I want to give both my endorsements for Tuesday's primary as well as the endorsements from some of the organizations I respect. First my endorsements:

Brooklyn's 1st Civil Court Seat: Devin Cohen

Devin is the clear choice in this case, and not just because he is a friend of mine. Devin Cohen has extensive civil court experience while his opponent has mainly criminal and appellate law experience. Devin is widely known for his fairness and honesty as well as his commitment to the community as a volunteer EMT. My wife has known Devin since high school. And I once called him, long before he was running for judge, the most honest person I know in Brooklyn politics. His opponent is best known politically for his donations to and legal help for both Brooklyn party boss Clarence Norman (currently serving a prison sentence for corruption) and for the Conservative Party. Devin is politically best known for his work on Community Board 6, his dedication to reform politics in Brooklyn, and as former president of the Independent Neighborhood Democrats. Roger Adler has also run an exclusively negative campaign, trying to smear Devin Cohen as if Adler has nothing positive to offer himself. Adler has claimed to be the outsider, an despite having donated to Clarence Norman AND done Norman's legal work despite the fact that the county party bound his petitions. Devin is known to have been a voice for judicial reform so Adler basically lied about their relative political connections. Adler also admitted, in my presence and before an entire room full of people, that he in essence tried to get a judgeship through political donations and political favors. This is what he said publicly, I checked with others who heard him and they agreed. He also expressed admiration for the judicial philosophies of Supreme Court justices Scalia and Thomas, who are about as conservative as you can get.

Culled from various emails, here are some debates upcoming in various Democratic primaries; expect fireworks.

Citizens Union is sponsoring a debate between Marty Connor and Dan Squadron, Wednesday, September 3, in the 25th Senatorial District.

St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street, between Court and Clinton Streets
Brooklyn Heights, 7:00 -9:00 PM

In the 21st Senate District, Kevin Parker, Simcha Felder and Kendall Stewart will debate one another as well. That should be of interest.

Thursday, September 4, 8:00 PM at the 41st AD Democratic Club, 2942 Ave R cornier of Haring Street one block east of Nostrand

Also, while we were all in Denver, there were several debates between Steve Harrison and Michael McMahon for the NY-13 Congressional seat. One such debate, if that's the right term, can be read on the web site of the Brooklyn Paper, here. While you're there, also check out the Connor-Squadron debate in the paper's editorial rooms.

You won't, however, be treated to a similar experience in the Tenth CD race between Ed Towns and Kevin Powell, for the simple reason that incumbent Congressman Towns didn't quite deem it worth his while to actually debate his opponent. There are two transcripts, one for Powell's endorsement interview, one for Towns.

Via email from Dan Squadron, an interesting follow-up to our piece this morning on real estate switching sides.

Connor Stays in Bed With Real Estate
As Democrats on Verge of Taking Over the State Senate

Squadron Maintains "Clean Money Pledge" So
He Can Stand Up to Special Interests

Today, Daniel Squadron, candidate for State Senate in the 25th Senatorial District, admonished incumbent Martin Connor for continuing to accept campaign contributions from Real Estate interests, at a time when the industry is reportedly attempting to curry favor with Senate Democrats in preparation for blocking pro-tenant measures.

Since 1999 Connor has taken nearly $30,000 in contributions from real estate interests, including over $4,000 from the anti-tenant Rent Stabilization Associations. In this election cycle so far, Connor has reported receiving a total of $7,800 from real estate, including contributions from the Real Estate Board of New York and Muss Development.

"It's clear the real estate industry is terrified at the possibility of pro-tenant reforms such as repealing vacancy control. I'm going to have the freedom to throw down the gauntlet on this issue in a way my opponent failed to do as part of the deal that gave us the current system," said Squadron. "While he continues to accept contributions from compromising corporations, PACs and lobbyists, I will stick by my Clean Money Pledge – because I believe my constituents deserve to be 100% confident that I am always fighting for them."

Daniel Squadron is running in the Democratic Primary to represent the 25th State Senate District. He was a co-author, with Senator Charles Schumer, of the book Positively American: Winning Back the Middle-Class Majority One Family at a Time. He has also worked for the public schools and was Communications Director on the campaign to pass the Transportation Bond Act.

Of course, now that Connor has somehow, miraculously, managed to turn the tables and run as the outsider against the big-money favorite, factoids like this - Squadron takes no special-interest PAC money, Connor does - may not be enough. It's really funny how positioning works sometimes, I'll say that much.

I got into a bit of hot water recently by comparing the performance of two Democratic campaigns in a primary; and in that same spirit, let's do another comparison, this time in the 25th District.

First, incumbent Marty Connor, under a headline that reads in part Momentum Builds for Senator’s Surging Re-Election Campaign:

New York, New York – July 15, 2008: Senator Martin Connor’s campaign announced today that it has raised over $120,000 in contributions for the July filing with the New York State Board of Elections.

“We are grateful for the extraordinary financial support Senator Connor has received in the last few months from every corner of the 25th Senate District. The Senator has a long record of fighting for the families of New York, and people have responded by supporting his re-election. We will have the resources we need to wage an aggressive re-election campaign,” said Chad Marlow, spokesman for Senator Connor’s re-election campaign.

Then, challenger Dan Squadron:

Today, Daniel Squadron, an insurgent candidate for State Senate in the 25th Senatorial District, announced another round of strong fundraising numbers – raising a total of $428,440 from 750 donors with cash on hand of approximately $291,000.

Squadron today also reaffirmed his pledge not to accept contributions from lobbyists, PACs or corporations. "People are hungry for real independence and a focus on working hard to get results – exactly the reason that so many people have gotten behind this effort," Squadron said. "Without accepting contributions from corporations, PACs or lobbyists we have built a strong campaign that will bring the people of the 25th Senate District the independent, progressive representation we so sorely need."

Outraising an incumbent by a factor of over three to one is pretty remarkable, one would think; but if recent commentary is any indication, Connor probably raised vastly superior super-dollars, much as Jimmy Dahroug gathered super-signatures when he came in with 1,400 versus 3,200 for his opponent in SD-3, Brian Foley.

And no, I'm not going to pick on the regrettable usage of the word "surging", except to note that the word is, these days, associated with something of a similar concept in a place called Iraq that doesn't seem to be going all that well.

Back in January 2006 I had as my goals:

1.) defeating the Bush/Gingrich/McCain agenda nationally

2.) defeating the Pataki, Bruno and Silver Albany constipation

3.) defeating the local Brooklyn Vito Lopez machine.

Still working on #3 through several channels. And it remains to be seen whether indictments or ill health or Brooklyn fatigue with corruption bring down Vito Lopez. For my part I prefer indictments to ill health. But Charles Hynes, the Brooklyn DA, has pushed that aside and has focused on other, also worthy efforts. So we wait to see who will replace Lopez in time.

Goal #1 began to happen in 2006 with a massive take over of the House and an evening up of the Senate. And we have a damned good shot at continuing this in 2008 with MORE House seats, a REAL takeover of the Senate and a White House win by Obama.

All the fuss here about Senator Martin Conner and Daniel Squadron has, for me, left the waters muddied. Let me tell you my position and how I got there. Obviously, you'll decide for yourself.

I am carrying Martin Conner's nominating petitions (I live in the district), even though the Senator has not been an inspiring leader. The bad news is that when, as a constituent, I'd ask Senator Conner for something concrete (for example for support for the Domestic Workers Bill Of Rights or foreclosure prevention), I'd get excuses, reasons he can do nothing or just no answer at all. The good news is that he favors a progressive agenda. That is: He talks the talk, but so far hasn't walked the walk. On the other hand, Democratic Senators live in a special powerless limbo where they are rarely able to effect or affect actual change. So, I am inclined to cut people in that position some slack.

Daniel Squadron, on the other hand, is running from right field, as I see it. He may be proud of his connections to Mayor Bloomberg and Education Commissioner Klein, but that rules me out as a supporter. The Bloomberg-Klein-Squadron Department of Education has been a mismanagement nightmare, at least to public school parents like me.

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.