Thursday, February 05, 2004
If you want to know who we are, check the numbers
LOOKING AHEAD by Wally Dobelis
In answer to a question about why this column pays so much attention to Democratic politics, let’s do a little review of local election history. The fact is that the T&V area votes overwhelmingly for activist Democratic candidates.
Our much gerrymandered 14th Congressional District (previously the 17th , subsequently the 18th in 1978-83, then the 15th in 1983-93) is historically the East Side’s “Silk Stocking” District, now changed to include Astoria and LIC. Governor Pataki had slated it for extinction when the 2000 Census results took away two Congressional seats from NYS, but a compromise was reached. As the 17th, in 1959-65 it was represented by the late John Vliet Lindsay, (R, 1921-2000), subsequently NYC’s Mayor 1966-73, who was defeated in the Republican primary in 1969 but won as a Liberal, eventually changing his affiliation to Democrat and entering the Presidential Primary in 1971 Theodore Roosevelt Kupferman ( R, b. 1920, subsequently NYS Appellate Court Justice, 1971-96), represented the 17th , CD during 1966-69. In 1969-77 the Congress seat was held by reformer Edward I. Koch, (D, b. 1924), thereafter Mayor of NYC 1978-89.
In 1992 City Councilmember Carolyn Maloney took the House seat, defeating the late environmentalist Bill Green (R, 1929-2002) the 1978-92 incumbent. Reelected, most recently in 2002 with 75% of the vote, she defeated Anton Srdanovic (R ), a district leader, and Jeff Jacob Brauer (D), not reported. She is the ranking member of the Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology Subcommittee of the House Finance Committee.
Our 74th Assembly District (formerly 63rd) has chosen Steven Sanders (Dem/Work/Lib) since 1978, last with 19,347 votes, 75 %, against Christopher B. Spuches (R ), lawyer and nightclub doorman, 5,352 votes, 21%, and Penny Arcade, a performance artist, 1,047 votes and 4%. Sanders, a life-long community resident and graduate of CCNY, chairs the important Committee on Education.
As for NYS Senate, the 26th District in the northern part of our area was for decades represented by the liberal Roy M. Goodman (R, b.1929), in NYS Semate1968-2002. In a heavily contested special election in Feb 2002, the District chose newcomer Liz Krueger, D. She was reelected in Nov 2002 with 42,604 votes, 59%, against Andrew Eristoff (R ), former City Councilman with neighborhood ties, endorsed by Ed Koch, 29,587, or 41%. Eristoff, Giuliani’s Commissioner of Finance and the Chairman of NY Republican County Committee, in Sept. 2003 was appointed NYS Commissioner of Taxation and Finance. Krueger, a social services worker with an MA from U of Chicago, is the ranking Democrat on Standing Committee on Housing, Construction & Community Development.
The southern part, NYS 29th Senate District reelected Thomas K. Duane ( D), with 58,384 votes, or 80%, against Daniel Maio (R ), a writer with 13,563, 19%, and Nicholas Leobold (L), a mapmaker, 1,269, 2%. Duane, a graduate of Lehigh University, is the ranking minority member of Rules and of Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections committees.
Our City Council District, #2 (Water St to 35th St) is represented by Margarita Lopez, elected 1997 and most recently reelected in 2003, running against Dan Finley (LBT) and Jay S. Golub (Ind/Rep), with no contest from Democrats. Mildred R. Martinez, formerly on State Assembly staffs of Sheldon Silver and Steve Sanders, was removed from the ballot due to disqualified petition signatures, and Gerard J. Schriffen, of Manhattan Meighborhood Council, and Christopher B. Sykes dropped out. A 1979 arrival to NYC from Puerto Rico, Lopez has been Community Board #3 member, 1982-96, and has worked in homeless services. She chairs the NYCC Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Disability Services, and has an eye on Manhattan’s Borough Presidency (her term limit is 2005). Only in America!
NYCC District #4 is represented by Eva S. Moskowitz, who lost her attempt to oust the then incumbent Andrew Eristoff in 1997 but won her contest with Reba White Williams (R ) in 1999 by nearly 70% of the vote. Graduate of Stuyvesant HS, with a History PhD from Johns Hopkins, she has taught, most recently at CUNY, before turning to politics. Although safe until 2007, she is the power-wielding Chair of the City Council Committee on Education, she too wants the Borough Presidency.
The trend in local elective offices has been unmistakably Democratic, backing strong activist candidates. We are practical people, results-oriented, largely liberal-minded, non-prejudiced and non-racist, having elected two openly gay politicians, Duane and Lopez. As seen here, the opportunist Liberal party, a balancing element when the Republicans were strong, has faded, the once booming Conservatives appear inactive, the unrealistic Greens program has no goals that a voter can expect to materialize, and the Socialist splinter and the special interest parties are non-players. Manhattan’s Republican organization has shrunk, and recently has presented us with marginal local candidates, with no money in the campaign. Their most recent strong candidates, Eristoff and Williams, had to rely on family funds. Although the last two Mayors have been Republican, the bulk of their support came from the boroughs. In Presidential and Senatorial elections T&V people shy away from the GOP.
Wally thanks Gotham Gazette and the candidates.
In answer to a question about why this column pays so much attention to Democratic politics, let’s do a little review of local election history. The fact is that the T&V area votes overwhelmingly for activist Democratic candidates.
Our much gerrymandered 14th Congressional District (previously the 17th , subsequently the 18th in 1978-83, then the 15th in 1983-93) is historically the East Side’s “Silk Stocking” District, now changed to include Astoria and LIC. Governor Pataki had slated it for extinction when the 2000 Census results took away two Congressional seats from NYS, but a compromise was reached. As the 17th, in 1959-65 it was represented by the late John Vliet Lindsay, (R, 1921-2000), subsequently NYC’s Mayor 1966-73, who was defeated in the Republican primary in 1969 but won as a Liberal, eventually changing his affiliation to Democrat and entering the Presidential Primary in 1971 Theodore Roosevelt Kupferman ( R, b. 1920, subsequently NYS Appellate Court Justice, 1971-96), represented the 17th , CD during 1966-69. In 1969-77 the Congress seat was held by reformer Edward I. Koch, (D, b. 1924), thereafter Mayor of NYC 1978-89.
In 1992 City Councilmember Carolyn Maloney took the House seat, defeating the late environmentalist Bill Green (R, 1929-2002) the 1978-92 incumbent. Reelected, most recently in 2002 with 75% of the vote, she defeated Anton Srdanovic (R ), a district leader, and Jeff Jacob Brauer (D), not reported. She is the ranking member of the Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology Subcommittee of the House Finance Committee.
Our 74th Assembly District (formerly 63rd) has chosen Steven Sanders (Dem/Work/Lib) since 1978, last with 19,347 votes, 75 %, against Christopher B. Spuches (R ), lawyer and nightclub doorman, 5,352 votes, 21%, and Penny Arcade, a performance artist, 1,047 votes and 4%. Sanders, a life-long community resident and graduate of CCNY, chairs the important Committee on Education.
As for NYS Senate, the 26th District in the northern part of our area was for decades represented by the liberal Roy M. Goodman (R, b.1929), in NYS Semate1968-2002. In a heavily contested special election in Feb 2002, the District chose newcomer Liz Krueger, D. She was reelected in Nov 2002 with 42,604 votes, 59%, against Andrew Eristoff (R ), former City Councilman with neighborhood ties, endorsed by Ed Koch, 29,587, or 41%. Eristoff, Giuliani’s Commissioner of Finance and the Chairman of NY Republican County Committee, in Sept. 2003 was appointed NYS Commissioner of Taxation and Finance. Krueger, a social services worker with an MA from U of Chicago, is the ranking Democrat on Standing Committee on Housing, Construction & Community Development.
The southern part, NYS 29th Senate District reelected Thomas K. Duane ( D), with 58,384 votes, or 80%, against Daniel Maio (R ), a writer with 13,563, 19%, and Nicholas Leobold (L), a mapmaker, 1,269, 2%. Duane, a graduate of Lehigh University, is the ranking minority member of Rules and of Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections committees.
Our City Council District, #2 (Water St to 35th St) is represented by Margarita Lopez, elected 1997 and most recently reelected in 2003, running against Dan Finley (LBT) and Jay S. Golub (Ind/Rep), with no contest from Democrats. Mildred R. Martinez, formerly on State Assembly staffs of Sheldon Silver and Steve Sanders, was removed from the ballot due to disqualified petition signatures, and Gerard J. Schriffen, of Manhattan Meighborhood Council, and Christopher B. Sykes dropped out. A 1979 arrival to NYC from Puerto Rico, Lopez has been Community Board #3 member, 1982-96, and has worked in homeless services. She chairs the NYCC Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Disability Services, and has an eye on Manhattan’s Borough Presidency (her term limit is 2005). Only in America!
NYCC District #4 is represented by Eva S. Moskowitz, who lost her attempt to oust the then incumbent Andrew Eristoff in 1997 but won her contest with Reba White Williams (R ) in 1999 by nearly 70% of the vote. Graduate of Stuyvesant HS, with a History PhD from Johns Hopkins, she has taught, most recently at CUNY, before turning to politics. Although safe until 2007, she is the power-wielding Chair of the City Council Committee on Education, she too wants the Borough Presidency.
The trend in local elective offices has been unmistakably Democratic, backing strong activist candidates. We are practical people, results-oriented, largely liberal-minded, non-prejudiced and non-racist, having elected two openly gay politicians, Duane and Lopez. As seen here, the opportunist Liberal party, a balancing element when the Republicans were strong, has faded, the once booming Conservatives appear inactive, the unrealistic Greens program has no goals that a voter can expect to materialize, and the Socialist splinter and the special interest parties are non-players. Manhattan’s Republican organization has shrunk, and recently has presented us with marginal local candidates, with no money in the campaign. Their most recent strong candidates, Eristoff and Williams, had to rely on family funds. Although the last two Mayors have been Republican, the bulk of their support came from the boroughs. In Presidential and Senatorial elections T&V people shy away from the GOP.
Wally thanks Gotham Gazette and the candidates.
# posted by Wally Dobelis @ 6:47 PM 
