Hiram files 5,500 sigs

They're valid (0.00 / 0)

Not all of them, but at least 1,461 are valid, and that's all he needs.

No, I haven't seen the signatures, but I know who got them.  Lois Marbach is the best consultant at getting someone on the ballot -- in over 20 years, with a wide variety of clients, many of them very challenging, she has never failed.

She has lots of teams of seasoned petition-gatherers, and an office setup and staff to check them before they are filed.  Take it to the bank -- Monserrate's on the ballot.

This is good for two reasons.

First, no "election" should ever have only one candidate.  The last time that happened was ... well, it was in 2008, when Monserrate was running unopposed, and look what happened.

Second, there is going to be a huge turnout for Peralta.  The Queens County Democratic machine isn't the best at running a GOTV operation, but they will get plenty of help from Queens County Young Dems, various LGBT groups, and a bunch of good-government people.  It won't be fully coordinated, but it will be massive.  The result should be a Peralta landslide.

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by: Dan Jacoby @ Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 15:03:04 PM UTC

I agree. (0.00 / 0)

Elections with only one candidate smack too much of the Soviet Union for my taste.  

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by: Michael Bouldin @ Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 15:34:02 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

This is weird (0.00 / 0)

When Bouldin and I agree on ... well, anything, but mostly when we agree that having a bigoted misogynist on the ballot is a good thing, something weird is happening.

It's actually a sad statement about that district that the best challenger available is someone like that.  It speaks to the desperate need to break up the party machine and open the process up.

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by: Dan Jacoby @ Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 16:45:39 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

This will be tough for Peralta (0.00 / 0)

Peralta hasn't really done a good job of distinguishing himself since he was elected in 2002. Actually, most of the time he has been seen doing anything, his buddy Monserrate is right there with him.

For reasons beyond me, Hiram is still popular in the district as is apparent by the number of signatures they submitted. Add to that the fact that some believe the "I slipped" claim and believe Hiram didn't get a fair share, now he's got a sympathy vote. And you bet Hiram's former Chief of Staff, Councilwoman Ferreras, will be doing her best to get women out to vote for Hiram.

I see the two splitting the Latino vote, and it's going to come down to who does a better job at courting the other groups in the district. So though, the QDP will do its best to GOTV, I wonder how much influence they have in the District, considering Monserrate has been fighting against county from when he first ran for City Council.

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by: CaseStreet @ Tue Feb 23, 2010 at 23:45:59 PM UTC

Can't they just (0.00 / 0)

take the existing video of him dragging his girlfriend through that lobby and turn that into a campaign ad?  

"This is Hiram Monserrate.  Don't vote for this asshole."

I can't imagine anything would work any better...

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by: Jrathman @ Wed Feb 24, 2010 at 15:34:26 PM UTC