By Dan Murphy
Two democratic state senators who represent parts of Westchester will face democratic primaries on September 13. Senators Jeff Klein and David Carlucci both have democratic opponents who have collected enough valid signatures to force a democratic primary challenge.
The challenge to Klein, who represents Pelham in the 34th district, and Carlucci, who represents Ossining in the 38th district, comes as a result of both senators participation in the Independent Democratic Conference, IDC. The IDC now 8 years old, consists of a group of 8 democratic state senators that broke away from their fellow democrats to caucus with the state senate republicans.
Senator Jeff Klein has served as the Chairman of the IDC, and has shared power with the State Senate republicans and the majority leader of the State Senate republican John Flanagan. Klein and the IDC, helped make Flanagan majority leader, and denied democratic senate conference leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the majority leaders seat.
Governor Andrew Cuomo has brokered a peace between the breakaway, IDC democrats, in which they will come back to the democratic senate conference after the November elections. But that deal has not stopped progressive democrats from challenging Klein and Carlucci in democratic primaries.
Julie Goldberg is challenging Carlucci. Goldberg self identifies herself as the “true democrat” in the race. She is a Rockland County librarian and former teacher.
Enter Julie Goldberg, dubbed a “true Democrat.” A librarian, mother of two, and former teacher from Chestnut Ridge, Goldberg is looking to oust the three-term New City Democrat, starting with a September Democratic Party primary.
Goldberg received the endorsement from True Blue NY, a Grassroots Coalition of groups from across New York state seeking to replace the state senators who participated in the IDC.
“Most voters here had no idea that David Carlucci has been aligning himself with conservatives in Albany,” said John Gromada of Rockland Citizens Action Network. “It’s time for Rockland and Westchester to have a Senator who isn’t an obstacle to reform. Julie is wonderfully smart and passionate, and her only ambition seems to be to work with the people of our district to make positive change for us all.”
Senator Jeff Klein is facing a primary challenge from Allesandra Biaggi, in the 34th District. Biaggi, grandfather was Congressman Mario Biaggi, has the endorsement from the Working Families Party and Local 32BJ.
“I’m running because the people of the Bronx and Westchester deserve better representation than they currently have. The future of the Democratic party is inclusive, diverse and compassionate – it is not backroom deals and four-men in a room. In New York politics, women are underrepresented – only 22% of New York State Senators are women, despite being over 50% of the population.
“This race impacts all New Yorkers, because a truly blue State Senate will mean the passage of important legislation that a majority of New Yorker’s have demanded. Closing the loopholes that empower predatory landlords. The Reproductive Health Act. The DREAM Act. Criminal justice reform. Early voting. The Climate Change and Community Protection Act. The list goes on.
“There are five times as many Democrats as Republicans in District 34 and yet for seven years, my opponent led the Independent Democratic Conference (“IDC”), a group of 8 New York state senators who ran and were elected as Democrats, but then went to Albany to caucus and vote only with Republicans, handing control of the State Senate to the GOP. They did this out of self-interest.
Biaggi has received the support of many democrats, including County Board of Legislators Majority Leader Katherine Parker, and democrats in Pelham and Pelham Manor. “Its wonderful to see Pelham coming together to support one of their own. I’m looking forward to having a real democrat representing us in Albany,” said Eldar Shuminov, secretary of the Pelham Democratic Committee.
The primary elections in both Westchester State Senate races will determine the impact of the progressive-indivisible movement in the New York Democratic primary. County executive George Latimer has commented on the importance of keeping the democratic momentum going in a positive direction and have democrats stay united. He posted on Facebook,
Q–What is the secret weapon the GOP has to maintain power in Washington and to keep a veto power in Albany?
A: The willingness of Democrats to fight among ourselves. I’ve seen, time and again, the GOP come together to select the judges they want, fall in behind Trump, defend him and his policies. And now, we Democrats are embarking on yet another suicide mission – not simply to compete for the right to be our standard bearer in contested primaries – but beyond that, to vilify each other, articulate resentments that will last after September, and thereby allow the GOP to maintain power.
Primaries, per se, are not the problem. They are legitimate opportunities to decide what people and what policies shall define us. The delta between us as Democrats is dwarfed by our disagreements with the other side. But in quest of our own slice of ideology, or our demographic or our own agenda, or simply holding power and the spotlight it brings, we are seeing once again the vitriol amongst us as we place Career above Cause.
I’m experienced in running for public office in 19 campaigns. The emotion that engulfs you. The sense of hurt and anger that can infuse you when things are said or done in the public domain that you feel injure you. The investment of time and money that could be washed away quickly. I get it. Personally, I get it. But….
Don’t we understand what is at stake???
How can we not see the policies of government run by our opponents as the greater threat to our community than the disagreement and hurts we experience with people who fundamentally believe what we believe.
Last year, both Ken Jenkins and I competed for a post we both thought ourselves capable of fulfilling. How we competed allowed us now to be a team, together, implementing the changes we both felt the County must have.
We have four State Senate primaries in all or part of Westchester plus the Gov, LG, and AG races coming this September. Whether you are a candidate or a supporter of a candidate, please remember what happens in November and September.
If we fail to learn that lesson, we will bitterly reap the results of disunity as we are already suffering through right now with the policies and personalities in charge of our Federal government.
POSTSCRIPT
Read some of the comments near the end of this thread. While most who posted agreed with my core argument which is the threat from Trump should surpass all other considerations, we still had people whose anger at fellow Dems exceeds everything else. One called Democrats a “mafia” and argued we must throw out all older electeds to make way for her preferred young candidates. This simply proves my point. The vitriol has risen in this divisive society and Donald Trump has won. The cool reason of Barack Obama has been replaced by the inflamed ignorant rhetoric of this Administration, and this one man is changing America before our very eyes. And our anger and disunity plays right into his hands. It makes me reconsider: in domestic matters, who really won the Civil War? And in foreign affairs, who really won the Cold War?
