By Dan Murphy
We can no longer say that Election Day is November 3, because voters in Westchester, and across the country, have been voting early and by absentee ballot for the past two weeks. So let us say that the final day for Westchester voters to cast a ballot is November 3.
Here in Westchester there are very few competitive races, and the long lines that you see are to cast a vote for President. But two elections in the county deserve your attention, in northern and southern Westchester.
The biggest, local race in Westchester is for State Senate, in the 40th District, which includes much of northern Westchester and Putnam and Dutchess counties. Democratic State Senator Peter Harckham is being challenged by former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino.
Senator Harckham is finishing his first term while Astorino is attempting a political comeback after losing a third term for County Executive in 2017, during a “Blue Wave” of democratic, progressive support.
In this contest, Astorino and Harckham are running in a district that is more Red than Westchester County. President Trump won the 40th State Senate district in 2016 and he will likely win it again on November 3.
Harckham, and the Democratic State Senate Committee, have dropped a bomb of mailings and TV ads linking Astorino to Trump. That alone, in our view, will not win the race for Harckham.
Astorino has responded by tying Harckham to bail reform, which is unpopular in the district. Harckham has also shot his campaign in the foot with a series of errors that Astorino and his campaign have pounced on, the most notable being Harckham caught on camera, saying about the response to BLM protests, “There are places in my district; there would be angry counter protestors across the street and muscle cars would be revving their engines, vulgar slogans, signs we have people who would call these fine young men anarchists.”
Harkcham’s comments have allowed Astorino to ask, “What “places” is he talking about? What parts of our district are racist or hateful Peter? Shameful rhetoric.”
Residents in the district also questioned Harckham’s comments.
“Senator Harckham can’t be allowed to get away with this,” said Andrea LaSala, a Yorktown resident. “He made a charge, and now he needs to back it up. What specific places in your district are racist, senator? Is Yorktown racist in your mind? Its residents deserve to know before Election Day.”
“I am outraged over Mr. Harckham’s remarks,” said Loretta Ford of Cortlandt. “Shame on him for disparaging his own constituents. Is Cortlandt one of the areas he’s talking about? Tell us, senator.”
“I’m not surprised to see Albany politicians like Peter Harckham talk poorly about people who don’t fit into their social circle, but what he said about my town went too far,” said Ciaran Bruen of Beekman. “We may not live in million-dollar homes and rub elbows with the rich and famous, Mr. Harckham, but that doesn’t make us bigots. I am very upset to see someone who’s supposed to be our representative talk about us in such a unwarranted and unfair manner.”
“Carmel residents are some of the kindest and most open-minded people in America, and Peter Harckham needs to tell us if Carmel is one of the towns he was throwing under the bus,” said Chris Provenzano of Carmel. “He can’t make a statement like that and expect us to take it lying down. Mr. Harkham needs to name the exact parts of his district he was talking about, and he needs to do it now.”
“Hudson Valley residents deserve an immediate apology from Senator Harckham for his outrageous and unfounded charge,” said Emily Costanza of Mount Pleasant. “Calling someone a racist is one of the worst things one could say, and his suggestion that entire areas of his district feel that way is infuriating. Who were you talking about, sir?”
Westchester Rising newspaper endorses Rob Astorino for State Senate in the 40th District, not only because of Harckham’s blunders but because of Astorino’s history of cutting taxes, controlling spending, and articulating an opposing view to the prevalent democratic, progressive ideals that have overwhelmed the Empire State.
Voters in Westchester, and in New York State deserve a choice, not only in this race but in every election on the local, county, state and federal level. More often than not, voters do not have a choice because the republican party is on the watch list for endangered species. Astorino is the best choice, and voice, to keep an alternative ideology alive and on the ballot.
We also believe that it is in the best interest of the democratic party to have a viable, two party system, and opposition candidates on the ballot. Too often, one party control results in democratic candidates unable to articulate their views to the voters when they are paying attention, with the most important election date falling on June 23, the date of the Democratic primary, than on the first Tuesday in November. Republican and independent voters in Westchester cannot vote in the democratic primary, and if there is no contested general election, they have no choice in who their leaders will be.
We want a choice at the polls for everyone. Rob Astorino has proven himself to be the most articulate republican not only in Westchester, but in all of New York State. We need him to be part of the political discussion. Send Rob Astorino to Albany.
