Spitzer Takes Aim?
Just one day after helping elect a Democratic state Senator in Nassau -- and just hours after the election of Tom DiNapoli as comptroller by his colleagues in Albany -- Eliot Spitzer raised the possibility of campaigning against incumbent Democrats in the Assembly, demonstrating, if nothing else, that he prefers stick over carrot in his dealings with legislative intransigence.
As Tom Suozzi proved in 2004 by engineering the defeat of a sitting Democrat from Long Island, even seemingly secure incumbents can be vulnerable to primary challenges that have the backing of a popular executive.
So if Spitzer follows through - and I think we have to assume, for now, that he means it - who's his first target?
UPDATE: Ben reports that the Steamroller has shifted metaphors.
-- Azi Paybarah
If he wants to send a message, then there's only 1 person he needs to go after: Shelly Silver.
If I were pushing back against Eliot I would remind reporters that despite denials the Spitzer people got caught using the NYS Dem chair to vett candidates like Stark. Everyone knows they checked her voter registration. Why--wouldn't make sense if they were truely staying out of the process.
Dysfunction thy name is Eliot Spitzer. Spitzer is a spoiled brat who has not gorwn up. His daddy's illegal campaign contributions got him into the AG's office. His friendship with casino kingpin Richard Fields helped him become Governor and his partnerships with sleazoids like Carl Andrews (bagman for Clarence Norman); Lorraine Vasquez (Baglady for Roberto Ramirez); and so many other substandard hacks makes you wonder what kind of fantasyland this dictator thinks he is in.
At least Giuiliani was a good manager and hired smart people.
Taking out Shelly would be the greatest feat of anyone. A scum-sucking pig like him deserves a strong primary challenge. Talk about kings - Shelly thinks he is the king and needs a lesson in humility. Spitzer is going to come out of this looking like a reformer (whether he really is - that is another issue) and hopefully the idiots who continually vote for the same assembly member in every primary will wake up or maybe just stay home the next time there's a vote!
I am proud to support Shelly Silver as my assemblyman and proud of all the great work hes done as speaker. Any other moron who thinks they can take him out youre wasting your time and money. All his constituents support him and the ones that dont are so insignificant that it doesnt even matter. I think Spitzer needs to learn his lesson and move on.
Where can I find who voted for or against DiNapoli?
albanytimesunion by the numbers
Yeah. I bet Spitzer's candidate will win an Assembly primary with Sheldon Silver. THat's a good bet.
Who can be more dysfunctional and dishonest than the Queens County Dems-Congressman Crowley, led by his nose by Mike Reich, Frank Bolz and Gerard Surrogate Sweeney. Steam roll these parasites/maggots, Eliot! Get the feds to indict them-DA Dick Brown is their buddy. Start with their waterfront homes in LI. Brian McLaughlin is a joke compared to these fellas!