Month: October 2014
Tom King & John Crispell
Steven Meyer would have voted for the SAFE Act
Andrew Falk discusses the SAFE Act
Hiding Hochul
The Cuomo campaign is hiding his running mate:
“… since Primary Day, Kathy Hochul, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s candidate for lieutenant governor, has practically shunned New York City, campaigning almost exclusively north and east of the five boroughs. The former Buffalo area congresswoman never seemed comfortable in the swarm of reporters and the cacophony of a city so different than her sleepy upstate home–and now, having vanquished her glamorous opponent in the Democratic primary, she can spend her time elsewhere …”
Translation: NYC Democrats do not see her being on the ticket as a plus.
“… Since defeating Tim Wu, the running mate of Mr. Cuomo’s Democratic rival Zephyr Teachout, Ms. Hochul has stumped in places like Syracuse, Long Island, Poughkeepsie and Palmyra …”
Really? I can hardly find any mention of her in the media, let alone an appearance schedule. Hochul is keeping as low a profile as possible without being declared legally dead. She simply isn’t generating any media buzz for these campaign stops. I have to assume they are for the party faithful-only.
F.U.A.C. from Senator Diaz
Democrat Senator Ruben Diaz gives Governor Cuomo a big F.U.A.C.
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#SenatorRevRubenDiaz with New York State Candidate for Governor #RobAstorino and Candidate for Lieutenant Governor #ChrisMoss
Lawsuit update
Oral arguments for NYSRPA’s lawsuit against the SAFE Act have been tentatively scheduled for the week of December 18.
Low Democratic voter enthusiasm
Governing Magazine acknowledges something I’ve been saying for awhile, Democrats are not excited about their candidates:
“… The AG race has become New York’s most competitive statewide race this cycle, partly because the incumbent, [Eric] Schneiderman, is still relatively unknown, despite serving a term in a post that in recent years has been occupied by political giants — and future governors — Eliot Spitzer and Andrew Cuomo. Republican John Cahill is a credible candidate who claims that internal polls show him just seven points behind in this solidly Democratic state. Public polls show a much wider race — about 20 points — but as a precaution we’re moving this race to likely Democratic, particularly given low Democratic voter enthusiasm this cycle …”
Schneiderman’s one redeeming quality is that Cuomo hates him.
There is no way that low Democrat enthusiasm is confined to just the AG race. Polls show Democrat Senate candidates are not doing well either.
Dem voted for SAFE because the Reps did first
Democrat Assemblyman Frank Skartados voted for the SAFE Act because the Republicans in the Senate voted for it first:
“… Skartados said he doesn’t agree with certain points on it — for instance, one part of the law limits the number of cartridges in a gun to seven, nor does he like how it was passed, in an overnight vote — but voted for it and thinks it’s here to stay. In an email follow-up to the Journal after the editorial board session, Skartados’ campaign manager, Steve Gold, said “to clarify…(Skartados) had little doubt that the Assembly was going to pass the bill because of the key provisions…he was surprised that the Republican-led Senate voted in favor of the act…so it was natural for the Assembly to support it as well.” …”
So, what he’s saying is Skartados lacks independent critical thinking skills and will simply go along with the heard?
FOIL opinion on SAFE records
The New York Department of State Committee on Open Government has issued an advisory opinion on SAFE Act recordkeeping.