I love primaries, especially in safe seats. Comfortable office-holders are not, generally, a good thing, and the sovereign people deserve choices.

Primaries in swing districts - or, as in the Presidential race, national primaries - can be a mixed blessing, especially if they go negative. Consider, for example, Mitt Romney's scathing attacks on John McCain, which have party strategists salivating with the possibilities of a vast realm of footage culled from Romney's attack ads should he get the Veep nod.

In the key race in the Third Senatorial District, withdrawn contender Jimmy Dahroug is now doing his part to calm the waves. Full statement, via email, after the jump.

Peace at last: Jimmy Dahroug endorsed Democratic candidate for SD-3, Brian Foley, today.

Jimmy Dahroug Endorses Brian X. Foley for State Senate

Democrats Unite to Fight for the Working Families of Islip and Brookhaven

HOLBROOK, NY - Jimmy Dahroug today endorsed Brookhaven Supervisor Brian Foley for State Senate. Suffolk County Democratic Chair Rich Schaffer and Islip Democratic Chair Ivan Young joined Dahroug at the Holbrook event to show their commitment to Party unity and their support for Foley.

"I am proud to endorse Brian Foley for State Senate," said Jimmy Dahroug. "It is time for change and I encourage all my supporters to join me in supporting and actively helping elect Brian Foley to the State Senate."

Foley, a lifelong resident of Brookhaven, has spent the past 15 years working on behalf of those in his community both as a member of the Suffolk County Legislature and in his current position as Brookhaven Supervisor. He has a proven record of fighting for fundamental reforms and fiscal responsibility. As Brookhaven Supervisor, he cleaned up a notoriously corrupt town government, ended no-bid insurance contracts that cost taxpayers millions, protected open space and put the Town in its strongest fiscal position in decades.

"The Democratic Party is united and ready to fight for the change our working families so desperately need," said Suffolk County Democratic Chair Rich Schaffer. "Brian Foley will be an independent voice for change in the Senate, not someone beholden to the special interests in Albany."

Islip Town Democratic Chair Ivan Young added, "We are united in our support of Brian Foley and look forward to actively helping elect him to the State Senate."

Foley formally announced that he would run for State Senate in the Third District at the end of May. He has been running an aggressive campaign over the past months and continues to gain momentum and support throughout the Brookhaven-Islip area.

"I thank Jimmy and our Democratic leadership for their support. Only together, united, can we end the stranglehold of special interests in Albany. It is time for change and I look forward to continuing my campaign for the working families of Islip and Brookhaven," stated Foley.

Awesome. That seat just moved appreciably closer to a switch.

On the web: Brian Foley for Senate

Breaking via Albany Project: Jimmy Dahroug just filed a stipulation in a courthouse in Suffolk to have his name removed from the September primary ballot in the Third Senatorial District.

I've been quite open about my disenchantment with Jimmy's campaign, but I'd also like to note that he's a smart guy with a compelling story who could very well play a role going forward. It's in everyone's interest to groom young talents, and that's exactly what Jimmy is; so I'm looking forward to seeing what his next steps are.

In Brooklyn I am used to the period of petition posturing, where each candidate compares the size of their petitions and challenges the validity of the other's petitions while screaming foul over any challenge to their petitions. It is all part of the game. This election is the first time I have observed the process taking place elsewhere (though I knew it happend) partly because some of the posturing has taken place here on DG. There has been considerable discussion over the 1400 signatures collected by Jimmy Dahroug vs. the 3000 signatures collected by Brian Foley in a race that requires 1000 signatures. The assumption has been that 3000 signatures was unchallengable while 1400 was going to be challenged and Dahroug would get kicked off the ballot because he hadn't collected enough signatures to cover his petitioning ass.

I made two points in this whole discussion. First: neither number is all that impressive to me since I know people who, using petitioning as a chance to meet the voters and get their name out, collect 5000 door-to-door, unchallengable signatures in a race that only requires 1000. Neither Jimmy nor Brian have much to brag about by Brooklyn standards.

Let me preface this post with a brief announcement: I am a consultant to Red Horse Strategies, the firm advising the DSCC on its efforts to take back the State Senate. This consulting involves web strategy and branding. It does not involve stuff like, say, them sending me dirt and ordering me to post it. However, if you're thusly inclined, you should treat anything I post on the State Senate as influenced by this association. I'm personally reasonably certain it won't be, which is why I'd also suggest you treat whatever I write on the subject as reflecting my own opinions, not those of either Red Horse or the DSCC. They are most certainly not consulted by me with regard to what I write. Our engagement represents probably the biggest investment in the netroots by a party committee ever. That's pretty awesome, when you think about it.

And with that out of the way - we're going to follow up at some point soon with more - let me comment on some astonishingly good theater emanating from a Senate campaign I happen to disfavor. If that campaign hadn't seemingly cut me off from its press release distribution list, I probably would have posted this earlier, because it's hilarious. From Newsday:

"Democratic State Senate Candidate Jimmy Dahroug responded to objections to his petetions [sic] by backers of Brian Foley (as reported in Newsday). "This is clearly an act of desperation by Foley's campaign. He failed to secure our party's nomination at the convention. Now Brian and his backers are nervous about facing me in a primary. So his backers are using underhanded and shady tactics to run away from a fair fight."

"Dahroug issued a direct challenge to Brian Foley: "I'm publicly calling on Brian Foley to stop the undemocratic and underhanded actions of his campaign backers. Brian called for a positive, high-minded race. If he truly is committed to the standard he set, he'll back up his words with action."

"Dahroug's campaign filed 1,408 signatures with the Suffolk County Board of Elections, a cushion of over 40% more than the required number. This is about the same number of signatures the Dahroug campaign filed for in its successful 2006 primary race. All signatures were gathered at the homes of registered Democrats by trained Democratic committee members and volunteers. Not a single signature gatherer was paid." [Emphasis added]

That's really rich on a number of levels. Just start with the fact that they misspelled "petitions" in a press release about "petitions".

There are some ironies in the petition signature filings that took place across the state recently. Take the Democratic primary in the Third Senatorial District, for example.

On July 3, third-time contestant Jimmy Dahroug emailed his list with this message:

We've got more than the 1,000 signatures required for our place on the ballot. But we need as big a "cushion" of signatures as possible to stop any potential challenges from Brian Foley.

Jimmy Dahroug filed 1,400 signatures. Brian Foley, the Brookhaven Supervisor who got into the race on the day of the Suffolk County Democratic Convention, arguing that he was more electable against republican Caesar Trunzo (R-FL), collected 3,200. The number of valid signatures required to get on the ballot is 1,000. By comparison, SD-25 challenger Dan Squadron filed 8,000 signatures.

Now, if you've been running since 2003, and the grassroots angle is one you play very heavily in your promotion to voters, isn't it at least somewhat startling that you're getting creamed more than two to one on a core metric of grassroots support by someone who's only been running for a few weeks, as opposed to five years?

Jimmy Dahroug picks up two good endorsements in his bid to turn the State Senate blue. Remember, Jimmy was one of two Democrats who came closest to picking up a State Senate seat in 2006 and has a better shot this year thanks to a better organized campaign and an earlier start. From Jimmy Dahroug's campaign:

Legislator Ricardo Montano, Islip Dem Chair Ivan Young Endorse Dahroug

Today Dahroug for Senate campaign received two major endorsements. Suffolk County Legislator Ricardo Montano, (9th L.D.) representing Brentwood, Central Islip and Islandia, and Islip Town Democratic Chairman Ivan Young officially endorsed Jimmy Dahroug's campaign for New York State Senate (S.D. 3).

While Legislator Montano moved to suspend his bid for the State Senate, he has decided to put his full support behind Jimmy Dahroug. In a letter to Democratic Party Committee Members, Montano stated, "I believe that with hard work and the right candidate we Democrats will win the 3rd Senate District and the State Senate this November. That is why I am endorsing Jimmy Dahroug for State Senate.

Back in January 2006 I had as my goals:

1.) defeating the Bush/Gingrich/McCain agenda nationally

2.) defeating the Pataki, Bruno and Silver Albany constipation

3.) defeating the local Brooklyn Vito Lopez machine.

Still working on #3 through several channels. And it remains to be seen whether indictments or ill health or Brooklyn fatigue with corruption bring down Vito Lopez. For my part I prefer indictments to ill health. But Charles Hynes, the Brooklyn DA, has pushed that aside and has focused on other, also worthy efforts. So we wait to see who will replace Lopez in time.

Goal #1 began to happen in 2006 with a massive take over of the House and an evening up of the Senate. And we have a damned good shot at continuing this in 2008 with MORE House seats, a REAL takeover of the Senate and a White House win by Obama.

I am on the host committee for a fundraiser for Jimmy Dahroug and I hope you can all attend, spread the word, and/or contribute. Jimmy's fundraisers are pretty damned good and this one includes special guest Jim Dean, brother of Howard Dean and head of Democracy for America.

From the Jimmy Dahroug Campaign:

Wed., May. 14, 2008
Manhattan Cocktail Reception
Campaign Co-Chair Dr. Bonnie Maslin and her Husband, Dr. Yehuda Nir are hosting a cocktail reception for our reform campaign. Democracy for America Chair Jim Dean will be the Guest speaker
Location: 1050 Park Avenue, at the corner of East 87th Street
When: 6:00 PM
Ends: 9:00 PM

Wherever you live in New York State, the upcoming election in my district will affect you, me, our friends, and our families for generations to come.

Today, we are only two seats away from gaining a Democratic majority in the New York State Senate. This will end the stagnation caused by four decades of Republican domination including the Republican gerrymandering which has prevented us from turning more of New York's congressional seats blue.

Ivan Young, Dem Chair in Islip, Suffolk County, emails over short, sweet and above all, on the record:

I am confirming that Mr. Bodkin will not be entering the race for the State Senate in the 3rd SD this year.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

There is no corresponding announcement from Chris Bodkin, republican-turned-Democrat and rumored to be a candidate in the Democratic primary to take on Caesar Trunzo.

Alrighty then. The Democratic candidate to take on Caesar Trunzo is Jimmy Dahroug. The lack of a primary, of course, means that the general election between Trunzo and Dahroug begins, like, now. This will be a closely watched campaign, and can of right be considered a top-tier race for control of the State Senate.