The Beginning of the End for Marty Connor?
Albany is the site of one of this nation's most dysfunctional state legislatures. It is well known for getting nothing done. This is one thing that cannot be completely blamed on the Republicans because Democrats like Shelly Silver are just as do-nothing as the Republicans. Winning the State Senate, and thus getting rid of the worst obstructionist, Joe Bruno, is a critical part of reforming Albany...and one I focus on at our NY State Act Blue Site, helping defend Andrea Stewart-Cousins' seat and supporting Jimmy Dahroug and Jim Gennaro in their State Senate bids. But there is more to reforming Albany than just electing more Democrats. We also have to defeat those Democrats who have become part of Albany dysfunction.
Marty Connor is a complex case. There is no question in my mind that Marty Connor is smart and is on the right side of most issues. There is also no question in my mind that over the years he has lost touch with the voters and gotten sucked into the dysfunctional way Albany works. This makes him vulnerable. In 2006 he was fiercely challenged by Ken Diamondstone. Diamondstone did better than most people expected, in large part due to the fact that Marty Connor has to a large degree lost touch with the voters.
For various reasons, partly because of my connections to a club that is close with Connor and is bound to endorse him, I stayed neutral in that race, mainly criticizing Connor for what I saw as a difficulty talking with constituents and for being part of the problems in Albany. In essence, I was suggesting that Connor could and should do better.
This year the situation is more complex. Marty Connor is being challeneged again by Ken Diamondstone. But a third candidate has also entered: Dan Squadron. Normally this would help Connor since both Diamondstone and Squadron hail from Brooklyn and so might largely be splitting the same vote. But Chuck Schumer might be weighing in.
According to the Daily News:
Chuck Schumer backs former aide over veteran pol in heated state Senate race
Monday, April 7th 2008, NY Daily NewsSen. Chuck Schumer, who likes to say he doesn't choose sides in Democratic primaries, is poised to break that rule yet again in a contentious state Senate race.
Veteran Brooklyn State Sen. Marty Connor said he was shocked when Schumer informed him during a rural Democrats' event in Saratoga Springs on Saturday that Schumer will back his former aide and political neophyte, Daniel Squadron, against Connor this fall.
According to Connor, Schumer, speaking in "a cold voice," informed the former state Senate minority leader: "You weren't there when I needed you; I owe you nothing."
At issue was Connor's 1998 endorsement of then-Rep. Schumer's U.S. Senate primary opponent, Geraldine Ferraro. Schumer went on to win the primary that year and oust Republican Sen. Alfonse D'Amato in the general election.
I should note two things here. First off, I don't see why Marty Connor himself is spreading this rumor. Schumer has not himself made this public. By going public with it Connor does nothing except reduce his fundraising effectiveness. That said, Connor is known for speaking his mind, often without regard to tact. It is one thing that makes him vulnerable. This shows that his lack of tact can apply to his own interests as well. The positive side to this is he is honest. The downside is he is tactless. Of course some have said much the same about me.
Second, if Connor is acurate about Schumer's reasons, and I suspect he is, I might actually side with Connor on this one. Politics, ideally, is not all about favors and vendettas. Of course too often it is, but that is often what I am most critical about. So, I am not sure I agree with Schumer's motives. But regardless, this is a body blow to Connor's re-election. Back to the Daily News:
Schumer spokesman Josh Vlasto said the senator has not endorsed anyone yet, but added: "Daniel Squadron is one of the smartest, most honorable, and hardest-working people ever to serve in his office; anything the senator does will be based on the relative quality of the candidates."
Squadron, who co-authored Schumer's book, "Positively American: How the Democrats Can Win in 2008," has never held elective office. He recently left the consulting firm Knickerbocker SKD (founded by ex-Schumerite Josh Isay) to campaign full time for Connor's seat and has been endorsed by the Working Families Party.
WFP and Chuck Schumer are a powerful combination when it comes to fundraising. This means this is the biggest challenge Connor has had and Schumer's backing could put a dent in Connor's Manhattan vote.
I will again stay neutral this year. I know Connor has good qualities as well and I am on the board of a club that is likely to endorse him. I also do not know Squadron. I have my suspicions that a Schumer ally may not be the best reformer.
This race strikes me as wide open at the moment. Incumbancy vs. fundraising. Only time...and money will tell.
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Albany Dysfunction | election 2008 | State Senate | Chuck Schumer | Dan Squadron | Marty Connor
It's telling...
Submitted by mole333 on 8 April 2008 - 9:03am.
It's telling when Mark Green comes off nicer...Green is not known for his tact either.
There is not necessarily any inconsistency in how progressives view these situations. Ken's running and doing well give him real credentials to run again. This can be a good strategy for winning, at least against Republicans. I have seen it work many times, when Democrats run as grassroots candidates with little institutional backing and lose, but make an impression on the district, then run again with more support and more name recognition and win. Dahroug and Harrison fit that mold. But it is unclear to me whether the same stratgy works in primaries where no matter what the outsider will remain the outsider and the incumbent the incumbent barring the intervention of a gorilla like Schumer.
Let me be more clear on Diamondstone. I like him. I also like his particular style of troublemaking in the context of Albany. Albany NEEDS some stirring up and people like Diamondstone have the potential to do that. I agree with Connor on many issues. I agree with Diamondstone on most issues. So I lean towards Diamondstone for those reasons. But I am not sure where he can build from his last win. He needs to reach a key community that can add to his 45%. I can see how, with money, Harrison and Dahroug can do that against Republicans. I cannot yet see how Diamondstone can do that in a primary. Add to that the fact that despite many problems I have with Connor, there is something about him I respect. Probably the fact that he is very smart. I often like the nerdier candidate. If only he was less condescending! Add to that my ties with IND where I know I will have to pick my battles, I am not ready to choose this battle.
But that is also beside the point. May article is mostly about Connor's vulnerability. Perhaps deeper it is about Marty's fatal flaws that make an otherwise good man a pretty lousy State Senator given the Albany mess. And his flaws are partly ones I can sympathize with, but they also stem from his giving in to the Albany mindset. Even if I sympathize with him, doesn't mean I don't think it might be better for someone new to replace him. Diamondstone is attractive as the kind of person who will stir up the right kind of trouble for those who keep Albany messed up. But I don't see how Connor will be defeated with two Brooklyn candidates running against him UNLESS someone like Schumer gets involved.
And the fact that Schumer is getting involved is the most telling thing. Hell, I may even like Connor better than Schumer. But Schumer's choice to get involved (and, I am sure, Squadron's even entering the race in the first place) really shows that Connor is perhaps even more vulnerable than he was in 2006.
Squadron has his own money as well
Submitted by Gothanonymous Reader (not verified) on 8 April 2008 - 7:32am.
Like many other candidates for elected office, Dan Squadron has alot of his own money as well. His father was a very wealthy and well respected attorney in New York City. Below is a link to a Cardozo Law School Program bearing his name, which includes some high praise about his father from Rupert Murdoch.
Nothing I've read here
Submitted by sidnora on 9 April 2008 - 6:13pm.
inclines me to support Mr. Squadron (what a name, though!).
I've not been very happy with Schumer for most of the Bush adminstration, starting with his politically expedient vote in favor of the AUMF (yes, both of our senators sold us out on that one!), and following through his advocacy of Michael Mukasey, refusing to withdraw his support even after Mukasey revealed views at his confirmation hearings that should have troubled any Democrat, because it would have embarrassed him (Schumer). Mukasey is not a great advertisement for Schumer's eye for talent.
A few points
I prefer Connor, who provides a lot of behind the scenes wisdom to folks like Jim Brennan and others trying to shake the applecart. But I didn't come here to argue the point, but to make a few observations.
I don't think Diamondstone's ultimately going to run, but the rush among some "progressives" to dump him for Squadron is striking. Diamondstone got 45% and believes he has "shown the way", and that having "shown the way" when no oenelse was willing to do so, he's entitled to another shot, but opportunists are now trying to dump him. It is the same argument regularly made here by supporters of Jimmy Dahrough and Steve Harrison. The big difference is that Diamonstone's 45% is a better figure than either of them managed. Ken's bitterness in the past to folks like Connor and Yassky almost goes beyond normal politics, but if Ken is bitter towards Squadron, it's kinda hard to blame him.
I should also point out that your observation about Squadron's reform credentials are not inaccurate. Real rebels don't sit down in advance of their campaigns with Shelly Silver's cheif of staff to assure them that they pose no threat to the Speaker's agenda. Squadron did arrange such a meeting, and did give that nod and wink.
Not that this should be surprising to anyone who's read the book Squadron wrote for Schumer; it calls gay marraige a poltical loser and advises Democrats not to seek its passage into law.
As to Connor and Schumer, there is a famous story, perhaps apocrypal, about Connor's endorsement that year of Geri Ferrarro. Connor, then Senate Minority Leader, called the third candidate, Mark Green to inform him of the endorsement. It was a hard call, as Green was probably expecting the endorsement. A close Connor ally, District Leader Ralph Perfetto, worked for Green, and Connor's home club had endorsed Green.
"Look Mark, it's a leader issue. I try to run Democrats for Senate in every district in the State, but I can't do much for anyone but our "A" candidates. But when some guy I convinced to run a hopeless race in East Bumfuck calls and asks me to get him a sepaker for his big fundraiser, I know I can call Geri Ferrarro, and she'll be on the next plane, and pay for it herself."
"Well, Marty, if that's the case, you did the right thing. How did Chuck take it?".
"I don't know, he's still on the other line screaming at me"