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Scramble Begins for Staten Island Congressional Seat to Be Vacated by Fossella
NY Times ^ | May 21, 2008 | JONATHAN P. HICKS

Posted on 05/20/2008 10:26:46 PM PDT by neverdem

The decision by Vito J. Fossella not to seek another term in Congress has roiled the political waters of his reliably Republican district, as both parties are searching for consensus candidates to succeed him when his term ends in January.

The departure of Mr. Fossella might seem to present the Democrats with a major opportunity, but the party’s leaders have yet to agree on a candidate, and disputes have broken out over whether the candidate should come from the Staten Island or Brooklyn side of the district.

Mr. Fossella’s decision is not clearly a blow to the Republicans. District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan Jr., a proven vote-getter, has gained support among party leaders in Staten Island and Washington, and State Senator Andrew J. Lanza is also being widely considered.

Mr. Fossella, 43, announced in a statement on Tuesday morning that he would not seek a sixth full term in November. He was arrested on May 1 on charges of driving while intoxicated and admitted soon after that he had fathered a daughter, who is now 3, out of wedlock.

In the nearly three weeks since his arrest, there has been a great deal of speculation that he might resign or not seek re-election. In a sign of his popularity in the district, it appears that potential successors in both parties did not take concrete steps to run while they waited for him to decide.

“There is a lot of confusion going on right now,” said Guy V. Molinari, the former Staten Island borough president and dean of the island’s Republicans. “Everybody is looking at everybody else and trying to figure out who the candidates will be. Nothing is clear right now.”

There will be meetings among leaders of both parties in the coming days to try to clarify who their...

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 110th; congress; fossella; ny2008; statenisland

1 posted on 05/20/2008 10:26:47 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: neverdem

The state chairman of the New York State Conservative Party lives in that district. He will likely have a lot to say about who comes next.

BTW, the Conservative Party could be interesting to watch this election.


2 posted on 05/20/2008 10:29:56 PM PDT by TBP
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To: cyborg; Clemenza; Cacique; NYCVirago; The Mayor; Darksheare; hellinahandcart; Chode; ...
Fossella Drops Bid

Bullet microstamping efforts appear stalled

FReepmail me if you want on or off my New York ping list.

3 posted on 05/20/2008 10:43:42 PM PDT by neverdem (I'm praying for a Divine Intervention.)
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To: neverdem

They’re kicking this a-hole out? Sweet


4 posted on 05/20/2008 10:54:17 PM PDT by wastedyears (Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. - Optimus Prime)
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To: neverdem
If the Dems can take GOP Seats it Illinois, Louisiana and Mississippi, they will have little problem winning a GOP seat in New York.

Thanks Vito, immoral PoS.


5 posted on 05/20/2008 11:05:59 PM PDT by trumandogz ("He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and it worries me." Sen Cochran on McCain)
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To: TBP

Is Mike Long still the head of the Patronage, er, “Conservative” Party?


6 posted on 05/20/2008 11:07:51 PM PDT by Clemenza (Why do I Find Myself Attracted to Amy Winehouse?)
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To: neverdem

I am just incensed that these republicans wait till the last minute to announce they’ll not run again. How in the world can another candidate get the needed signatures to get on the ballot? Is this a plot to hand the election over to the dems? And all these special elections have not gone to republicans, either. That is really bothersome.


7 posted on 05/20/2008 11:47:49 PM PDT by Shery (in APO Land)
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To: TBP
Mike Long seems like a decent guy, and God knows I patronized his liquor store a time or two, but he still claims to live in a non-existent town:

486 78th St., Ft. Hamilton Station, NY 11209. CPNYS

Frankly, if he's so ashamed to admit that he lives in BROOKLYN, then he's welcome to leave.

(I haven't lived there in a few decades, but will still stick up for it every time I'm asked.)
8 posted on 05/21/2008 12:18:59 AM PDT by Grammar Nazi ("Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre, mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen lytlað.")
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To: TBP
Mike Long seems like a decent guy, and God knows I patronized his liquor store a time or two, but he still claims to live in a non-existent town:

486 78th St., Ft. Hamilton Station, NY 11209. CPNYS

Frankly, if he's so ashamed to admit that he lives in BROOKLYN, then he's welcome to leave.

(I haven't lived there in a few decades, but will still stick up for it every time I'm asked.)
9 posted on 05/21/2008 12:19:14 AM PDT by Grammar Nazi ("Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre, mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen lytlað.")
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To: wastedyears
"They’re kicking this a-hole out? Sweet"

He's leaving Congress in order to spend more time with his families.

10 posted on 05/21/2008 3:06:37 AM PDT by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
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To: wastedyears

“They’re kicking this a-hole out? Sweet”

No, they are not kicking this a-hole out...He is not seeking re-election on his own. Sweet for who? Liberal a-holes who would sell out their country at the drop of a hat? Fossella is a jerk for driving drunk and betraying his family at least he had the sense to no seek another term.


11 posted on 05/21/2008 6:09:10 AM PDT by LottieDah (Democrats and liberals never fail to disappoint.)
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To: neverdem

Thanks for the ping!


12 posted on 05/21/2008 7:27:34 AM PDT by Alamo-Girl
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To: trumandogz

“If the Dems can take GOP Seats it Illinois, Louisiana and Mississippi, they will have little problem winning a GOP seat in New York.
Thanks Vito, immoral PoS.”
That sounds soooooooo good and soooooo logical but it shows you know nothing about Staten Island.
If there were only two names on the ballot, McCain and barack mcgovern, ON STATEN ISLAND Keep that in mind ON STATEN ISLAND, McCain would get between 68 and 72%.
McCain and Donovan against Obama and ANY rat-— ON STATEN ISLAND ONLY-— will crush them and keep the seat. This is NOT manhattan. THIS IS Staten Island, Staten Island will not vote for Obama and the rat he runs with.
Yes it would be different IF it were the beast at the top of the ticket and the rat - probably Mike McMahon had two years to raise money. But it is obama and he will kill McMahon on the stump. Let McMahon put one foot over the Expressway and pinned to Obama he will be laughed at no matter how hard he tries to run from obama. He will have to answer for EVERY leftist anti America position barack mcgovern takes.


13 posted on 05/21/2008 10:21:43 AM PDT by jmaroneps37 (Conservatives live in the truth. Liberals live in lies.)
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To: jmaroneps37
Actually, I have had the misfortune of spending time on Staten Island and I have spent a great deal of time in Brooklyn. However, I have spent an even greater amount of time in the LA 6th and if that district can go Democrat, few districts in the U.S. are safe from losing a GOP Congressman.
14 posted on 05/21/2008 10:46:18 AM PDT by trumandogz ("He is erratic. He is hotheaded. He loses his temper and it worries me." Sen Cochran on McCain)
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To: neverdem; fieldmarshaldj; AuH2ORepublican; Kuksool; Norman Bates; LdSentinal; NYC Republican; ...

There are five potential GOP nominees.

Staten Island DA Daniel Donovan- the best-known and most popular possible candidate. He would be the favorite if he ran. The only downside would be that if he’s elected, his successor would be chosen by the Governor, who’s a Democrat.

State Senator Andrew Lanza- Lanza is young and a good campaigner. He is, however, under pressure to seek reelection, because the GOP fears losing the state Senate to Democrats, who will pick up seats this eyar.

New York Councilman James Oddo- a strong campaigner, but all signs are that he wants to be Staten Island Borough President.

New York Councilman Vincent Ignazio- a well-liked ex-Assemblyman, he could be like a younger, untainted version of Fossella.

State Senator Martin Golden- a dark horse whose name is getting more mention. There is a twist to this. The Brooklyn portion of the district (Bay Ridge) would like one of its own representing it in Congress, and hasn’t had one since Leo Zefferetti was defeated by Guy Molinari when their districts were combined. Golden would change that.


15 posted on 05/21/2008 4:48:41 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued (Karl Marx supported free trade. Does that make him a free market conservative?)
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To: Clintonfatigued; Clemenza; AuH2ORepublican

I’m thinking Golden would be in the same boat as Lanza. Another problem is that with the Dems likely to be in control of redistricting, if Golden were to be elected, the legislature could easily attach S.I. to Lower Manhattan (how it was during Guy Molinari’s first term) and isolate Golden in Brooklyn beginning in 2012, where he’d probably have an exceptionally difficult time of running in what would be a very Dem area (either against Weiner in the 9th or Yvette Clarke in the 11th).

Despite the problem of having a rodent replacement, Donovan may be our best bet here, although Ignazio seems just as good (and his district, I presume, would elect a GOP replacement, as it would with Oddo’s).


16 posted on 05/21/2008 4:57:38 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
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