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Who will replace Lavelle
The Staten Island Democratic Association, the Island's progressive Democratic club, hosted a forum for candidates seeking to fill the late John Lavelle's vacant North Shore 61st State Assembly District seat Thursday night at the American Grill, which was packed with onlookers and 11 office seekers.
There will be no primary. A relatively small cabal of County Committee members residing in the 61st AD will decide who gets the nomination. I moved to the 61st AD from the 63rd 2 days after Election Day. I was supposed to have been appointed to the County Committee back in June, but somehow I was never officially added, so I may be not be part of the cabal making the nominating decision.
Most Staten Island Democrats live in the borough's North Shore and those aspiring to run for office representing that part of the Island typically have to wait in line for a chance to do so. This is why 11 people at the forum sought the nomination, while there may be no Democratic candidate to contest Council special election winner Vincent Ignizio's newly vacant South Shore Assembly seat, if his opponent Manny Innamorato doesn't seek to represent the heavily Republican South Shore in Albany.
Lavelle's son Danny was originally thought to have the nomination's inside track for sentimental reasons. Councilman Mike McMahon was rumored to have sought the seat as well and would have been the front runner over Danny in my estimation, but he declined to interview for the nomination. McMahon running didn't make sense, since most think he will seek the borough presidency in 09.
Many Staten Island former candidates and long time operatives have entered the race and it seems doubtful that Danny will get the nod based on his presentation. Danny was not that well prepared, perhaps because the only other formerly announced (although insiders knew about several other qualified candidates who would be throwing their hat into the ring) viable opponent was former borough president candidate John Luisi.
With the exception of Rev John Johnson who is not really a Democrat but an Independence party member and based on the reaction of the crowd who was more familiar with him than I, a bit of a nut job, all the other candidates would make decent assembly people.
Openly Gay attorney Matt Titone, who gallantly lost in November to Andrew Lanza for State Senate in a district gerrymandered to elect Republicans is probably the new front runner.
Kelvin Alexander is another former State Senate candidate seeking to replace Lavelle. Kelvin lost the primary in 04 to eventual winner Diane Savino. Kelvin, a former cop and teacher, was also the founder of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care. He would be my choice if I'm allowed to vote in the county committee nomination proceedings.
Longtime Staten Island politico Bob Olivari gave a very good presentation and should be formidable.
Teacher and former Lavelle staffer Mark Zink is a longtime activist who also deserves a chance to run for office.
Ubiquitous union and educational activist Rajiv Gowdat joined the field at the last minute. He is a frequent Daily Politic commenter and works as an engineer for his day job.
Although they seemed like they'd be capable legislators if elected, I'm not too familiar with the other three candidates, banker Daniel McOlvin and lawyers, John Castelli and Cindy Lowney. McOlvin and Castelli appeared on NY1 last week in stories not related to the Assembly race.
It's going to be Oliviari;
It's going to be Oliviari; take it to the bank.
Castelli is a Joe Hynes guy; basically he's been Joe's plitical operative since Dino Amoroso went to work for Suozzi.
It truly depends on what
It truly depends on what factors people consider when they vote on the exec board and if there is a floor fight on the county committee. If it is loyalty to one family (or the memory of the late Assemblyman) or people see this as a vote for the former chairman the vote could go one way; if it is based on who has been there for the party and has been loyal to it and the former chairman it could go another; if it is for a different direction and complete change it could go a third; or if it is based on experience and presentations to date it could go another. Even with taking emotions and personal feelings out of consideration it is still a difficult choice.
It truly depends on what
It truly depends on what factors people consider when they vote on the exec board and if there is a floor fight on the county committee. If it is loyalty to one family (or the memory of the late Assemblyman) or people see this as a vote for the former chairman the vote could go one way; if it is based on who has been there for the party and has been loyal to it and the former chairman it could go another; if it is for a different direction and complete change it could go a third; or if it is based on experience and presentations to date it could go another. Even with taking emotions and personal feelings out of consideration it is still a difficult choice.
who gets the line
Luisi says the NY Times called to apologize for not covering him because they thought he was not a serious candidate.
The first commenter is correct that Bob Olivari has the Dem line.
John Johnson is a Democrat. He switched parties.
Kelvin Alexander is running an independent campaign and might get the Independence line but won't get the Democratic line even though he might be nominated on the floor. I agree he's a good candidate but can't win without the Democratic line.
Who gets the line
The only way the anti-Statenites in Main Stream Major NY or National Media cover Staten Island politics other than death, scandal or a brief relatively useless mention the day before Election Day is by staging an aggressive and persistent PR campaign and even then it’s like pulling teeth. The Times always apologizes after not covering our races (See my dialogue with the Times in last weeks Empire Zone Link Texthttp://empirezone.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/02/20/its-election-day/ )It was only because of 7 months of badgering them that they finally started covering Harrison in October.
Luisi and his proxies didn't do this, despite my volunteering to contact the media on his behalf for free. He originally allowed me to do this after I showed him some political and non-political media hits I had achieved earlier in 2005.
Sources tell me that Bob Olivari is Island Democratic Party chair John Gulino's personal choice, although I haven't confimed it with him directly. I like Bob, although I don't know him that well personally. Based on his resume and presentation I think he'd be a capable assembly member. He's not my first choice, but I would donate money and volunteer time to his campaign if he's the nominee. That said, with or without my participation, (Even if Gulino addresses the over site of not adding my name to the committee, it doesn't look like I'd be eligible to vote because the Board of Elections never received our address change from the 63rd Ad to the 61st from motor vehicles when we requested they do so when my wife mailed in the change of address forms a month ago. I'm dropping off new registration forms today so I can still vote in the special.) there is a formal nominating process going on tonight so let's not anoint Bob just yet.
One of the other candidates (Although its possible Republicans are doing this to weaken him for the general election)is posting negative comments about Olivari on the Staten Island Advance's SI Live political forums, so I don't think all the others are going to play dead.
Matt Titone, Kelvin Alexander and Danny Lavelle will get support.
Kelvin addressed concerns about his Democratic Party loyalty at the SIDA forum last week, so it was surprising that I received group emails mentioning him starting to petition.
I would vote for him if I was allowed a vote tonight, but wouldn't support him over any of the other candidates except Luisi, if he runs as an independent or on another party line.
Based on the candidate forum crowd response to the Rev Johnson I don't think he changed his registration from Independence to Democrat, unless you've seen his party registration paperwork.