea from the liberal blogosphere about not just electing more Democrats, but electing better Democrats and the beginning of a framework of what kind of Democrat that looks like. This is really a continuation of that thought process and a reality check that once again we must question what sometimes goes for political reporting in this race.


update I have edited the healthcare section slightly, removing the reference to SCHIP. I initially was not going to compare Harrison and McMahon but thought it would make the point better if I did. That said I did not properly research Harrison's stances and removed the comment so that just universal health care was being compared. I will come back to health care later most likely.