Interested in assisting the defeat of Vito Fossella, NYC’s only GOP member of Congress, I’ve been watching developments in NY’s 13th CD (Staten Island & parts of Brooklyn) from a distance. Ten days ago, or so, I attended an event on Staten Island where I met Steve Harrison and many of his SI supporters. To keep up on events in this race try NY13 Blog Retaking NY-13 From Vito Fossella or you could try Richard Reichard's Rm 8 Blog (not kept quite so up to date).

I liked Harrison. He seemed articulate, focused; ready for prime time. The gossip of the gathering, however, was the rumor that some progressive Democrats – for example State Senator Diane Savino -- were supporting the possible candidacy of NYC Council Member Domenic Recchia.

I asked Savino, a progressive trade unionist and formerly Working Families Party activist why she would consider supporting Recchia in 2008 when she’d supported Harrison vigorously in 2006. The rumor specifically was that Senator Savino was introducing Council Member Recchia to her SI friends and supporters.

She said:

For me, the question is which of them can win. On their worst day, either Steve or Domenic would be better much than Vito Fossella. Electing either Harrison or Recchia would be a great victory. I campaigned hard for Steve in 2006 and, if he’s the candidate in 2008, will do so again.

Domenic’s Council district overlaps a lot of my Senate district so I know him well. My sense is that he would be a more formidable candidate than Steve.

The way I judge that is by the candidates’ fund raising abilities. In January, I met with Steve and more recently with Domenic. I told them the same thing. You need to show that you can raise enough money for the race. I believe that a truly formidable candidate will have raised in the neighborhood of $500,000 by the end of the Quarter [Jan. 15, I think]. I think Domenic can do that. The reason the race will be so expensive is the need to reach out to SI voters by mail and TV ads.

Senator Savino intimated that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee was especially interested in this race as well as in efforts to defeat NY Republican Congress Members Reynolds and Walsh. The DCCC idea of a viable candidate, I am told, in the 13th is one with a minimum of $250,000 in hand by Jan. 15th -- with a plan to raise $500,000. How close will either of these candidates come?

[Some experienced campaign people tell me Sen. Savino's estimates of the costs of a Congressional race are on the high side.]

The possible DCCC role in the 13th brought to my mind the 2006 primary race to replace Sue Kelly. There, the DCCC facilitated fund raising by one of the candidates and then effectively stayed out of the election (until the very last minute) when, another, John Hall, won the primary. From all that I drew the inference that Recchia might get some help from the DCCC.

Savino expressed disappointment at the vitriolic atmosphere, name calling and hostile remarks which the supporters of Harrison & Recchia had resorted to. (This, too, brought to my mind the ’06 primary during which, by contrast, none of the prospective anti-Kelly candidates attacked each other). I myself have been mystified by it. Is it generated by the fact that Harrison supporters think he's entitled to the nomination and Recchia supporters think he should be handed the right to run?

With Senator Savino's civility standards in mind. I will ask each candidate to explain why he should be supported. I will try to focus them on how they differ on the issues and how they plan to run against Mr. Fossella. My calls are in to Domenic Recchia and email sent to Steve Harrison. Stay tuned.