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Senate Rumblings

by: BrooklynRaider

Mon Mar 05, 2007 at 15:32:57 PM EST

Capitol Confidential makes an interesting observation:

For the second time in less than a month, Gov. Eliot Spitzer has tapped Sen. Neil Breslin to take a prominent role in a press conference.
The Delmar Democrat just finished speaking in the Capitol's Blue Room, where healthcare advocates are touting Spitzer's proposed budget, which, the governor said, seeks to "pivot" the healthcare system to focus more on preventative care and disease management in an effort to cut longterm costs.

As CC notes, Spitzer and Lt. Gov. Patterson brought Breslin along for a "bringing the budget home" press conference at a house in Colonie last month - during the time when Spitzer was pointedly cold-shouldering other legislators who had crossed him in the Comptroller battle.

Why is this notable?

It's interesting that the governor has chosen to give Breslin this kind of exposure, particularly since the senator unsuccessfully competed against Spitzer ally Sen. Malcolm Smith, D-Queens, for the Senate minority leader's post.
Not long after he officially became leader, Smith bounced Breslin from his position as ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee.

BrooklynRaider :: Senate Rumblings

Smith has been playing ball with Governor Spitzer - notably coming out on the side of reform during the Comptroller fight - but rumors persist that he may not necessarily get the support he needs to become majority leader when the Democrats take the Senate.

It's inside baseball, but it matters - when the Senate flips, there will be a clamor to set the new agenda, and much will depend on who is at the head of the Democratic caucus. It's worth discussing this among ourselves.

What is Breslin to Spitzer? Just a friendly senator? An insurance policy? Leverage against Smith? Or someone who stands a real chance of ousting the current minority leader?

Will Smith hang on? Has he been taking the right steps to win progressive support - or is there someone else we'd like to see in his position?

One starting point might be TAPopedia: there are some entries that need to be written. Anyone feel like expounding on a senator?

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Senate Rumblings | 8 comments

Rumors Persist that... (0.00 / 0)

Smith may not necessarily get the support he needs to become majority leader when the Democrats take the Senate.

What rumors? From where? Do tell.

by: Todd_NYC @ Mon Mar 05, 2007 at 21:23:19 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Unfortunately (0.00 / 0)

I can't name the sources - I'm not even entirely sure where this is originating. I was hoping to draw out more discussion of that. I've been hearing "chatter," which, as we all know, is not always reliable. But it's curious that such chatter exists - and one thing I can say is that it doesn't necessarily seem to be coming from Smith's rivals. And stories like this one about Breslin will tend to fuel that talk.

However, it could be just speculation, not indicative of any particular plan. There does seem to be an air of uncertainty surrounding the question of who would be majority leader in a Democratic Senate.

So I figure it behooves us to talk about who we'd like to see in that role.

What are they smoking? Find out at alien & sedition.

by: BrooklynRaider @ Mon Mar 05, 2007 at 21:53:25 PM UTC

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by: you @ soon

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Whew! (4.00 / 3)

I just went through and did a little grunt work on the Senate pages. There is now at least a placeholder page in TAPopedia for each of the State Senate Districts, with district maps (which I hunted down and then uploaded here) where I could find them easily. Districts that still need maps uploaded, since they weren't on the NYSSenateX.com page are:

7 (I'm sure we have one around here somewhere), 10, 20, 30, 35, 36, 37, 46, and 58. If you find one of those, upload it using the naming convention Senate_District_X.jpg and it'll show up on the pages I just threw in there.

Another relatively easy thing to do would be to get the photos of the incumbents in there, as well, but I think I'm done for today. Maybe later this week I'll get to it if nobody else has.

Apologies for no real content on the pages... but maybe if the skeletons are there, people will get to work on the meat and potatoes.

by: Jrathman @ Mon Mar 05, 2007 at 22:01:48 PM UTC

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You rock (4.00 / 1)

Great work. And the initial efforts should, hopefully, attract more construction.

I'm happy to add what I know, but compared to what others out there know, it's pretty limited.

What are they smoking? Find out at alien & sedition.

by: BrooklynRaider @ Mon Mar 05, 2007 at 22:15:51 PM UTC

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by: you @ soon

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District 7 Map is up (4.00 / 1)

Thanks for your great work! I grabbed the image off of maureenoconnell.com, since the State Senate PULLed Balboni's page off their site including the district map! As if the district no longer existed if not represented by a repub. So, they pulled it off the State site, and gave it to Maureen's site to use.

Now off to find out what happened to District 35's map?

by: am @ Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 16:59:28 PM UTC

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by: you @ soon

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This map thing on the state senate site (4.00 / 1)

Seems scandalous. They pull off the district maps as soon as the seat is taken by a Democrat? Thank goodness for the wayback machine. I'll see what else I can find for remaining maps. Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins district map is now up.

by: am @ Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 17:17:15 PM UTC

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Mind-boggling (0.00 / 0)

That is petty beyond belief. Sheesh!

Do you want a statewide all-districts map? I've got one on GIS, tastefully shaded red and BLUE, w/numbers.... just tell me where to load it if you want it.

by: robinia @ Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 23:36:24 PM UTC

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