Andy Sullivan
Posted on 07/07/2011 1:58:59 AM PDT by Libloather
Weiner House seat will be a 'hot' one
By CARL CAMPANILE and SALLY GOLDENBERG
Last Updated: 1:50 AM, July 7, 2011
Two state lawmakers have emerged as the front-runners in the backroom battle to be tabbed as the Democratic candidate to replace disgraced former Rep. Anthony Weiner -- but they were also warned this week not to get too comfortable in the seat if they win.
Queens Democratic leader Joe Crowley, who will pick the party's nominee for the Sept. 13 special election, is anxious to carve up Weiner's former territory when state lawmakers redraw district lines in 2012 to reduce New York's congressional delegation by two.
The prospect of serving just 15 months has scared off some prospective candidates. But several Democratic sources said the two top contenders remaining in the hunt are Assemblymen David Weprin and Rory Lancman. Neither returned calls for comment.
Both Democrats are eyeing the congressional seat as a stepping stone for a 2013 race for citywide office. Weprin ran unsuccessfully for city comptroller in 2009 and could run again should John Liu, as expected, run for mayor in 2013.
Lancman is also considered a potential citywide candidate who would benefit from the higher-profile seat in Congress compared to a relatively obscure Assembly seat in Albany -- even though it would be short-lived.
Crowley, also a congressman, is all too happy to sacrifice the seat -- which straddles Queens and Brooklyn -- because it would let him shift more of the district back to his base in Queens. He now serves a district that straddles northern Queens and part of The Bronx.
The 2010 Census determined that New York state would lose two congressional seats, and conventional wisdom holds that one seat upstate and one downstate will be dissolved.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
I don’t think that Noach Dear was interested. He’s on the state Supreme Court now.
NY Supreme Court is nothing but a local judgeship for which a number of former members of Congress “retire” to. The top court in NY is the Court of Appeals.
Probably a little bit sticky, too.
I think Turner is a poor choice, so I’m glad to hear there are others interested. The character of the race has changed since last time; it is now very high-profile and needs a high-profile contender. Andy Sullivan would be great.
Andy Sullivan
Unfortunately, the stingy and weak GOP county committees are primarily interested in how much of a candidate's personal money can be applied to his campaign, which should work to Turner's advantage for the party nomination.
Looks like Andy might be on the Staten Island Ferry in that photo.
I knew that from watching "Law and Order" I've always thought it was weird.
Anyhow, Turner/Welprin IS official.
Weprin that is.
Mayor Koch has practically endorsed Turner because of Obama’s anti-Israel, anti-semitic politics.
Why only practically? He should flat out endorse him.
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