NY-13: GOP Candidate Frank Powers Dies Of Heart Attack

by: robert.harding

Sun Jun 22, 2008 at 16:57:48 PM EDT

GOP and law enforcement sources confirmed Powers, 68, a retired Wall Street executive and MTA board member, died at his Annfield Court home on Staten Island.

"We're back to square one in terms of finding a candidate," said one obviously shaken Staten Island Republican. "You go from the bizarre to the surreal around here."

UPDATE: Powers' family issued the following statement:

"Our dad Frank passed away early this morning. As you can imagine, this is a difficult time for our family. We would appreciate privacy and time as we make the necessary arrangements."

"We shall have more information when final arrangesments have been made. We thank you for your kindness and cooperation and ask you to keep our dad and family in your prayers."

The personal irony here is that my father is 68 - just as Frank Powers was. Two men of the same age, yet two different outcomes.

Obviously there is a huge story here politically. Who will replace Powers on the ballot? Who will the GOP turn to now in an already complicated race? Sen. Andrew Lanza's name is being tossed around again, among other possible GOP candidates.

However, this is a sad day for the Powers family. My thoughts are with them. We might be on different sides of the aisle, but we are all on the side of humanity.  

NY-13: Curiouser And Curiouser...

by: phillip anderson

Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 22:54:46 PM EDT

As the 13th Turns...

That's right. This dude, son of the other dude, both you've never even heard of and sharing the same name, is now also a candidate for Congress. For. The. Same. Seat.

Son of GOP nominee throws hat into ring for Staten Island's seat

It could be father versus son in the race for Staten Island's seat in the House of Representatives.

An already topsy-turvy political year grew even more so today when Francis M. Powers, the son of GOP designee Francis H. Powers, said he would seek the Libertarian Party line to run for the 13th Congressional District seat.

"This is not about my dad," said the younger Powers, 47, a master carpenter from Clifton who plays and sings with the Staten Island band Box of Crayons and runs an indie record label called Penny for the Guy Records. "I'm running against the Republican candidate."

Personally, I'd definitely vote for the guy with a band named "Box of Crayons", but that's just me. He seems to have his well coiffed head on rather straight about the task ahead of him as well, claiming that he isn't running just to stick it to the old man, but he's running against "the Republican" and adding that "A vote for my father is a vote for the straight Republican ticket." Well done, lad.

Apparently dear old Dad doesn't quite see it the same way and frets over his wayward son's "lifestyle."

"I've tried very hard for many years to help my son," the elder Powers said in a statement released by his campaign.

"Unfortunately, he's rejected everyone's help to live a healthy lifestyle. Regardless of whether he wants to run for Congress, I still stand ready to help him move his life in a positive direction."

The elder Powers did not comment beyond the statement, but a Republican source said that Powers was referring to his son's "carefree" lifestyle in the music business.

Ron Moore, the head of the Manhattan Libertarian Party, said that he's got a good chance at securing their endorsement and would need only 3,000 signatures to secure a ballot line.

I say we do whatever we can to make that happen. Who's with me?

NY-13: Primaries for both parties? Recchia withdraws

by: jonah in nyc

Tue Jun 03, 2008 at 13:37:07 PM EDT

The Todt Hill resident, who has gone back and forth on the race over the last two weeks, announced yesterday he would challenge Frank Powers, a Metropolitan Transportation Authority board member and retired Wall Street executive, for the GOP congressional nod.

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.