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De Blasio Successor Josh Skaller Supports Velasquez as Hillary Successor
Josh Skaller (a friend of mine and candidate for the 39th City Council District, now represented by Bill de Blasio) is throwing his support behind Nydia Velasquez to replace Hillary Clinton for NY Senate. Rumor has it Paterson is already considering this. From Josh Skaller's campaign:
"Rep. Nydia Velazquez is the best Senator for New York in these turbulent times"
December 3, 2008
www.skaller09.comCity Council candidate Josh Skaller today called upon New York State's Governor, David Paterson, to appoint U.S. Representative Nydia Velazquez to the United States Senate. The junior Senate seat will be vacant when incumbent Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is confirmed as the next Secretary of State in the administration of President Barack Obama.
Mr. Skaller, seeking election to the New York City Council from Brooklyn's 39th District, is an independent Democrat and a long-time community activist in the Park Slope area. The 39th Council District includes the Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Windsor Terrace, Kensington and Borough Park neighborhoods, and is currently represented by an incumbent who is seeking election to a different office. Josh Skaller's candidacy for City Council is endorsed by State Senator Eric Adams, attorney Norman Siegel, reform Democratic activist Chris Owens, and many other community leaders.
"All of New York is honored by the nomination of Senator Hillary Clinton to be the next Secretary of State," said Josh Skaller, past President of the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID) and a volunteer organizer with Brooklyn for Barack and Democracy for New York City (DFNYC). "It is important to focus on a successor to Mrs. Clinton who has practical legislative experience in Washington, a proven track record of leadership, and the ability to inspire millions in the tradition of both Mrs. Clinton and President Obama - particularly during these tough economic times. Rep. Nydia Velazquez is the logical successor to Senator Hillary Clinton."
"Congresswoman Velazquez is a 16-year incumbent member of the House of Representatives who chairs a Committee and whose special focus has been on small business and financial matters. Representative Velazquez is respected by her colleagues across the nation, having been recently elected Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. And those who have heard Congresswoman Velazquez in person know the power of her personal passion for better public policies addressing housing, health care, public education and, of course, small business concerns."
"In light of Hillary Clinton's historic legacy, we must also be honest and acknowledge that maintaining and increasing the percentage of woman serving in the United States Senate is a legitimate and worthwhile consideration in selecting the next Senator from New York - particularly when a candidate is as qualified for the position as Congresswoman Velazquez. Eighteen million 'cracks in the glass ceiling' deserve our respect in real terms ... and a seat in the U.S. Senate is very real."
"My unsolicited endorsement of Representative Nydia Velazquez for U.S. Senate is based upon my belief that all of New York State will benefit greatly from her service in this position. There are many good candidates, but Congresswoman Velazquez is the right person for the U.S. Senate at the right time for New York State. I hope that Governor Paterson concurs with my opinion."
I agreee. Nydia V. would be great.
She's my Congress Member and I support her for Senate:
She has been a consistent and serious opponent of the war in Iraq. With Congress Member Velazquez in the Senate, Mr Obama might have an easier time remembering that there's an unjust war on.
She listens to her constituents. As part of a Moveon Delegation I asked about her about health insurance. She had not signed on to HR 676, John Conyers' Medicare For All bill. She studied the issue, concerned it might harm small business (She's head of the House Small Business Committee). She concluded it wouldn't and became a co-sponsor.
She's be an excellent progressive state-wide Hispanic woman office holder.
Not Going to Happen, Nor Should It
Not only would it be unfair to the rest of the state, since she lives in basically the same Council District as the other US Senator from New York, she doesn't have the capacity to lead New York through these hard times. Nadler, Maloney, Byron Brown are all more capable and would be better choices. Sorry, I usually agree with Millstone, but it's true.
Capacity?
Sure she has the capacity! Will it happen? I don't know. I have heard some strong rumors that she is Paterson's choice, but I agree that for geographical reasons other people need to be considered. I'd consider Velasquez a good choice, personally, but the choice is Paterson's.
Josh isn't
Bill's successor. He'd like to be, and I wish him luck with that, but the election hasn't happened yet.
Sure...
And it's a good field overall. But at the moment it is looking like Josh's the probable frontrunner...somewhat to my surprise, I will admit, since he is not getting big developer bucks but is doing so well on small donations. Hmmmm...Obama pattern, perhaps?
The front runner
is probably Brad Lander. That doesn't mean Lander will win, of course (who was the front runner a year out from the presidential election?), but simply on name recognition and fundraising ability, Lander has to be considered the first out of the gate.
The way Josh can win is by mobilizing all the local, grassroots organizations on his behalf -- and I believe he can do that. Speaking from a distance (the faraway country of Queens, where my House rep. is also Nydia Velazquez), it seems to me that the district has far more than the average number of grassroots groups; if they rally around Josh, he can win.
Josh
Josh is second in fundraising numbers despite being all small donors, and he is the guy who already has buttons out there and both volunteers and paid folks passing out literature. Brad has name recognition of sorts, but Josh has been going for high visibility and far better fundraising than anyone expected. No other candidate has been out there as much or had the current visibility.
That said, I was saying "successor" a bit tongue in cheek. I first qualified it but thought it detracted from the flow of the title. So I figured I'd throw out the idea that he's ahead. Too soon to really say that, but if anyone has taken the early initiative it is Josh.
Skaller will come in fourth
Brad Lander or Bob Zuckerman will win
Hammerman will come in third
P.J. Skaller will come in fourth
For reals Mole.
Possible
But not likely.
Josh is currently second in fundraising and has the top visibility. He doesn't have the top name recognition, but fundraising and visibility can lead to that.
I was being tongue in cheek saying he was the successor. But I do think he will emerge stronger than people expected and be either the real frontrunner or a close second at this early point.
But, of course, at this early point, anything can happen. But don't down play the guy who came in second in fundraising with small donors!
Bizarre rumor
On Air America this afternoon, Ron Kuby forwarded an unconfirmed report that Paterson is going to tap Caroline Kennedy. I find this hard to believe.
Been discussed
Saw this discussed early on. I think it is a stretch, but not impossible. RFK jr. has also beed discussed. Choosing a Kennedy has been conisdered symbollic because it was RFK, sr.'s seat. I'd be fine with that, but don't consider it a given by any means.
Current rumor is that Caroline may be pushing for it. But the early rumors were in Nydia's favor.
Nobody Should Be Surprised
That Caroline Kennedy is interested in taking Hillary's place. I said this weeks ago. Caroline got the "political bug" a while ago and finally came out when she endorsed and campaigned for Barack Obama. When her cousin Bobby said he wasn't interested she jumped in. Although she's never held political office she comes from a family who has given us decades of political service and I'm sure she's learned a lot. I believe Carolyn Maloney is her Congresswoman and Maloney isn't going any place (she's also interested in this position) and, to be honest with you, I can't see Caroline Kennedy making her bones on the City Council. Could we do better? Maybe yes, maybe no. Will she be a good Senator? In the long run yes. Caroline bridges the gap between Downstate and Upstate whereby Nydia Velasquez is seen only as a Downstater. Caroline will please the entire state.
As for Josh, he'll make an excellent member of the City Council and I do hope he wins.
Well I only know two things about Caroline Kennedy
besides her last name. One is that she was an early and effective supporter of Senator Obama; the other that she has spent a lot of time and effort on behalf of Mr. Bloomberg's erratic misrule of NYC's public schools. So while, Saturday's newspapers are full of her chances, for example here and here I for one do not understand the political implications of such an appointment either for us locally or for what Ms. Kennedy might be like as a US Senator.
I have no idea
what sort of senator she might make. I'm sure she's an intelligent and thoughtful person, but one with zero experience in government. RFK Jr. would have been a plausible choice on account of his long record of environmental work (though he has taken some positions I strongly disagree with), but just carrying the family name is not enough for me. And since she lives in Manhattan, I'm not sure why she'd be more acceptable to people upstate than Nydia.
Just because Paterson agreed to talk to her about it doesn't mean he's on the verge of offering it. My initial impression of this story, that this was Paterson's initiative, seems to have been wrong. Of course he can discuss anything with anyone he chooses, but all the interest seems to be coming from her.