Kirsten Gillibrand made her first public appearance as U.S. Senator in the Albany area Saturday, when she joined NY-21 Rep. Paul Tonko in endorsing Scott Murphy, the Democratic candidate in the March 31 special election for NY-20, Gillibrand's former district.
The event, held in a labor union (Amalgamated Transit Union Local Division 1321) office, attracted about 60 supporters and a full-court press from the press.
"Let's talk about Scott Murphy," Gillibrand began. "Scott will be an excellent Member of Congress representing the 20th Congressional District. And the reason why I know this is because of who he is."
Details below, including links to two new stories about Gillibrand in NYC.
Things look very good for Paul Tonko. After winning the primary in September, he was a near lock to become the next representative for the people of the 21st congressional district. His approach has been a good one though. He hasn't taken this general election battle softly and has treated it as if it were a close fight.
Tonko unveiled this spot yesterday that highlights what he will do when elected and sent to Washington D.C. It's a strong spot. Take a look:
Democratic and Republican Candidates for Congress Face-Off In Public Forum
On Columbus Day, Democrat Paul Tonko and Republican Jim Buhrmaster met at the Dean Alexander Moot Court Room at Albany Law School for one of their only debates open to the public. The seats in the lecture hall were about half full, and the Albany Law Schools College Democrats and College Republicans both sponsored the debate.
Local radio personality Al Roney of 810WGY moderated the debate for an hour's worth of questions he posed to the candidates after Tonko and Buhrmaster were allowed to make opening statements. Following this, representatives from the College Democrats and College Republicans asked the candidates questions posed from the audience, which is where the fireworks have always come in the debates to replace retiring Representative Mike McNulty (D-Green Island) since this campaign was in Primary mode.
Now that the 21st and the entire nation is in full General Election mode, jump below the fold to see what each candidates' answer to each question was...in detail that is nowhere to be found in the local media.
State Senate candidate Don Barber (D-Caroline) accepted congressional candidate Paul Tonko's (D-Amsterdam) endorsement today. Tonko, the popular former Assemblyman and favorite to win the 21st Congressional seat, praised Barber for his stands on quality, affordable universal health care and energy policy.
"Don Barber has stood up to the powerful insurance lobby and made a strong argument that we need a publicly-funded, privately delivered universal health care plan. I have backed a similar proposal for many years because it is fiscally responsible and will deliver quality health care to every single New Yorker. Don Barber's vision of a new alternative energy economy and energy independence for New York is the sort of change we need in energy policy. I've worked with Don for a long time, and I know how committed he is to improving the lives of working people. That's why he has my full support."
Barber thanked Tonko for his backing. "Paul Tonko has tremendous support in the district for a reason. He is a leader with a long-range vision to build a better quality of life for all New Yorkers. He believes, as I do, that health care is a right, not a commodity that should be for sale. And we are on the same page as far as energy policy. By building a new alternative energy economy, we can build a sustainable local economy that will resist the kinds of global economic shocks we're experiencing right now."
This was a great gesture from Tonko, whose congressional district does overlap with Barber's state senate district.
Republican Opponent's Position: Less Action, More Attack Ads
One of the last things retiring Representative Mike McNulty did as Congressman was to vote "yea" on both $700 billion bailout packages meant to address the econominc crisis. McNulty voted for the first measure that failed in the House last week and remained firm in his support for the revised bill first passed in the Senate, then the House, and now set to be signed into law by President Bush.
Voters in the 21st Congressional District deserve to know how their future Congressman feels about this, and today Democractic candidate Paul Tonko let them know exactly how he feels. The following press release has a headline that reads Tonko Supports Bill, But With Reservations:
"I support the action taken by the House of Representatives yesterday to pass the Economic Stability Act. Although I strongly disagree with several aspects of this legislation, these actions are necessary to ensure the continued flow of credit that allows families to buy homes and send their children to college. I believe the threat to the well-being of working families caused by not acting far outweighs the reservations I have about this legislation.
"This bill does not go far enough to help people who are in danger of losing their homes. More foreclosures will mean more instability for the housing and financial markets. I believe that bankruptcy judges must be allowed to change the terms of distressed mortgages to prevent more foreclosures. This bill also includes questionable add-ons, including more tax breaks for oil companies, which certainly are not struggling.
"Another part of this bill that I find very troubling is what I believe are serious conflicts of interest in the administration of this plan. The bailout will be orchestrated by five Bush administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson who is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs, one of the firms that will benefit significantly from this plan. The Congressional oversight committee must watch very closely to ensure that no conflicts of interest affect the disbursements of taxpayer dollars.
"The bill does include protections for taxpayers, including provisions that will allow taxpayers recover their investment when the financial industry returns to profitability. The bill is also an improvement from the Bush Administration's original plan
"There is more work to be done. Despite this rescue plan, we will still face serious economic challenges in the months ahead. Leaders in Washington need to address the factors that led to the failure of the markets and take steps to provide responsible and effective regulation that will make sure this crisis never happens again.
"There are more immediate issues that Washington failed to address, like the record home heating prices facing families this winter. These record prices, combined with record gasoline and food prices, will leave many Capital Region families struggling. Congress must act to increase funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Plan (LIHEAP). In Congress, I pledge to work in a bipartisan manner to increase LIHEAP funding so people on low and fixed incomes don't have to make the choice between feeding their families and heating their homes."
On a chilly and blustery afternoon nearly two weeks out from a historic primary to replace retiring Congressman Mike McNulty (D-Green Island), Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings welcomed an array of elected officials, campaign staffers, union members, and regular Democrats like myself to a Unity Rally to support Paul Tonko, Democratic nominee for Congress in New York's 21st Congressional District.
It was the closing moment of a long, hard-fought primary in which five Democrats, including Tracey Brooks, Phil Steck, Darius Shahinfar, and Joe Sullivan (who did not attend) emerged with fewer votes than Paul Tonko, a 23-year veteran of the New York State Assembly and former President and CEO of the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority. Tonko won the primary on Tuesday, Sept 9, with 39% of the vote, a full nine points ahead of his nearest rival.
Cameras were there, alright, but noon-time news reports gave only a few seconds of coverage to the rally. My tape recorder was running the entire time, and below the fold is full coverage of the unity rally for any Democrat who was unable to attend.
Republican Opponent Jim Buhrmaster Just Doesn't Get It At The Forum
Democratic candidate for Congress Paul Tonko reiterated his strong words from yesterday on the financial crisis in general, going specific today on the $85 billion bailout of fallen financial giant AIG. In a nutshell, Tonko says what should be crystal clear by now: the de-regulations that were supposed to "save" American money trumpeted by conservatives and Republicans have ended up costing us a lot more:
"The bailout of American Insurance Group last night and the resulting market turmoil is further proof that there is a place for regulations that protect consumers and workers from corporate greed and mismanagement.
"Because the American economy as a whole bears so much of the risk of Wall Street firms, it is absolutely necessary that we put responsible regulations in place to prevent these companies from exposing themselves, and us, to unnecessary risk.
"It has now become painfully obvious that the politics of deregulation have, again, failed to serve the best interests of both business and the American people. As a direct result of this crisis, it is becoming more difficult and more expensive for consumers and businesses to get home loans. In order to protect our economic future, we must enact responsible regulations of the financial industry that will prevent the widespread financial malfeasance that lead us to these problems in the first place."
Emphasis added
Yesterday, Tonko faced off in his first forum with his Republican opponent Jim Buhrmaster, who spouted the same old Republican line about that those with the ability to reason realize got us into this mess in the first place:
During questions from chamber members from Bethlehem, Guilderland, Colonie and Schenectady, Buhrmaster peppered his comments with digs at Tonko for what Buhrmaster called "RST" -- plans he says Tonko supports that call for too much regulation, too much spending and too many taxes.
If I had a nickel for everytime a Republican tried to tell me that "too much regulation" was a bad thing, I would have been able to bail out AIG myself. But Paul Tonko had a better response to the Burgermeister's hooting and hollering:
"You can't always sit there and create drama," said Tonko, who defeated four Democrats in the Sept. 9 primary. "What you really need are results."
So instead of the Republican's "money for nothing, checks for free" plan, Paul Tonko states clearly "That ain't workin'". That's the way you do it. We need someone in Congress who actually understands the failed politics of de-regulation, not someone who purports the same policies that resulted in these dire straits.
Yesterday, Paul Tonko, the Democratic candidate to succeed 20-year veteran Rep. Mike McNulty (D-Green Island) released the following statement on the unprecendented financial crisis hitting Wall Street and New York State. He echoes much of what Governor Paterson said yesterday, but tailors the message to the Capital Region specifically from the angle of his own experience with de-regulation.
Paul Tonko Statement on Financial Crisis
"In the last 24 hours we have seen several historic and troubling developments from the financial industry. Lehman Brothers, a firm with a 150-year history, collapsed and filed for bankruptcy on Sunday. Merrill Lynch, which was once one of the largest Wall Street firms, has been sold for only half of what it was worth just a few months ago. The American International Group has requested a $40 billion line of credit from the Federal Reserve to prevent that firm from imminent collapse. This comes only a week after the Federal Government took over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, in the largest government takeover in history.
"These developments will have far reaching repercussions that will be felt around the world and especially here in the Capital Region. These firms are a significant source of tax revenue for New York State, much of which goes to pay for education and healthcare. We must, as a matter of prudence, look at these failures in a context that provides insight on how to plan for the future.
"This crisis highlights the importance of forward thinking, responsible regulation that both protects investors and prevents the bankers from burning down their own house. Many are responsible for the current financial meltdown, from the mortgage companies that issued large loans with no proof of income to the financial firms that bundled them into securities to the rating agencies that gave misleadingly high ratings to mortgage backed securities. This is yet another example of how the politics of de-regulation has failed to protect both consumers and business."
During the primary campaign, Paul Tonko had to respond to several charges about the de-regulation process of New York's energy industry while he was Chair of the Assembly Energy Committee. Now that Democrats are in general election mode, whether one agrees or disagrees with his stance on the energy de-regulation is a moot point; Tonko knows a thing or two about de-regulation, and his experience in this field will go far in Congress. Also, as 20% of state revenues come from Wall Street, the crunch is likely to hit state workers rather hard, and there are more state workers in the 21st Congressional District than any other district.
Tonko's Republican opponent Jim Buhrmaster released a laughable chart trumpeting de-regulation, saying Buhrmaster "Will bring real-world business experience and private-sector management principles to Washington to fight for permanent tax relief and less burdensome regulations." Right...the kind of Bush tax "relief" and de-regulation of businesses that go us into this mess in the first place. It should also be noted that for all the chatter in the blogosphere about the historic nature of the primary, other more Republican-leaning blogs have said in the past that Republicans are excited about this open seat as well, saying it's the first time in 50 years that Republicans have a chance to recapture this seat...
...and leave us with only one of the big five investment banks, I reckon.
The 21st needs a Democrat who understands this issue, and may end up needing more help than we realize.
Less than a week off his landslide victory in the state's most hotly contested Congressional Primary, victorious Democrat Paul Tonko has recieved the endorsement of New York State's senior Senator, Chuck Schumer.
Schumer wasted no time in endorsing the party's nominee and cited Tonko's years of experience in the State Assembly on jobs and energy policy as his main reasons for supporting the Tonko campaign for Congress:
"I enthusiastically endorse Paul Tonko for Congress," Senator Schumer said today. "Paul has built an impressive record as a New York State Assemblyman for the Capital Region. He has fought to preserve and bring new jobs to the area by working with local lawmakers on projects such as Metroplex for Schenectady County. I am also proud to have worked with him to keep Beech Nut from leaving Montgomery County and in developing the nanotechnology center in Albany."
Schumer continued: "Paul's experience as chair of the Assembly Energy Committee and as President and CEO of NYSERDA will help him hit the ground running as a resource for Congress on energy issues. I look forward to working with Paul to help the people of the 21st District and New York."
Paul Tonko said: "I really appreciate Senator Schumer's support as we move toward Election Day in November. Senator Schumer has been a tireless advocate for the people of the Capital Region and all of New York State. In Congress, I will work with him to strengthen the upstate economy, protect the jobs that are here and help create new jobs.
"We need a comprehensive energy policy focused on efficiency, conservation and investment in renewable resources," added Tonko. "This investment will spark a new innovation economy, creating a new green collar workforce. We have already laid the groundwork in the Capital Region to be a leader in green collar workforce training and technology."
Paul Tonko is the former President and CEO of NYSERDA and served in the New York State Assembly from 1983 to 2007. He announced his bid for the 21st Congressional District on May 20, 2008 among friends, elected officials and union members.
On September 9, Paul won the Democratic primary, and on Election Day, November 4, Paul will appear on the Democratic and Working Family Party lines.
Earlier, Senator Schumer just couldn't decide who to endorse, but now that Tonko is the only Democrat left standing, the endorsement is timely and well-placed. Paul Tonko racked up a slew of endorsements for his primary campaign anyway, and this is an excellent first addition as he moves on to victory in the General Election.
Paul Tonko Wins 5-Way Primary with Strong Base of Support
Last Tuesday, Paul Tonko won the five-way Democratic Primary to replace retiring Representative Mike McNulty with 39% of the vote in one of the most heavily contested campaigns in New York State. The final results for the entire district were as follows:
Tonko, Paul 14,827 39%
Brooks, Tracey 11,329 30%
Steck, Phillip 7,046 19%
Shahinfar, Darius 3,879 10%
Sullivan, Joseph 657 2%
But as in most elections, these numbers don't represent the full spread. A county-by-county analysis, as well as information from the largest township in the seven-county-district, reveals that Paul Tonko owes his victory to stronger-than-average support in the western portion of the district and a split vote in the county where over two-thirds of the votes were cast The end result produces a victory map for Tonko that looks like this:
"I am honored to have the opportunity to represent the Democratic Party on Election Day in November," said Tonko. "Over the last few months, I've met with thousands of people across the Capital Region, and listened to their concerns for the future of this country. I want to thank them for their support and confidence that my vision is the right one for this district."
Tonko continued: "I also want to thank the hundreds of people who volunteered for the campaign, they put in countless hours in support of my candidacy. Without their help, we would not be moving to the next round.
"There is more work to be done as we head toward Election Day in November, to fight for the issues and change that will get our great country back on track. We need a national energy plan that lessens our addiction to foreign oil, invests in renewable energy sources, focuses on conservation and efficiency, and sparks an innovation economy that could lead to thousands of new Green Collar jobs right in our area.
"We need a universal health care plan that will provide insurance for everyone and lower costs for working families and American corporations. And we need a responsible plan to end the War in Iraq.
"I also want to thank each of my opponents for the spirit they brought to the primary campaign. We shared common ground on many issues, and while approaches to solving complex problems may have differed, our ultimate objectives were in close synch.
"However, with the primary now over, we all must come together to ensure that the issues which we all deeply care about are carried forward to the national debate."
With his win last night, Tonko is more than likely the next representative of NY-21. He will make a great representative and has a record of service to this state that proves that.
UPDATE: Phil Steck's campaign just released his schedule for today, which included calls to seniors earlier today. Steck will also be traveling to polling locations and to thank elections inspectors for their work. Then Steck and his family will be voting at 3 p.m. today and then continuing going around to thank polling inspectors. He will conclude the night at the Steck for Congress headquarters in Albany.
As of 9:40 a.m. today, this is where the candidates will be today and this evening. Also, some of them have included when they are voting today. I have heard nothing yet from Phil Steck's campaign as to his whereabouts today. Maybe we will hear something in the next few hours. I'll keep you updated.
Tracey Brooks: Brooks rode CDTA Bus #55 this morning and will vote between noon and 12:30 p.m. today at Knights of Columbus, 95 Main Street in Ravena. This afternoon, Brooks will do some GOTV in Albany before riding CDTA Bus #8 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. From 5 to 9 p.m., Brooks will be touring polling locations and thank poll workers for their help. Then beginning at 9 p.m., the Brooks campaign will be at their Election Night headquarters in Albany at the Victory Cafe.
Darius Shahinfar: Shahinfar will be voting at noon today at the Sage College of Albany Gymnasium. Then tonight, Shahinfar's Election Night Event gets underway at 9:45 p.m. at the Darius for Congress headquarters in Albany. In between, Shahinfar will be working hard to get out the vote.
Paul Tonko: Tonko will also vote today at noon at the RJ McNulty Academy in Amsterdam. From 5 to 8 p.m. today Tonko will be walking door-to-door before his Election Night event begins at 9 p.m. at the Washington Tavern in Albany.
Eight months ago, I started to blog on DailyKos and The Albany Project on the Democratic Primary for Congress in New York's 21st Congressional District. It was set off by a November 2007 announcement that current Representative Mike McNulty would retire after 20 years of service.
I had a hunch instantly that Rep. McNulty's decision not to make any endorsement for a possible successor that a wide-open primary would ensue, and also figured it would be very heavily contested and highly competitive. Looking at the history of the district, I also realized that no primary campaign for Congress of the type that has indeed developed had taken place in at least half a century.
And I also figured that the mainstream media would be strapped or resources in covering the nuances that would appear between the many candidates, and I decided to start blogging because this is a historic race and I felt I could provide more information to voters than other outlets had space for.
Currently, the five Democratic candidates are Tracey Brooks, Darius Shahinfar, Phil Steck, Joseph P. Sullivan, and Paul Tonko. While the mainstream media has indeed covered the race and the candidates have sent out a slew of mailers and robocalls, the space devoted and the limited resources of both outlets have still left many voters undecided and unsure of what the differences between these five candidates are with only hours to go before polls open on Primary Day, September 9th.
Well, there are major differences between these candidates. And in order to make an informed choice, people need more information to supplement what has been available in the mainstream media and the paid communications of the campaigns. After spending the past eight months blogging, I have interviewed the four of the five major candidates and attended the most definitive debates between them. This also includes weekly news-wraps summarizing press releases sent to me by all the campaigns, most of which were not covered in manstream media outlets, as well as editorial pieces in support of one particular candidate.
For the purpose of providing that information as the polls get closer to opening, I link to the all the interviews and the major debates so that readers can learn more about the candidates in their own words, as well as make my own endorsements of candidates in the most historic primary ever to take place in the Capital Region in this final blog on New York's 21st Congressional District.
Just click "There's more..." for the most comprehensive and informative coverage of the race available.
Here is a round-up of news of goings on with the candidates in the 21st congressional district's Democratic primary.
Paul Tonko: Paul Tonko's campaign announced today that Tonko was endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign, the largest civil rights organization in the country fighting and working for GLBT equality.
HRC Political Action Director Mike Mings said: "Just a few votes separate New York from achieving marriage equality, and we value every fair-minded official who votes in favor of it. Paul Tonko not only supports marriage equality, but also has shown himself to be a leader on the issue in the State Assembly. On behalf of the Human Rights Campaign, I urge voters to reward him with a seat in Congress so he can continue to be not only a tireless advocate for the people of the Albany area, but an advocate for the ideals that make our country great-fairness, justice and opportunity."
Which one, as a freshman representative, could stand out in a system based heavily on seniority?
Ms. Brooks has that edge. She has worked for and clearly studied one of the Senate's masters of political fine arts, Hillary Rodham Clinton, who distinguished herself as a freshman senator for her ability to forge bipartisan alliances. She is also the face of a new breed in Congress: young, articulate, forceful, energetic and progressive. She would fit well with the previous crop of freshmen, which has quickly gained influence because the Democrats' narrow majority in the House hinges on them. And, as Sen. Clinton's former regional director, Ms. Brooks knows the district as well, if not better, than her opponents.
This is a very glowing endorsement of Brooks by the most important publication in this race. Also, Brooks has out-raised all of her opponents on ActBlue. As of this writing, Brooks has raised $170,589. That is more than the other three candidates combined.
Phil Steck: Phil Steck has supporters among students in NY-21. There is a video on YouTube in support of Steck:
Phil Steck: Steck announced yesterday his support for a middle class tax cut plan being pushed by Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. The plan includes the following:
Cuts taxes for 95% of workers and their families with a tax cut of $500 for workers or $1,000 for working couples.
A variety of targeted generous tax cuts -- for low- and middle-income seniors, homeowners, the uninsured, and families sending a child to college or looking to save for retirement.
Dramatically simplifies taxes by consolidating existing tax credits, eliminating the need for millions of senior citizens to file tax forms, and enabling as many as 40 million middle-class Americans to do their own taxes in less than five minutes without an accountant.
Cut corporate taxes for firms that invest and create jobs in the United States, because the current tax code actually provides reimbursement for the expense of moving jobs oversees.
Steck said of the plan, "The anxiety felt by many working families is real. We have just come off the first economic recovery on record where ordinary Americans saw their incomes decline by nearly $1,000, after inflation. We need to focus tax relief on the middle class."
Also, it was announced today that Steck was endorsed by former NBA player Sam Perkins.
Tracey Brooks: Brooks unveiled a new television ad today which calls Phil Steck's attacks "false." It also touts her work with Sen. Hillary Clinton to get more families health care.
Today, Brooks rode the morning CDTA bus between Albany and Schenectady to talk with voters and discuss what issues are important to them. Tonight Brooks will be on the campaign trail once again when she walks door-to-door in Troy with Troy Democratic chair Frank LaPosta and then meets with seniors at the Ogden Mills Senior Center.
I've spent the summer listening to all the candidates, and I am convinced that Paul Tonko is the best choice to serve the people of the 21st District.
Over the weekend, Tonko praised Barack Obama's Plan for America that was presented during Obama's acceptance speech on Thursday.
"My energy plan calls for this exact kind of investment, to provide the resources our scientists and engineers need to develop the renewable energy sources of tomorrow, which will allow us to break free from our dependence on foreign oil," Tonko said.
Tonko also touted his education plan, which he also aligned with Obama on.
Darius Shahinfar: Shahinfar is back on televisions in NY-21 with his third TV spot. As of Sunday, Shahinfar was the only candidate to sign on to the Ethics and Good Government Contract that Shahinfar created in early August. Shahinfar has also said that he will reject a congressional pay raise and reject the congressional health care plan should he be elected to serve.
Tracey Brooks, Darius Shahinfar, Phil Steck, and Paul Tonko Make Closing Statements
The full transcript of the final forum between the four serious contendors to replace retiring Rep. Mike McNulty, held Sunday August 24, concludes below the fold with their final case before a shared audience as to why Democratic primary voters in New York's 21st Congressional District should nominate them for the general election in November.
Tracey Brooks, Darius Shahinfar, Phil Steck, and Paul Tonko Debate Audience Questions
The full transcript of the final forum between the four serious contendors to replace retiring Rep. Mike McNulty, held Sunday August 24, continues below the fold...
Tracey Brooks, Darius Shahinfar, Phil Steck, and Paul Tonko Debate Energy Policy
The full transcript of the final forum between the four serious contendors to replace retiring Rep. Mike McNulty, held Sunday August 24, continues below the fold with the candidates' answers to questions on energy policy.
