Josh Skaller, who is a friend of mine, has reported his recent fundraising results for the 2009 City Council race to replace Bill deBlasio:

BROOKLYN, N.Y.—Officials from Josh Skaller's City Council campaign announced today that the candidate had exceeded fundraising targets for the filling period ending July 15 and is eligible for matching funds from the City.

Skaller, who is running to replace term-limited Councilmember Bill de Blasio in the Council's 39th district, raised nearly $55,000 to date. He is eligible to receive an additional $90,000 in matching funds in 2009.

"We've exceeded all of our goals for this period," said campaign treasurer Aaron Rudelson. "Josh has already qualified for the full amount of matching funds from the city, both in money raised and in in-district donations."

The campaign noted that many of the donations were raised in small amounts from voters throughout the 39th district, which stretches from Cobble Hill in the north to Borough Park in the south, and includes such diverse Brooklyn neighborhoods as Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Carroll Gardens and Kensington.

Devin Cohen, candidate for Broklyn's 1st Civil Court in the September 9th primary, has announced two new endorsements: Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and City Councilman David Yassky. All he needs is a Chris Owens endorsement and Devin will have three-of-a-kind from the 2006 CD-11 Congressional race that divided the district so much. Since Devin already got the endorsement of CBID, the club that Chris is now the president of, in some ways Devin already has unified the CD-11 candidates behind him. This brings Devin's endorsement list to the following:

# Congresswoman Yvette Clarke
# Assemblymember Joan Millman
# Assemblymember Jim Brennan
# State Senator Velmanette Montgomery
# State Senator Martin Connor
# Councilmember Letitia James
# Councilmember David Yassky
# District Leader Alan Fleishman
# District Leader JoAnne Simon
# District Leader William Saunders
# Independent Neighborhood Democrats
# Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats
# Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn
# 57th A.D. Regular Democratic
Organization

While most of the country thinks 2008 is THE BIG YEAR for elections, New York City knows the really, REALLY big year will be 2009. Term limits is forcing out many city council reps, and all those term limited reps are looking to mob the runs for mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, etc. Some may be eyeing the Congressional seats that might get freed up when Congressional reps run for the Senate seat Clinton will vacate if she wins the Presidency.

But there is another mob of candidates: those trying to replace those term limited City Council candidates.

To date I have met scattered candidates for various City Council seats, including Costa Constantinides (who is on the steering committee of the Democratic Lawyers Council working on voting rights and is running in Astoria, Queens...with the name to match the district) and Steve Behar (running in district 19 in Queens).

But to date I have yet to have the chance to review the whole field running for a seat.

Last week Joy and I had a fundraiser for our friend, Josh Skaller. He actually had two parties that night, raising some $1500 that night, I am told. I suspect my party was the lesser of the two...but sounds like a good night overall for a solid grassroots candidate. For those who missed it, here is ANOTHER chance to meet Josh:

Come to a House Party for Josh Skaller, a Progressive Voice for City Council

Host: Wayne Brooks
Location: Wayne's apartment
262 Court Street #2/Butler Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231 US
When: Sunday, January 27, 3:00PM
Phone: 347-645-0581

Dear Friends,

I'm having a house party at my apartment for my good friend Josh Skaller, who is running for City Council in Brooklyn's 39th District in 2009.

Josh is running for what will be an open seat now held by Bill de Blasio. The district covers much of Park Slope, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens, along with parts of Windsor Terrace and Kensington.

Josh is President of Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID), one of the most dynamic and influential political reform groups in New York. He also serves as a board member and field director for DFNYC (Democracy for New York City).

Just got back from a Norm Siegel for Public Advocate fundraiser in Brooklyn Heights (will blog it when I have a money report...turnout was good by my standard and lots of people were writing checks, but don't know the final tally)...

And just got off the phone with Jimmy Dahroug, running for NY State Senate, who is having a fundraiser Wednesday, January 9, 2008, 6 pm at 1050 Park Avenue, NYC (at East 87th Street). But I already blogged about that fundraiser (hope you all can make it! Jimmy's a great guy).

Tonight I want to invite you all to my apartment. Really! We will clean up all the toys lying around. Joy and I are hosting a fundraiser for my good friend, Josh Skaller on Thursday right in my own Park Slope, basement apartment.

Jimmy Dahroug came within a hair's breadth of winning this State Senate seat in 2006 with very little money or support from the state party. This time around he is raising money like crazy and his chances of winning are high. In 2006 Jimmy Dahroug's race was one of the two closest State Senate races in the state...which means if we want to win those two seats that keep Joe Bruno able to block real governing of New York Jimmy's race is one of the ones we have to win.

The time I met Jimmy Dahroug was at a fundraiser where Jim Dean himself (Howard Dean's brother and head of Democracy for America) introduced Jimmy. You can read about my first meeting with Jim Dean and Jimmy Dahroug here.

I have agreed to join the host committee for a fundraiser for Jimmy Dahroug on Wed. Jan 9th. And here is YOUR invitation to join us in supporting this excellent candidate:

You are Cordially Invited to Attend A Cocktail Reception Hosted by Drs. Bonnie Maslin & Yehuda Nir

In Honor of
JIMMY DAHROUG
CANDIDATE FOR THE NEW YORK STATE SENATE

Come meet, greet, and support Norman Siegel for Public Advocate.

Marjorie Gersten, Joy Romanski (Corresponding Secretary for Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats), and I will be hosting a fundraiser for former executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union (1985-2000), Norman Siegel, who is running for NYC Public Advocate. I can think of no one better suited to be our Public Advocate than Norm Siegel.

Essentially, Norm has already been New York's unelected Public Advocate for years, standing up for the protesters against the Republican Convention and standing up for the rights of all New Yorkers when no one else seems willing. Norm Siegel's credentials go WAY back. He even spearheaded the NY State campaign for to impeach Richard Nixon!