Another for the Grannis Seat
Susan Chamlin, a legislative aide and senior health policy person for Krueger since 2002, said she'll be filing campaign paperwork shortly.
The race for this seat, usually a sleepy, micro-Democratic brawl, is taking place in a pivotal time in the legislature's evolving relationship with the governor.
I asked Chamlin whether the ability to maintain good relations with Eliot Spitzer and the executive branch would be a campaign issue.
"I don't have a crystal ball, I can't be sure," Chamlin said, "I do know that both Shelly Silver and Eliot Spitzer are both Democrats and are committed to all the progressive points of change that they both want to accomplish. I would think that they would work this out [and be] on the same page for legislative initiatives."
-- Azi Paybarah
I'm curious: Who are the junior health policy people for Liz Krueger? Already a candidate blowing up a resume.
Who else is in the race? Has anyone else filed paperwork yet?
LOL. She's a nice lady and well thought of, but doesn't strike me as having the Right Stuff to go all the way here.
The word on the street is that Micah Kellner, the 25 year-old'ish Committeeman, wants the seat.
Susan Who? It is doubtful anyone in the district has ever met this woman. The last time Krueger involved herself in local politics was for Zach Greenhill in the 73rd A.D. That did not work out so well.
it sounds like the same person is posting a whole lot of comments, anonymously.
Really? Only one of them was mine.
Anyone who works on health policy for Krueger is a good candidate. And if she's Krueger's senior health policy advisor, she also managerial skills in running Krueger's health policy department.
Micah Kellner is brilliant! I would LOOOVE to be able to vote for him as my new Assemblyman!!
3:33 PM - Krueger's Health Policy Dept?
I worked in a Congressional office, which has substantially more staff than a State Senator, and no one had a health policy dept. They had a health policy aide which is obviously what Susan Chamlin is. I'd bet my last dollar Krueger has no one but her working on health policy.
3:33/3:51 -- I don't see where Azi made any reference to a policy department, so what exactly are you talking about?
BTW, what congresswoman did you work for?
Krueger has an amazing staff and we should be thankful that someone from her office is in the race.
Micah is a Maloney-ite and cannot be trusted.
Out with the old and in with the new.
RUN MICAH RUN!!!
Um, who is she? Trust me - nobody outside of politics knows who she is either. And, Liz Krueger does not campaign above 86th St., nor does she do much in the way of community work in the UES portion of the district. So one of her aides riding her coattails doesn't ensure success.
I'm wondering how this person thinks she is going to get her name out there. Working for an elected doesn't mean you have the stuff to actually become one yourself - Ms. Lappin notwithstanding. I find it humorous that all these aides feel they can actually do the job...
C'mon there have got to be better qualified candidates than the ones mentioned. It's the upper east side and this is the best we're getting?
This field is shaping up to be uninspiring to say the most- under qualified and under accomplished. I would like to see someone with some respectable credentials step up.
Jessica Lappin worked for Gifford Miller;
Gifford Miller worked for Carolyn Maloney;
Barry Klein works for Jonathan Bing;
Susan Chamlin works for Liz Krueger;
Tony Morenzi works for Pete Grannis;
and Micah Kellner worked for Carolyn Maloney.
Are we seeing a trend?
What's up with 30 year old staffers being entitled to all of these elected positions?!?
Bill Clinton was 30 when he was elected Attorney General in Arkansas and 32 when he was elected Governor. Age should be no barrier to leadership. In addition, being a staffer means that the person has practical everyday experience with issues that concern the constituency. What is wrong with that? One would normally want to hire someone who can hit the ground running from day one.
So back to Senior Health Policy aid. What does that actually mean? Is it in the budget line?
I dont think using Bill Clinton to show leadership can exists in young individuals is relevent here. Bill Clinton graduated from Yale Law and became a law professor before he ran even ran for the House of Representitives- and lost. No one in this feild has the credentials or leadership of a young Bill Clinton.
NYC does not equal Arkansas. The talent pool should be a lot higher considering the district. Also, a number of these people do not have gravitas. At all. Grannis people routinely skip community and civic meetings compared to other East Side electeds, and if the Krueger person is her 'senior health policy aide' then I wonder how much time she has spent doing constituent services OR community affairs. That is my point - there are plenty of people who have done on the ground work in the district. Far more than some of the candidates proffered here.
I find the entire lot rather sad. People who are totally uninspiring. I suppose this is what happens when you have the same person in office for 30 years - total atrophy as far as a true bench.
And BTW - I think Garodnick proves the point that someone from outside can bring a lot more to the table. He is the best of the lot in only his first year, and never worked for an elected.
To say that this group of candidates is uninspiring is silly. The candidates are emerging and have yet to make their case. There is no reason to get judgmental when you don't even know the people running.
As for qualifications, working for an elected official is incredible preparation for someone who aspires to run for office. Its not about riding on coattails, its about the drive and desire to learn the trade of politics.
I think that the lackluster field is a sign of how bad the NYS legislature is. Of course no one is clamoring to be in the assembly where the choice is tow Shelly's line or be forced on the outside of the party.
When picking a canidate eastsiders need to keep in mind that having a reform minded candidate should be priority number 1. Not how old they are, or if they worked for an elected official, but if they will actually change the corrupt nature that cloaks Albany.
These people bitching about the quality and relative youth of the prospective candidates mentioned are no doubt the very same armchair "reform advocates" who huffed, puffed and cluck-clucked when the Legislature contemplated voting itself a pay raise. Starting pay is $79k, folks -- good luck getting an Upper East Side genius doctor, lawyer or financier to chuck it all so that (s)he can wend his/her way up to Albany, leaving family behind, in order to eat in the LOB cafeteria or Burger King several nights a week. You literally get what you pay for, you bloviating windbags!
Thank you 5:50
You should also know that a new Assemblymember is given a budget of $70,000 to hire a staff. Yes, that's correct, $70,000. That's it. Can you blame Democratic Assemblymembers from sucking up to Shelly? It's the only way to increase that amount in subsequent years.
The guys on here are criticizing Chamlin for her job title?
Seems to me that if that is the most she can be criticized for, she's in a pretty strong position. lol
6:19: It is Assembly Democrats who have given Silver that power. kwitcherbitchin.
Everyone on here needs to get a life.
All of these posts complaining that the field is underwhelming are written by people who would whine about nearly any realistic candidate. Most of these candidates have practical experience relevant to representing this district and several (if you actually look into their bios) have also had successful outside-politics experiences before giving those up to work in this field.
Some of these candidates are pretty good - these posters just don't know them well. And although he gets attention here, this Micah guy seems to be the only one who fits the bill of tonight's criticism in that his only experience is being a community liason for a few years, with no substantive policy experience.