Senators Squashing Talk Of Retirement, Other Possibilities

by: robert.harding

Tue Jun 24, 2008 at 13:29:48 PM EDT

Sen. Caesar Trunzo, Sen. Andrew Lanza, Sen. John Bonacic and Sen. Joe Robach all gave updates on their futures.

Long Island Sen. Caesar Trunzo, who, at 81 is the Senate's oldest member, said he will seek another term, adding: "I'm going to continue running."

Sen. Andrew Lanza, who some speculated might reconsider his decision not to a run for retiring Rep. Vito Fossella's seat, said Bruno's announcement will have no impact on his plans.

"All the reasons I originally discussed for my decision still apply," Lanza said, citing wanting to be closer to his young family, the "toxic climate" of Washington, D.C., and a greater ability to deliver for Staten Island as a state senator.

Lanza said he had re-thought a congressional run after the death Sunday morning of Frank Powers, but ultimatey decided against it.

Sen. Joseph Robach, a Democrat-turned-Republican and a top target of the Senate Democrats this fall, said he too will seek re-election. He also downplayed the lack of an upstate leader.

"The leader has to be responsive to his membership," Robach said, adding that most of the GOP conference hails from upstate.

Sen. John Bonacic, an Orange County Republican who was the only senator to call for Bruno to step down from his leadership post after he revealed in December 2006 the FBI investigation of his outside business interests, said he, too, will run.

Bonacic, in fact, said the conference might be better off without Bruno.

"I see this as an opportunity for our conference," he said. "We have to get away the past politics."

I can't imagine Robach and Bonacic bowing out, but anything is possible. I don't believe Trunzo, at least at this point. He certainly could run, but with Bruno out I don't think anyone could see it as anything but bad news for the Senate GOP. Lanza is an interesting case because he would make a strong candidate for NY-13 but didn't run because he was asked by Bruno to stay in the Senate.

One thing I have learned in politics is that talk is cheap. Trunzo might say he's running today but in a week will he feel the same way?

We'll see. These are only four senators, two of which weren't really being mentioned as senators who might not run for reelection. But anything is possible.

NY-13: The Bottom Of The Bottom Of The Barrel: GOP Nominates... Some Dude

by: phillip anderson

Fri May 30, 2008 at 01:16:20 AM EDT

Earlier today, we learned that the "frontrunner" for the nod was someone we'd never heard of and who hadn't been been mentioned at all, by anyone, before about lunchtime today. Lanza was out and she was the new standard bearer for the SI GOoPs. This was, of course, after Dan Donovan said "No thanks", after Fiala  took a pass as well.

This lead dome local GOP hacks to say things like  "Talk about dysfunctional? This is dysfunctional." Today, after learning of Lisa Giovinazzo's apparent "frontrunnerdom", other GOoPs  told Liz:

As one disgruntled elephant told me earlier this afternoon: "If you can't find someone to run for a seat that was once thought to be a sure-thing for Republicans, you might as well pack it in."

Said another, thoroughly disgusted GOPer: "The Staten Island Republican Party is dead."

You would think that things simply could not get worse for these folks, right?

WRONG.

The GOP has just nominated Todt Hill resident Frank Powers to run for Congress.

Powers is right now at the podium giving his acceptance speech at the Excelsior Grand in New Dorp.

Powers is on the board of directors of Richmond University Medical Center and has served as President of the Staten Island Academy. He served on the Board of the former St. Vincent's Medical Center for over 20 years and is a past president of the Downtown Athletic Club and past president of the Heisman Trophy Foundation. He served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences, and Chairman of the USS Sullivan's' Foundation. He is the former Chairman of the Board of St. Elizabeth Ann's Health Care and Rehabilitation Center. He was appointed to the Board of the MTA in 2005. Powers also currently serves on the Board of Wagner College.

That's right. This afternoon's "frontrunner" got the cold shoulder and this guy, another guy no one has ever freakin' heard of, got the nod. No, really. That guy in the picture, the one you've never even heard of.

For reals.

Gaze in wonder, friends.

Mr. NY-13 himself, Jonah sums it up nicely:

GOP nominates Frank Powers. Who?

The Republican Party just pulled a fast one on itself. After having 19 potential candidates they passed on and then declaring a front runner no one had ever heard of they nominated someone who wasn't even good enough to be in those top 20.

...

So this guy serves on the board of a medical center that is closing clinics across the district and creating major health care concerns. He is on the board of the MTA, which mismanages transportation and funds and is the bane of existence for so many in the district. Oh but he is used to be president of the Heisman Trophy Foundation. Makes sense. He is loaded and can self finance. Congrats Republicans.

Stunning. Simply stunning.

NY-13: Lanza Is Out

by: phillip anderson

Thu May 29, 2008 at 17:50:43 PM EDT

That, friends, is called "scraping the bottom of the barrel."

UPDATE: (From Liz)The Local GOoPs are not happy:

As one disgruntled elephant told me earlier this afternoon: "If you can't find someone to run for a seat that was once thought to be a sure-thing for Republicans, you might as well pack it in."

Said another, thoroughly disgusted GOPer: "The Staten Island Republican Party is dead."

This comes on the evening of the big state GOP annual dinner, headlined by VP Dick Cheney.

Well, I guess there's really no one more suited to preside over the Staten Island GOP's funeral than Darth Cheney himself...

NY-13: GOP Hack: "Talk about dysfunctional? This is dysfunctional."

by: phillip anderson

Tue May 27, 2008 at 14:48:12 PM EDT

While the seat is considered the crown jewel of borough politics, top Republicans have been hesitant to get in the race. Two other top-tier candidates, District Attorney Daniel Donovan and County Clerk Stephen Fiala, took their names out of consideration last week.

The party's inability to lock in a high-profile candidate is not sitting well with some Republicans.

WAKE-UP CALL

"It's a wake-up call," said one. "We can't be one-personcentric. Because when that one person goes down, we all go down."

The borough GOP has been accused of becoming too reliant on Fossella in recent years at the expense of developing a strong enough bench.

"Talk about dysfunctional?" said another. "This is dysfunctional."

Ouch. Don't feel too bad for them though as it appears help is on the way:

Also being interviewed by the party were artist Scott LoBaido and community activist Dennis McKeon.

"Somebody has to take on this fight," Yost told the Advance.

Yost, a retired detective, pointed out that he'd raised $360,000 for the Vitaliano race, and said that he was confident he could raise the big bucks necessary to mount a congressional run.

LoBaido, known for his politically controversial paintings, said that he was inspired by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who also used a career in the arts as a springboard to public office.

You are going to have to be able raise the big bucks, Mr. Yost. You'll be on your own, mate. As for you, My LoBaido...um, yeah. Best of luck with that.

NY-13: "Advantage Democrats"

by: phillip anderson

Tue May 27, 2008 at 13:23:22 PM EDT

G.O.P. Struggles to Replace a Favorite Son

Finding a candidate to replace Representative Vito J. Fossella, who will step down at the end of the year, is proving much harder than Republican Party leaders ever imagined.

Since Mr. Fossella admitted having a child out of wedlock more than two weeks ago, Republican after Republican, including some of the district's best known elected officials, has opted not to run for his seat. Now Republican leaders are seriously questioning whether they can find a candidate capable of winning a seat that the party has held for 28 years.

"We're hurting," said Guy V. Molinari, the former Staten Island borough president and dean of the island's Republicans. "I think that the Congressional seat is probably the most coveted seat locally. And yet, with the vacancy approaching, those that we thought would be the leading candidates in this case, particularly the incumbent elected officials, are taking a pass."

...

Yesterday, Mr. Molinari said that another aspirant had withdrawn his name from consideration: James S. Simpson, administrator of the Federal Transit Administration and a former commissioner of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Meanwhile, Jamshad Wyne, a physician who is the finance chairman of the Staten Island Republican Party, announced over the weekend that he, too, would not be a candidate. Dr. Wyne had considered running and had planned to hold a fund-raising event.

However, there is one newcomer to the race for the Republican nomination: Robert A. Straniere, a former assemblyman who lost the Republican primary for his seat in 2004 to Vincent Ignizio. Mr. Straniere said that although he had been away from politics for several years, he was ready to run for the Congressional seat he had sought twice before. Both times he failed to receive support from the local Republican Party.

...

In fact, Mr. Molinari described Mr. Straniere's chances of being supported by the Republican leadership as "impossible." He said that Mr. Straniere "would not be at all acceptable to the Republican Party. I would speculate that 98 percent of the Republican County Committee would say, 'No dice.' They would rather vote for a Democrat than for Straniere." Many Republican officials are still waiting to see what State Senator Andrew J. Lanza decides. Officials close to the senator say he is not inclined to run, in part because he doesn't want to commute between Washington and Staten Island, where his family lives.

Mr. Lanza is also under intense pressure to remain in the Senate. Running for Congress would force him to give up his seat in the Senate at a time when the Democrats, who already control the Assembly, need just two seats to take control of the Senate for the first time in 40 years.

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that the GOP is having such a hard time fielding a candidate for this seat. Someone described their predicament to me the other day as finding someone willing to "parachute onto the deck of the Titanic."

The NRCC is at a massive financial disadvantage this year. There just isn't going to be money from DC to support whoever eventually gets the nod to run, especially after they dumped tons of money into three straight special election losses that should probably have never been competitive in the first place. This will likely further suppress the enthusiasm of donors to the NRCC as well as donors to individual candidates. The potential candidates who are remaining on the sidelines know that all to well. They'll be on their own against a cash flush DCCC that can and will support their candidates and can exploit targets of opportunity as they arise. The GOoPs also know that they won't be taking back the majority anytime soon and that they are running for the right to sit in what will be an historically small minority in the House.

Still, this seat was one that the NRCC definitely thought they could mount a credible defense in and it looks increasingly likely that that defense may strangled in the crib as they can't seem to find anyone willing to take up the GOP standard in the 13th. In other words, it's a complete recruiting meltdown, a nightmare, for the GOP, both locally and nationally as regards this seat.

What does all this mean?

But Richard Flanagan, an associate professor of political science at the College of Staten Island, said that it would be a severe blow to the Republicans' prospects if they did not come up with a candidate who is well known and can raise money effectively.

"If they can't run a front-line candidate," Mr. Flanagan said, "it becomes: Advantage Democrats."

Pretty much.

NY-13: Savino Out As Well

by: phillip anderson

Thu May 22, 2008 at 19:16:55 PM EDT

Savino Out Of 13th CD, Friscia A Maybe

State Sen. Diane Savino is also taking a pass on the race for Rep. Vito Fossella's seat this fall in favor of running for re-election to her current post and helping the Democrats take control of the Senate.

"For the past week I have been considering whether or not to seek the 13th Congressional Seat that has been vacated by the current Congressman," Savino said in a just-released statement. "I have received dozens of calls of support, asking me to run and I am very appreciative."

"In spite of that, I have decided to seek re-election for the 23rd Senate District and continue the work that I was elected to do for the people of Staten Island and Brooklyn, as well as helping to take the Senate back into the hands of the Democratic Party, so we can usher in a new era of economic oppportunity and fairness for one New York, Upstate and Downstate."

On the GOP side, Staten Island Republican Chairman John Friscia refused to rule out a run for Fossella's seat himself while simultaneously expressing support for state Sen. Andrew Lanza.

Being a congressman "certainly has a very alluring and very seductive song to it," Friscia said, adding: "I'm not going to say I'm interested in it, I'm not going to say I'm not interested in it."

Friscia said the party has "some wonderful candidates out there," but he's hoping Lanza runs.

I think we're looking at a best of all worlds scenario here. Their best hope has dropped out. Their Plan B would open up a precious state Senate seat if he runs and their Plan C is noncommittal while urging Plan B to run. The Dem state Senator is staying put and the playing field just got much better for the Dem candidates looking to run for Fossella's seat. I also think that today's events may change the minds of Dem candidates who may have been wavering.

Add to this the fact that whoever the Dem candidate is will most likely be the beneficiary of a big DCCC war chest and an organization that is able to invest in targets of opportunity. Whoever gets the GOP nod is going to be mostly on their own as the NRCC just doesn't have all that much money to spread around.

I thought we had a fighting chance to take this seat this morning. This evening, I think we've got a much better shot at this seat and just might be able to put an open state Senate seat in play as well.

It's all good.

NY-13: Donovan Will Not Run

by: phillip anderson

Thu May 22, 2008 at 15:50:32 PM EDT

Staten Island DA Dan Donovan has decided to take a pass on running for the seat that will be vacated by Rep. Vito Fossella at the end of the year.

Donovan, who is a protege of former Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari, had fielded calls from GOP leaders in Washington, D.C. urging him to get into the race. But he would have had to give up his post as DA to run, and evidently has decided it's not worth the risk.

In a prepared statement, Donovan expressed a desire to address unfinished business in his current post, specifically mentioning a need to curb domestic violence and crack down on deadbeat dads.

   "While I am sincerely flattered by the time and attention focused on me at this time, and I am truly humbled by the expression of trust so many have placed in me and in my ability that they would forward my name to be the person to represent Staten Island in Congress, I feel that at this time, I am best able to serve the people of Staten Island in the position to which they re-elected me by such an overwhelming margin just six months ago as their District Attorney," Donovan said.

   "Therefore, I am now removing my name for consideration for a candidacy for Congress. In doing so, I want
   to thank all of the individuals, too numerous to mention here, from both the local and national levels who
   have contacted me urging me to run for Congress and offering their support. I am truly humbled by the faith
   you have expressed in me."

This leaves Sen. Andrew Lanza as the frontrunner, which is potentially problematic for Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, unless he can find a replacement candidate for Lanza's Senate seat. County Clerk Stephen Fiala is also considering a run.

This a pretty big blow to the NRCC as I know for a fact that they were very eager to recruit him for this race. I would have given the edge to Donovan in against any of the Dem names being talked about. The GOP's best hope is now Republican state Senator Andrew Lanza. Lanza holds a senate seat that is absolutely vital to Joe Bruno's ever shrinking majority. Now that Donovan is out, will Lanza be able to resist the temptation to toss his hat into the ring? Is Lanza's ambition greater than Bruno's pull?

What was shaping up to be a fascinating race just got much, much more interesting and I think much more winnable for the right Dem candidate.