Problem is Squadron has bragged about his role in Bloomberg's "reforms." Being a part of Mayoral control and his role helping Schumer write his book were the two main accomplishments he emphasized when I heard him speak. So I based my decision, which started biased AGAINST Connor, on what Squadron and Connor themselves said, how they billed themselves.

As to Gatemouth, where he stands almost never influences where I stand one way or another. His endorsement or condemnation means little to me when I make a decision. In fact the main factor in my decisions are my own impressions of politicians when I meet them and hear them talk to and be questioned by groups. This is, in fact, why I find IND and CBID useful to me. IND is where most local politicans show up to make their pitch. CBID is less well respected, but they are tougher in their questioning of a candidate by a fair amount, so I get to see the candidate on the hot seat on the rare occasions I can be at CBID and hear the goings on. I also get a great deal of insight from my wife's view of candidates, often formed independent of my own. Only on rare occasions do we disagree (I endorsed Obama while she was still a Hillary person, though she came around eventually).

But IND and CBID are only a minor component of the equation. But next to my own personal opinion and my wife's impressions, endorsements also play a role in my decisions. So, and I may do this as a diary without comment just for people's info, here are the endorsements both list:

Squadron:
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer • Working Families Party
UAW Region 9A • Downtown Independent Democrats • CWA District 1
The New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council and UNITE HERE! Local 23-25

Connor:
Lambda Independent Democrats, Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats (GLID), Stonewall Democrats of New York City, UFCW Local 1500, Coalition for a District Alternative (CODA), Independent Neighborhood Democrats, Village Reform Democrats, Gramercy Stuyvesant Indepenent Democrats (GSID), Lower East Side Democrats, Harry S. Truman Democrats, Seneca Democratic Club, United Democratic Organization of Chinatown, Bridge and Tunnel Officers Benevolent Association, DC 37, New York City Board of Education Employees (Local 372), New York State Court Officers Association, United Food and Commercial Workers (Local 1500), Velmanette Montgomery (who I know and like), Eric Adams (who is precisely the kind of candidate the left can, and did, get behind and win big with), Jerrold Nadler (who I know, like, respect AND have issues with), Ed Towns (well...I think enough virtual ink has been wasted on him around here these days), Carolyn Maloney, Liz Krueger, Thomas Duane (who I have met and liked), Nydia Velazquez (who I know and like).

When I compare these, I find the impressions Joy and I formed re-enforced. I am comfortable siding with those Connor lists, more or less.

As to the lameness of the left...again, I have complained about this since 2005. But I don't see that as applying to this race. Neither candidate is my ideal candidate. Both are competent. Connor unquestionably is the smarter of the two (and I admit a bias for nerds). What is the answer for the left? So far I see them only winning in cases where they can form an alliance with either the mainstream of the party or with strong unions. Now I see how Squadron could fit that description...but in this race at this time he doesn't. Primarily he has big donors and Schumer. And it is the big donors who brought in WFP.

You ask if I want to side with Gatemouth or WFP. I ask if you want to side with Schumer and WFP or with Nadler, Velazquez, Adams, Montgomery, Lambda, Stonewall, etc. We are making separate choices but I know I for one am not basing my decision on Gatemouth.