Tonight there were more than a few surprises at the ballot box. The Senate's longest-serving incumbent, Martin Connor was beaten by progressive newcomer, Dan Squadron. Alice Kyrzan took atvantage of the Davis-Powers mudfight to pull a Kerry in Iowa. Incubents Ed Towns and Sheldon Silver won their re-election bids by roughly 2-1. And happily, Bronx Senator Efrain Gonzalez, who is facing federal corruption charges, was defeated by fomer Councilman Pedro Espada Jr.
As I have been covering the AD-64 race with the most interest, here are a few observations. First off, Shelly does have a Republican opponent, and let me say that I wholehartedly endorse him against his Republican opponent. While we Democrats have the privilege of being picky in our primaries, even the worst Democrats are better than even the best Republicans any day. Vote Sheldon Silver in November.
Secondly, I am hoping Shelly can learn from this primary fight. Shelly had a roughly 30-1 cash advantage against his opponents, and more importantly, he had the backing of the WFP and every union that decided to endorse in that race. He also had almost every member of the Assembly and their staffs pounding the payment, taxpayer-funded constituent mailers, and $7 million worth of pork to slather his district with. Newell had 40 volunteers, zero endorsements by any elected officials, and an office rented in a dance studio. Shelly also had the downtown Democratic clubs and there were people handing out pro-Shelly literature on virtually every corner of that district today. And still 1/3 of the Democrats in his district cast votes against him. Shelly did about 10 points better than Martin Connor did in 2006 (who was facing a much better financed opponent), and we know what happened to Connor tonight.
To his credit, after Shelly's leadership was challenged from within his caucus in 2002, he got the message and changed his behavior afterwards. Let's hope he draws the same lessons from today. If he actually starts passing rules reform in his house and works with out soon-to-be Democratic Senate to pass campaign finance reform and redistricting reform, it will be because of this courageous primary challenge by Paul Newell. And let me say also, that if Shelly does these things, I will stop railing against him on a daily basis on this blog. But he has to do those things first.
On another note, the real winner tonight was the WFP. I don't think they lost a single race where they endorsed. Very impressive.
And finally, I am looking forward to having a real reformer going to Albany in January by the name of Dan Squadron. For a challenger to beat the former minority leader by almost 10 points is almost hard to describe in its impressiveness. With a victory like this, Albany will have to take notice of Squadron's 11-point plan for reform, which includes Clean Money Clean Elections, redistricting reform, and rules reform. I'm looking forward to Squadron taking this plan forward with the same force as did in his enormously successful campaign.
So celebrate tonight everyone, because we live in a democracy where we can have these discussions in public without fear of government retribiution. Even if your candidate lost, you can't argue with the voters having their say.
Kevin Powell has come out with a video targeting his primary opponent Rep. Edolphus Towns over Towns' acceptance of Big Tobacco contributions and opposition to legislation that would implement bans in public places and regulate menthol in cigarettes.
For some historic perspective, here are the total contributions given to Towns by the tobacco industry from all election cycles dating back to 1990.
TOWNS TOBACCO CONTRIBUTIONS (Information compiled from OpenSecrets.)
1990: $7,850
1992: $21,245 - Towns had the ninth highest total of contributions given by the tobacco industry in this election among all members of the House
1994: $11,500
1996: $6,000
1998: $15,550
2000: $9,500
2004: $1,000
2006: $10,000
2008: $5,000
Here is the aforementioned video from the Powell campaign hitting Towns on his support for Big Tobacco:
At a press conference on the City Hall steps just now, incumbent State Senator Marty Connor was endorsed by the five members of Congress whose districts overlap with his: Ed Towns, Nydia Velazquez, Carolyn Maloney and Jerry Nadler. (Yvette Clarke is endorsing him too, but did not attend).
Nadler, the only one to answer the question, offered the following:
"Well, Chuck is entitled to put considerations of personal friendship over everything else that we have talked about, and he's said that's exactly what he has done. Marty's opponent worked for Chuck, is the co-author of his book with him, and I understand a personal loyalty," Nadler said.
"Chuck also said that Marty didn't support him in the primary 15, 10 years ago. He's entitled to make endorsements on the basis he wishes. But I think we're making an endorsement, not on the basis of [who] supported whom ten years ago, or who worked for who, or who is a personal friend, but who we believe is the most progressive, and the most activist, most effective senator for this district."
I wouldn't go as far as saying that Nadler took a shot at Schumer there, although it could be viewed in that light. But all Nadler is saying is that Schumer puts personal relationships over everything else every time. That might be a bad thing but it also could be a good thing, depending on your viewpoint.
This primary is going to be an intense one. Connor has a lot of backing from incumbent Democrats. Squadron has the backing of one of the most prominent incumbent Democrats in the state.
Squadron has a big endorsement in his back pocket though. Sen. Chuck Schumer has backed Squadron and notified Connor that he would do so at the DRC convention in April.
More on the Connor endorsements to come.
UPDATE: There was a fifth congressmember to come out and support Connor. Rep. Yvette Clarke also endorsed Connor today.
Here is more on the endorsements today from the press release:
"Marty Connor has my full support for re-election in the Democratic Primary Election. I have worked hand in hand with him on behalf of our constituents on the Lower East Side and in Brooklyn. He is always there fighting for NYCHA residents and tenants. He can always be counted on to stand up for the progressive positions on all the issues. I will be working very hard to insure his re-election. Our constituents need him to continue as their Senator in Albany." - Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez
"Marty Connor has well served our shared constituents in Lower Manhattan, Tribeca and SoHo. After 9/11 we worked jointly to care for the immediate needs of our residents who were in need of assistance and together he joined me in challenging the federal and local governments' false assurances about the environment in Lower Manhattan and the inadequacy of the clean-up. Having served with him in Albany and then as the Congressman representing part of his district I know first-hand of his commitment to progressive politics. I endorse his re-election in the Democratic Primary without reservation."
- Congressman Jerrold Nadler
More praise for Connor from Maloney, Towns and Clarke below the fold.
Earlier today 10 New York Democrats voted to eviscerate the 4th Amendment and to retroactively excuse the lawless warrantless surveillance of tens of millions of Americans by an out of control Executive as well as the telecom companies that that facilitated these crimes. Their votes were disgraceful and we should never forget them, but the majority of New York Democrats stood up for our Constitution today and we shouldn't forget their votes either. The following New York Democrats stood tall today:
Clarke (NY-11)
Hall (NY-19)
Hinchey (NY-22)
Israel (NY-2)
Maloney (NY-14)
McNulty (NY-21)
Nadler (NY-8)
Rangel (NY-15)
Serrano (NY-16)
Slaughter (NY-28)
Towns (NY-10)
Velazquez (NY-12) (My Congresswoman. Way to go, Nydia.)
Weiner (NY-9)
It should probably go without saying, but all New York House Republicans (with exception of Tom Reynolds, who was apparently napping) voted for this abomination.
Former cast member of "The Real World" and self-described hip hop activist Kevin Powell, who bowed out early from a 2006 congressional bid against Rep. Ed Towns in the 10th CD, plans to formally announce his 2008 campaign this Sunday.
Powell's campaign slogan is (as it was in '06): "The leadership we are waiting for is us," which is very Barack Obamaesque.
Powell will have his own blog, although there is only a few posts on there right now.
But Powell will have a huge challenge on his hands. Towns has received at least 90 percent of the vote in each of his last six elections. This will not be an easy race for him.
