Another new team

Jay Jacobs as Chair (0.00 / 0)

Which is a good thing.

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by: Lead Dog @ Sun Jul 12, 2009 at 22:10:22 PM UTC

could you explain? (0.00 / 0)

Given your last few posts, it's clear that you know a lot, but your perspective and mine about the party seem to have little in common...

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by: simonstl @ Sun Jul 12, 2009 at 23:18:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Jay has a strong record (4.00 / 4)

He helped elect Suozzi in 2001.  He took over as chair shortly thereafter, got the county committee out of debt, whacked a bunch of the old hacks at the Board, and installed technically savvy and loyal operatives who helped him win a series of local races

Took back the leg in 2003.

Won a Dem Primary (with Suozzi's Fix Albany) for the Assembly in 2004.

Chaired the Suozzi re-elect and held the leg in 2005.  Elected Kathleen Rice District Attorney.

Gave Peter King fits in 2006 with Mejias.

In 2007, poured resources and troops into the Balboni Special - and elected now-Senator Craig Johnson.

In 2008, Nassau went blue - after a years-long voter registration effort.  Dems now are the plurality party in Nassau County.

Jay "gets it."  He understands the mechanics of party building and winning elections.  He is a prodigious fundraiser.  He empowers his organization and demands results.  A successful businessman, Jay is more of an executive than a clubhouse politician, but there is no doubt he is a strong leader and a modern "boss."

And with June still around as chair of the executive committee, the State Committee is good hands.

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by: Lead Dog @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 14:39:35 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Duh (4.00 / 1)

And June remaining as Chair of the Executive Committee, which means she is still around - also a good thing.

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by: Lead Dog @ Sun Jul 12, 2009 at 22:17:43 PM UTC

June O'Neil for NY-23? (4.00 / 3)

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by: nrafter530 @ Sun Jul 12, 2009 at 23:16:58 PM UTC

I'd love that (0.00 / 0)

but I've heard that she's not interested in running.  Plus, recent hip surgery isn't conducive to running around Northern NY trying to win votes.

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by: Jrathman @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 14:43:49 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Last Upstate leader gone? (4.00 / 4)

Does that mean that the NYS Democratic Party will have all leaders, Governor's mansion, Assembly, and Senate Leadership Configuration du Jour, as well as Party leadership, all familiar only with downstate?  Is that because how "the other half" lives really is of no concern?

Is that good if you don't want to live in an impoverished energy-and-water-supply colony and have others look down on you?

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by: robinia @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 14:38:06 PM UTC

Jacobs is from downstate, but (4.00 / 1)

he's pretty knowledgable about Upstate issues...having said that, I still favor more upstate leaders in the party.  

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by: nrafter530 @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 14:51:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Nah. (0.00 / 0)

Gillibrand? And June isn't gone, she's recovering.

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by: Michael Bouldin @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 16:23:00 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Exactly (0.00 / 0)

Those were my thoughts exactly. Sounds like more consolidation of power downstate.  

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by: MattS @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 16:29:37 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Random thoughts (0.00 / 0)

First, I like June O'Neill, and I hope that there isn't more to this story than we're being told (i.e. that she asked for a lesser role because of her recent surgery), although I doubt it.

One reason I doubt it is that I suspect there's more to Dave Pollak's exit last year than we were told - not just Paterson moving some of Spitzer's people out and his own people in.  It may just be my overactive (and cynical) imagination at work, and I certainly don't have any hard evidence, just a residual feeling from a couple of conversations I had.  Also, since I cheered when Pollak was named co-chair, and was very saddened to see him leave that post, it's natural for me to wonder about hidden agendas.

Another reason I doubt it is that Gov. Paterson has been moving a lot of Spitzer's people out, and June O'Neill was a Spitzer pick.  I have a vague memory of reading, some time ago, that Paterson was looking to replace O'Neill, so I wasn't completely surprised that this happened.

But it's a shame.

Having said that, I have high hopes that Mr. Jacobs is as good as Lead Dog says, and I am certainly willing to give him full support to start off.

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by: Dan Jacoby @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 18:09:16 PM UTC

general trend (0.00 / 0)

As for the general trend of downstaters taking over, two things:

1.  Spitzer didn't have many friends in the NYC political establishment, so he felt freer to shop around for new friends (upstate).  Paterson has no need.

2.  The honey pot is shrinking for everyone, thanks to the recession/depression.  Why would downstate pols let upstate pols have a piece in hard times?  It's just human nature.  If upstaters were more populous and politically powerful, they would do the same.

"One New York" is dead, at least in the halls of Albany.

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by: NYCO @ Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 18:54:49 PM UTC