 
(that cowboy getup is so cute!)
The Gotham Gazette has a good profile of the SD-33 race featuring Charlie Ramos vs. Albany's biggest (and possibly most self-hating) bigot, Ruben Diaz Sr.:
On the bed of a white pickup truck stands a man in a pearl cowboy hat and white Western-style shirt. The stitched red lettering on its back reads, "Senador Ruben Diaz." Techno music blasts from loudspeakers mounted on top of the pickup, accompanied by a voice reminding people to "Votar, votar, votar!" on Sept. 14. It is July 31st --there are 45 days to the primary.
The message cycles from Spanish to English. Four vans trail behind the pickup, some emblazoned with: "Vote Ruben Diaz. A True Democrat. !Nuestro Lider!" Traffic snarls as the 67-year-old Diaz orders the caravan to a halt. "Lets go!" he says, launching himself out of the back of the bed.
And go he must.
This year, Sen. Ruben Diaz is facing a rare primary challenge from a young community organizer, Charlie Ramos. Despite the many issues that face the people of the Bronx, the race has been focused on same-sex marriage -- which Diaz staunchly opposes.
The whole thing is definitely worth a read. It shows how Diaz's special interest money allows him to pay for essentially a mobile party everywhere he goes.
Two things also stand out in this article. First Ramos has only about $6000 on hand now. While I don't expect the pro-LGBT rights community to have much organizational pull in this district, I expected a lot more in terms of raising money. The gay rights community has mounted much more impressive fundraising efforts in other prominent legislative races against high-profile bigot incumbents. I was hoping for a lot more, but it's still not too late. You can give Charlie some coin here.
Second, there's this passage:
[Ramos] has had trouble drumming up support in the community. He says it's because people are afraid to anger Diaz. "I'm going against the machine. Folks sit me down behind closed doors and say, 'I can't support you in public but I support you.' They don't want to do anything to upset the reverend or his son, the borough president." Ramos says he has "silent supporters."
I really wonder who these people are and why they're afraid of Diaz (Sr. or Jr.). The only people who should be afraid are those involved with nonprofits that benefit from the largess of either Diaz's public funds. Other than that, Diaz Sr. is certainly not powerful enough to be able to intimidate people and I don't think Jr. would really be that vindictive- he has aspirations for higher office and I can't see him wanting to make enemies. So to all those silent Ramos supporters, I say come out of the closet!
On the web:
Charlie Ramos for State Senate
Charlie Ramos' facebook page
|
