Passed Over Again, Harrison Doggedly Pursues His Two-Run Strategy
July 14th, 2008
During morning rush hour at the Staten Island Ferry terminal, Steve Harrison was a man of few words. He had to be. With clumps of people rushing past as the ferries approach the dock, he barely had time for a very fast "Hi, how are ya? Steve Harrison running for Congress-"
Before Harrison hit the last syllable, he shifted his attention to a new person sprinting towards the closing ferry terminal, then another. When the crush of commuters became a stampede to catch the boat, Harrison and his two-man campaign crew stepped aside.
This was a prime location for the cash-strapped Harrison: thousands of Staten Islanders, many of them Democrats with only newspapers and iPods to occupy their attention between ferries. And as an added bonus, the ferry fleet was down a boat that Wednesday, leaving more people waiting in the terminal.
Harrison, who had been at the ferry terminal since 7 a.m., is on a quest to connect with registered Democrats in his primary race against Council Member Michael McMahon (D-Staten Island). Most people may have written the nomination-and the general election-off as McMahon's, but Harrison spends much of his time on the campaign trail reminding people that there is a primary. And that is Sept. 9. And that he needs their help.
Despite Staten Island's reputation as a Republican stronghold, national and local Democrats are hungrily eyeing the congressional seat that will be vacated by disgraced Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn), optimistic that after 28 years of Republican control the seat will flip.
"Democrats will win," commuter Linda Novak whispered to Harrison, cupping a hand to the side of her mouth. "I can't say that too loud over here."
His current campaign is in a marked departure for the man who fashioned himself as the conservative Democrat in a failed bid for the City Council's Bay Ridge district in 2003. When Harrison finds a Democrat, he immediately launches his platform: a laundry list of progressive causes and national issues like war-"I want to end the war in Iraq,"-trade-"I oppose NAFTA, CAFTA, HAFTA, LAFTA,"-and energy-"We got to get away from oil."
Slowly, he drew some interest among the captive crowd.
"What will you do with Iran and our interest in Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East?" one woman asked.
"Israel has the right to defend itself," Harrison answered. "I favor a two-state solution."
This was not enough for the woman, who launched into a barrage of questions on Israel regarding land giveaways, border lines and partitioning.
As the conversation grew more heated and attracted a suddenly curious crowd of onlookers, Harrison switched roles. Instead of a candidate, he turned himself into a debate moderator.
"I'll talk with anybody. I'm not a mealy-mouth Democrat," Harrison later said. "I don't adjust my message. It might get you elected, but you don't get much accomplished."
When the ferry doors open, the circle breaks. A man who argued a more pro-Palestine position, James Stewart, hangs back for a moment, pulling the conversation to a more parochial issue: Harrison's Brooklyn residence.
"I agree with you," Stewart said. "But I don't know anything about you. You're from Brooklyn."
"Where does my mother live?" Harrison asked.
"I don't know."
"In Staten Island."
But that is not enough for Stewart. Staten Island makes up two-thirds of the district, and most Staten Islanders want to see one of their own representing it. Being from Brooklyn hurts. But being a repeat candidate, after pulling 43 percent in 2006, helps.
"Most people know me from the last election. This is the two-run strategy," he said.
That still was not enough for the county organizations in Brooklyn or Staten Island to give him the nomination again this time around, when they suddenly saw a victory as possible. First, Council Member Domenic Recchia (D-Brooklyn) was the candidate, though he never did move into the district. Then, when Fossella's implosion moved a Democratic victory from long shot to likely, the Democratic organizations passed over Harrison again, choosing McMahon.
So the first task was getting on the ballot. The night before the ferry appearance, he was going around the borough's North Shore projects, which have the highest concentration of black voters, the bulk of Staten Island's registered Democrats.
One of the people he encountered, Sylvia Ancrum, recognized him the next morning on her way into Manhattan. She stopped to say hello, despite the open ferry doors and the emptying waiting area.
"Looking to stomp in Stapleton?" Ancrum said, referring to the North Shore neighborhood.
"We'll be stomping," Harrison said. "We'll be stomping a lot."
Before Harrison hit the last syllable, he shifted his attention to a new person sprinting towards the closing ferry terminal, then another. When the crush of commuters became a stampede to catch the boat, Harrison and his two-man campaign crew stepped aside.
This was a prime location for the cash-strapped Harrison: thousands of Staten Islanders, many of them Democrats with only newspapers and iPods to occupy their attention between ferries. And as an added bonus, the ferry fleet was down a boat that Wednesday, leaving more people waiting in the terminal.
Harrison, who had been at the ferry terminal since 7 a.m., is on a quest to connect with registered Democrats in his primary race against Council Member Michael McMahon (D-Staten Island). Most people may have written the nomination-and the general election-off as McMahon's, but Harrison spends much of his time on the campaign trail reminding people that there is a primary. And that is Sept. 9. And that he needs their help.
Despite Staten Island's reputation as a Republican stronghold, national and local Democrats are hungrily eyeing the congressional seat that will be vacated by disgraced Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn), optimistic that after 28 years of Republican control the seat will flip.
"Democrats will win," commuter Linda Novak whispered to Harrison, cupping a hand to the side of her mouth. "I can't say that too loud over here."
His current campaign is in a marked departure for the man who fashioned himself as the conservative Democrat in a failed bid for the City Council's Bay Ridge district in 2003. When Harrison finds a Democrat, he immediately launches his platform: a laundry list of progressive causes and national issues like war-"I want to end the war in Iraq,"-trade-"I oppose NAFTA, CAFTA, HAFTA, LAFTA,"-and energy-"We got to get away from oil."
Slowly, he drew some interest among the captive crowd.
"What will you do with Iran and our interest in Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East?" one woman asked.
"Israel has the right to defend itself," Harrison answered. "I favor a two-state solution."
This was not enough for the woman, who launched into a barrage of questions on Israel regarding land giveaways, border lines and partitioning.
As the conversation grew more heated and attracted a suddenly curious crowd of onlookers, Harrison switched roles. Instead of a candidate, he turned himself into a debate moderator.
"I'll talk with anybody. I'm not a mealy-mouth Democrat," Harrison later said. "I don't adjust my message. It might get you elected, but you don't get much accomplished."
When the ferry doors open, the circle breaks. A man who argued a more pro-Palestine position, James Stewart, hangs back for a moment, pulling the conversation to a more parochial issue: Harrison's Brooklyn residence.
"I agree with you," Stewart said. "But I don't know anything about you. You're from Brooklyn."
"Where does my mother live?" Harrison asked.
"I don't know."
"In Staten Island."
But that is not enough for Stewart. Staten Island makes up two-thirds of the district, and most Staten Islanders want to see one of their own representing it. Being from Brooklyn hurts. But being a repeat candidate, after pulling 43 percent in 2006, helps.
"Most people know me from the last election. This is the two-run strategy," he said.
That still was not enough for the county organizations in Brooklyn or Staten Island to give him the nomination again this time around, when they suddenly saw a victory as possible. First, Council Member Domenic Recchia (D-Brooklyn) was the candidate, though he never did move into the district. Then, when Fossella's implosion moved a Democratic victory from long shot to likely, the Democratic organizations passed over Harrison again, choosing McMahon.
So the first task was getting on the ballot. The night before the ferry appearance, he was going around the borough's North Shore projects, which have the highest concentration of black voters, the bulk of Staten Island's registered Democrats.
One of the people he encountered, Sylvia Ancrum, recognized him the next morning on her way into Manhattan. She stopped to say hello, despite the open ferry doors and the emptying waiting area.
"Looking to stomp in Stapleton?" Ancrum said, referring to the North Shore neighborhood.
"We'll be stomping," Harrison said. "We'll be stomping a lot."
