| A common fear that has been present in the anti-Sheldon Silver movement is that the existence of 2 challengers will split that anti-Shelly vote and ensure that Shelly gets re-elected.
So, if you want to end the status quo in Albany and send Sheldon Silver packing, please just vote for Paul Newell.
There has been some debate here by supporters of Shelly's other opponent, Luke Henry, that Henry is the stronger opponent.
I have met Luke and I like him a lot. He is a genuine guy and he is a real progressive.
But he has not run as good a campaign as Newell.
For case and point, look at the latest campaign filing. Newell actually outraised Silver during the last reporting period. And that's without taking any money from lobbyists, corporations, or PAC's. And that's over $40,000 from 165 different contributors, 139 of whom gave less than $100.
That what we call grassroots support. That's what we call a base.
In the same time period, Henry has raised $510. In fairness, Henry just welcomed his first child into the world in August, and it's compeletely understandable if he has different priorities right now. But the priority of the anti-Shelly reform movement is to defeat Shelly. And Newell is the candidate most likely to achieve that end.
Luke Henry and his supporters are good progressives who are trying to bring change to Albany to improve the whole state. That is why I hope they realize that the best way to achieve these goals is to endorse Newell's candidacy. Doing so would ensure that Luke would still have a bright political future ahead of him. I hope he and his supporters do the right thing before Sept 9. |