State Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith, escalating efforts to oust Republican Sen. Caesar Trunzo of Brentwood, showed up in Suffolk County last week to personally enlist Brookhaven Supervisor Brian Foley to run against the veteran 36-year lawmaker.
Smith met with Foley and Suffolk Democratic chairman Richard Schaffer Friday at party headquarters in Bohemia for more than hour after Senate Democrats did a poll that party sources say showed Foley would make a strong contender against Trunzo.
"If Brian chooses to run he would be the strongest candidate Caesar Trunzo ever faced and Caesar would be hard-pressed to hold the seat against someone of Brian's caliber," said Doug Forand, strategist for Senate Democrats.
Smith is working feverishly to take a Democratic majority in the senate this November. He obviously feels that a third Dahroug run is not in the best interest of that objective! Doug Forand works closely with State Senator Eric Schneiderman who as I reported some time back wants a stronger candidate than Dahroug for this seat.
Trunzo could not be reached for comment, but Jesse Garcia, Brookhaven Republican chairman, said, "Democrats are desperately looking for an exit strategy for their failed, liberal supervisor."
One of Jimmy's early defenses against a Chris Bodkin challenge dealt with the lack of progressive bonifides of such a recent converted Republican. As Garcia paints Foley with the dreaded "L" word, there is no such case to be used against the Brookhaven Supervisor by Dahroug!
With the help of an expected large presidential year turnout, Senate Democrats are hoping to topple the narrow two-seat GOP Senate majority and they expect as many as eight races statewide to be highly competitive. Republicans counter that Long Island needs a Senate GOP majority to protect the suburbs on issues such as school aid.
If Foley takes on Trunzo, 82, it would immediately become Long Island's hottest race and spending would easily run into the millions. Foley declined to comment, but top aide Jon Schneider said he authorized his name to be put in a poll. Foley must decide by the party's May 22 convention.
Foley, 50, a former county lawmaker, won his second two-year term as supervisor last fall, but Democrats lost control of the town board. Trunzo, who is also Islip GOP chairman, is facing increasing strife because his party lost control of the Islip town board last fall and critics want him to step down as leader to focus on his Senate race.
The loss of one Democratic council seat by 250 votes or one percent of the vote cast resulted in a 4-3 Republican Board that has tied Foley's hands and makes a State Senate run all the more appealing.
The Politicker posted the following:
Democracy for New York City's Lewis Cohen, a fund-raiser, is predictably unhappy that the Democratic establishment is again looking for a candidate to run against Republican State Senator Caesar Trunzo.
DFNYC is officially backing two-time Trunzo opponent Jimmy Dahroug.
"It's like Weekend at Bernie's over there," Cohen said, referring to the movie about two guys who prop up a dead guy for weekend full of comedic follies. "They would put up Bernie if they could."
He added, "It seems to us that it's anybody but Dahroug."
The problem with his logic or lack thereof behind is that it repeats the Dahroug meme that he ran two strong races and deserves a third with a thinly veiled inference that somehow "Democratic establishment" wants anybody but Jimmy because they fear him as a reformer! Many of us who live, work and vote in SD3 do fear a third Jimmy candidacy but not for his progressive reformer reputation. After all, how much of a reformer can he be when his boss, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy passed his anti illegal immigration policies that have been roundly criticized by the entire progressive community with his aide Dahroug remaining silent! But I do digress, We fear a third Dahroug candidacy because we cannot afford to have Trunzo yet again re-elected and with the seat that just may be number 32 for the Democrats this November! The other problem is the DFNYC! As a member of the DFALI, I can tell you that this districts Democratic nominee will best be chosen by our own Democratic community and not one located in NYC!
And then there was this posted in Capitol Confidential:
It's coming along petition time and the Senate races are starting to heat up, especially for Democrats looking to beat each other, then incumbents to win the majority this fall.
Here's a fundraiser flyer for Jimmy Dahroug, who's tried twice (unsuccessfully) to unseat Sen. Caesar Trunzo.
The Working Families Party and Democrats thus far haven't put their weight behind him, and it doesn't look like they will - the Senate Dems are actively trying to recruit Brookhaven Supervisor Brian Foley into the race, who is considering a run but looking at poll numbers before he finally decides.
Foley has until the May 22 convention to decide.
As reported here the WFP our strong allies in the effort to win control of the State Senate with their great ground efforts and GOTV for Craig Johnson and Darrel Aubertine shares our local interest in a stronger Trunzo opponent than Dahroug. (Though I am saddened that the WFP intends to support Mesi over Iannello in SD 61)
With over 200K available in his warchest to Dahrougs reported 50K and his vast ability to raise money as well as posting a never defeated record in his history of political races, Foley will re[resent our greatest opportunity to capture a much needed seat from a Republican incumbent. |
