How Much Does Queens Machine Count in the Sabini-Monserrate Race?
State Senator John Sabini is reportedly on the verge of losing the backing of the Queens Democratic County organization, which may endorse his likely 2008 challenger, City Councilman Hiram Monserrate.
Monserrate almost ousted Sabini in 2006, and that was before Sabini got arrested for D.U.I. Add to that a Jackson Heights district with a growing Hispanic vote and a Democratic County leader, Representative Joe Crowley, who is looking to curry favor with an emerging leader in his backyard, and it doesn’t look good for Sabini. (Except: Monserrate has $39,562.44 on hand. Sabini has $101,071.55.)
A woman who answered the phone at the Democratic County head quarters just now said they are still meeting and have not made a decision yet.
Ironically, Monserrate's strength in the district comes partly from the fact that the county organization doesn't have much power in that area. So, how much is county's endorsement even worth?
It would be a damaging blow, no doubt, symbolically and organizationally to Sabini if they endorsed Monserrate. But the real measure of the endorsement is what comes afterwards.
Just ask City Councilman James Sanders, an incumbent who was rebuffed by the county organization when they endorsed his 2005 challenger, David Hooks, after leaders in the Jamaica-based district complained that Sanders was unresponsive. But after the endorsement, the organization seemed to do little for Hooks, and Sanders won reelection.
In fact, the organization made a strong tactical move by listening to its local leaders, who favored Hooks, without riling Sanders by working against him.
- Poll
- Obama (D)
- McCain(R)
- Spread
- RCP Average
- 46.9
- 43.3
- Obama +3.6
- Candidate
- Favorable
- Unfavorable
- Spread
- Obama
- 52.6
- 34.4
- +18.2
- McCain
- 51.2
- 34.2
- +17.0
having worked that '06 campaign, i was actually surprised by how much influence the party choice wielded. sabini had district leaders doing visibility for him every weekend, knocking on the same doors where we were sending canvassers from outside groups. and while monseratte was lucky enough to score a joint endorsement from ferrer and mark green towards the end of the campaign, sabini had all the local endorsements handed to him by the county, down to jose peralta, the hispanic assemblyman whose district is included. considering the razor-thin margin last time, i have no doubt this would push him over the edge.
Kelly Preston looks hot!!
having also worked that '06 campaign, I can assure you the district leaders at that time did not do as much for Sabini as you might think - they were entangled in their own races and some of these people hadn't faced a challenger in years. Also, Hiram had his own army of district leader wannabe's working the streets. Ultimately, this race will come down to who will have the money to get their message out - and whether Hiram get indicted for his alleged misuse of public funds....
I too regrettably worked in Sabini’s ’06 campaign and was very depressed to see the amount of outsiders that the senator brought into our neighborhoods to help him out. Time for change, Power to the people.