Schumer for Squadron
Charles Schumer made his endorsement of insurgent Democratic state senate candidate Dan Squadron official today, siding with his former aide over the incumbent Democrat, Marty Connor.
In statement released by his spokesman's private email account, Schumer said Squadron “is a true blue Democrat; I am proud to endorse him and look forward to working with him as he builds to victory."
Connor, speaking to Liz earlier, said Schumer's endorsement of Squadron is just political payback, going back to when Connor hadn't endorsed Schumer in his 1998 senate Democratic primary.
Schumer's endorsement of Squadron is a rare instance where the state's senior senator is taking sides in a primary. But it’s not unprecedented. Schumer endorsed Tom DiNapoli over Tom Suozzi in the 2001 Nassau County Executive's Democratic primary, and Carl McCall over Andrew Cuomo in the 2002 gubernatorial Democratic primary.
But this race is different than those in one respect: Schumer is endorsing a challenger against a current office holder.
UPDATE: A spokesman for the state Senate Democratic conference, Curtis Taylor, had no comment on the endorsement.
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As to Connor and Schumer, there is a famous story, perhaps apocrypal, about Connor's endorsement that year of Geri Ferraro. Connor, then Senate Minority Leader, called the third candidate, Mark Green to inform him of the endorsement. It was a hard call, as Green was probably expecting the endorsement. A close Connor ally, District Leader Ralph Perfetto, worked for Green, and Connor's home club had endorsed Green.
"Look Mark, it's a leader issue. I try to run Democrats for Senate in every district in the State, but I can't do much for anyone but our "A" candidates. But when some guy I convinced to run a hopeless race in East Bumfuck calls and asks me to get him a speaker for his big fundraiser, I know I can call Geri Ferraro, and she'll be on the next plane, and pay for it herself."
"Well, Marty, if that's the case, you did the right thing. How did Chuck take it?".
"I don't know, he's still on the other line screaming at me"
I prefer Connor, who provides a lot of behind the scenes wisdom to folks like Jim Brennan and others trying to shake the applecart. But I didn't come here to argue the point, but to some observations.
I should also point out that Squadron's progressive credentials are somewhat dubious. Real rebels don't sit down in advance of their campaigns with Shelly Silver's cheif of staff to assure them that they pose no threat to the Speaker's agenda. Even if they wanted to, it's hard to see how they'd get in the door. But, Squadron did arrange such a meeting, and did give that nod and wink.
Not that this should be surprising to anyone who's read the book Squadron wrote for Schumer; it calls gay marraige a political loser and advises Democrats not to seek its passage into law.
Now, Squadron is the vehicle for a revenge campaign, as the disciple of pro death penalty, voted for war in Iraq, voted for defense of marriage, patriot act Chuck Schumer!
They're sure breeding a funny kind of progressive in Brooklyn these days.
Nice to see the Senate Democrats standing up for one of their own.