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Dealing With Disgrace 2007: A Look Ahead Faso's HQ Burgled Bloomberg' Political Contribution Investments Come Up Short First Spitzer Transition Team Meeting Set Up in the Air� Up in the Sky� It�s the Mayor of New York? Diversity Remains Beyond FDNY's Grasp Political Consultant Round-Up Taking the Temperature of Health Laws Solar Power's Not-So-Bright Future Greens Hope for Ballot Access through Lawsuit Working Families and Conservatives Parties See Mixed Results Despite Big Election Turnover, Limited Changes for Big Apple Ahead
In the Chair: Robert Jackson In the Trenches: Steven Matteo No Cape, But the Ad Man is a Democratic Hero Back in the District: James Vacca On the Agenda Where Are They Now? Manfred Ohrenstein Mr. Haber Goes to Hollywood Sandwiches and Soda with Adolfo Carrión Editorial: You've Got to Be in It to Win It What the Poverty Report Misses by Maureen Lane When Big Winners Meet Big Winners, Who Wins? by Alan Chartock Standing Up for New York City's Fair Share by Gifford Miller and William Cunningham
Clearly, the biggest winner in the history of New York State gubernatorial elections was Eliot Spitzer. His gargantuan win will certainly give him considerable clout when he walks into negotiations with Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Republican Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.
The first casualty was Assemblyman Herman “Denny” Farrell, one of the most powerful political figures in the state. Farrell, the number two guy in the Assembly (as Chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, he gives out the goodies), has served as the head of both the New York City Democratic Committee and the New York State Democratic Committee, in addition to his Assembly post, where he is an ally of Speaker Sheldon Silver. Farrell's “resignation” from one of his many jobs is not that unusual.
Where Silver used to be the state's highest ranking Democrat, he is now relegated to the number two position, although as speaker he is still very much one of the three men in that very famous room who make all the decisions. Obviously, Eliot Spitzer wants his own people in these top political spots. The move is widely interpreted as setting the stage for the next step in Spitzer's meteoric ascension that some believe may culminate in his becoming the first Jewish president of the United States.
One can only get the feeling that the whole house of cards is ready to fall.
It is clear that Spitzer intends to set Albany right and to take on its antiquated, self-serving practices. The fiery Silver will have to decide whether to help Spitzer reform Albany or fight for the status quo. Silver is one smart dude and will have to know that this is a fight he cannot win.
With the kind of electoral mandate Spitzer has going in, I think the possibility is there that he will work to replace the speaker if Silver is not cooperative. As for the Republican Bruno and his aging group of Republican incumbents sitting in Democratic districts, it might be the better part of valor to get on board with as many of the Spitzer reforms as possible. The one place Bruno will have the most trouble is in his disagreement with the new governor over redistricting reform. We all know that the evil gerrymander undermines our democracy. If these legislative folks are allowed to continue to save themselves by drawing districts where only they can win, people will catch on and get angrier and angrier. One can only get the feeling that the whole house of cards is ready to fall.
Silver and Bruno have an opportunity to make a real difference and to leave a legacy of good government. On the other hand, if they resist, they could well be goners.
With that said, Bruno has to be counted among the winners in this election. With the exception of the highly vulnerable Nick Spano Westchester district, Bruno held on to his majority of Republican Senators in a Democratic landslide year. That's got to make the old warrior feel pretty good and stop any thoughts of leadership mutiny that the young Turks in his party may have been harboring.
Perhaps the biggest short term winner in this election turns out to be Comptroller Alan Hevesi, who astounded many people by not only winning but winning big. He was helped by a lackluster opponent who was judged unfit by those in the know and the voters picked up the scent. Until we see what his opponents are going to do, Hevesi's contention is that the voters have decided and that will have to stand. Interestingly, Andrew Cuomo, who was elected attorney general, only did marginally better than Hevesi. Cuomo will have to prove that he can be fair and impartial and that he has left his reputation for hubris and anger behind him.
Hillary Clinton did extraordinarily well, showing that even Republican voters would turn out for her. She had to perform to show that she has what it takes. She did and she's on her way to the presidency.
George Pataki is the big loser. He has left his state and his party in shambles. The Republicans he has left behind him are furious. They think that by ignoring the state and campaigning for president, he has sucked the life out of the party.
There you have it: winners and losers.
Alan Chartock is the president and CEO of WAMC/Northeast Public Radio and the executive publisher and project director of The Legislative Gazette