State Senate candidate Dan Squadron, trying to unseat Marty Connor, is framing the race as one between two wings of the Democratic Party, progressive and establishment--and he made his first issue the politics of Albany. In doing so, he drew attention to some of the vagueness of those terms.

Yesterday, right after the Squadron campaign sent a release announcing his “Summer of Accountability: A Difference Between Democrats campaign," which is supposed to contrast Squadron's progressive values with those of the establishment incumbent, came the first attack: a release declaring Squadron's support for the "Bigger, Better Bottle Bill."

Squadron's release doesn't discuss the substance of the bottle bill, but according to the NYPIRG web site, it would make the containers of non-carbonated soft drinks eligible for the $.05 redemption (right now it only applies to beer and soda). That's an environmental issue, because the nickel deposit is a relatively effective way to encourage recycling.

But Squadron's main complaint is that Connor, he says, has taken "$23,100 from opponents of the bottle bill and lobbyists who have represented them." (At the end the release also notes that many of the same lobbying groups opposed the statewide smoking ban). To pass the languishing bill, the State Senate needs "new, independent energy," presumably in the form of Squadron himself, who promises to sign on as a cosponsor.

Connor responded by defending his record on the environment (without addressing the other stuff about ethics and the politics of Albany):

Dan Squadron should check his facts before he attacks me and my record. My record on environmental issues is the rated the highest in the New York State Senate. In 2007 the Environmental Planning Lobby rated me at 96 out of 100 in their Legislative scorecard. Two other senators, Tom Duane and Suzi Oppenheimer tied me."

According to EPL's web site, he has a score of 96 out of 100.