NY-03 Nassau Legislator Dave Mejias vs Peter King (link to debate on page 5)

[socaldem]

Damnit....

on the bright side, playing in this race would be insansely expensive and it might be better for Dems to focus elsewhere with their resources where 2006 might afford once in a lifetime opportunities...

IMHO, NY-03 will just get more and more competitive over time and there are other recruits (Nassau DA Rice) that will be ripe and ready by that time...

[socaldem]

Two Bishops on Long Island would be pretty weird...

But I don't trust the results of a Democratic push poll.  There's also no guarantee Bush will be this unpopular 11 months from now, but it seems like it King could get a run for his money

Well, for some reason, there are a bunch of same-named congressmen next to each other for random reaons...

Consider VA's Reps. Davis or TX's Greens or (in '07) PA's Murphys

[socaldem]

Damnit....

on the bright side, playing in this race would be insansely expensive and it might be better for Dems to focus elsewhere with their resources where 2006 might afford once in a lifetime opportunities...

IMHO, NY-03 will just get more and more competitive over time and there are other recruits (Nassau DA Rice) that will be ripe and ready by that time...

If King is still in the seat, Rice would have a VERY GOOD chance of knocking him off in 08.  At that point she would have a few years as FA under her belt.  At this point its too early for her to run, being that she is only DA-elect at this point.  She ran an AMAZINg camapaign to knock off a conservative Incumbent DA & used his conservative stances against him.  While the district is more conservative & GOP  than Nassau County as a whole.  Rice wil  be much better knwon in 08 than she was this year & Dillon is FAR FAR more popular than King.

Unfortunately, Rice's website seems to indicate that she's from Garden City which is in Maloney's 4th district, not King's.  If she'd like to challenge Maloney in eight years or so in the primary, though, I don't think anyone would mind her taking the seat because Maloney is, frankly, a pretty poor representative...

[socaldem]

Damnit....

on the bright side, playing in this race would be insansely expensive and it might be better for Dems to focus elsewhere with their resources where 2006 might afford once in a lifetime opportunities...

IMHO, NY-03 will just get more and more competitive over time and there are other recruits (Nassau DA Rice) that will be ripe and ready by that time...

If King is still in the seat, Rice would have a VERY GOOD chance of knocking him off in 08.  At that point she would have a few years as FA under her belt.  At this point its too early for her to run, being that she is only DA-elect at this point.  She ran an AMAZINg camapaign to knock off a conservative Incumbent DA & used his conservative stances against him.  While the district is more conservative & GOP  than Nassau County as a whole.  Rice wil  be much better knwon in 08 than she was this year & Dillon is FAR FAR more popular than King.

Unfortunately, Rice's website seems to indicate that she's from Garden City which is in Maloney's 4th district, not King's.  If she'd like to challenge Maloney in eight years or so in the primary, though, I don't think anyone would mind her taking the seat because Maloney is, frankly, a pretty poor representative...

Rice grew up in Garden City (graduated from Garden City High School).  I'm not sure where in Nassau she currently lives, I could be wrong, but I assume she now lives somewhere in the 3rd district because I have heard her name thrown arouund.  Also its Caryolyn McCarthy in the 4th not Maloney (Maloney is a Rep in NYC)

My bad.  The disparanging remarks were directed at McCarthy, not Maloney... I hope you're right about Rice because I think she'd be a great candidate in a couple years...

Speaking of NY congressional races, what do you think the prospects of that DA Acuri against Rep. Sherwood Boehlert in upstate?  And any word on a Fossella challenger?

[socaldem]

You honestly think Fossella can get knocked off?  Staten Island is the single most conservative section of any area in the Northeast Corridor PERIOD!  Damn, this Suozzi guy better run in NY 3.  Is King one of those guys who's fairly well liked even though Kerry won the district?  This is kinda like Curt Weldon in PA 7. 

Based on his website alone, Bryan Lentz looks like a fairly good candidate, but I have heard very little buzz about him.  Is PA-07 a totally lost cause?

[socaldem]

Nassau County Legislature Dave Mejias D- North Massapequa (14th LD, which is my LD) is considering a run & has been urged to run by Suffolk County Democratic Chairman Richard Schaffer  as well as two Long Island Democratic members of Congress (Steve IsraelNY-02 & Gary Ackerman NY-05).  While my top choice is Suozzi, I am very enthusticastic about a possible Mejias run.  Very down to earth & charsmatic & would be a great improvement over King

BY J. JIONI PALMER
WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON - With national Democrats buoyed by a recent internal poll hinting veteran Rep. Peter King is potentially vulnerable to a challenge, Nassau Legis. David Mejias traveled to Capitol Hill Friday for a meeting with top lawmakers eager for him to run.

Mejias, 35, who last month won a second term in a district where Republicans outnumber Democrats 2 to 1, said yesterday that he hasn't decided for sure whether to mix it up with the seven-term Seaford Republican.
"Right now, I'm considering it very seriously," said Mejias, of North Massapequa. He said he was urged to run by Reps. Gary Ackerman (D-Jamaica Estates) and Steve Israel (D-Huntington) and Suffolk County Democratic Chairman Richard Schaffer.

Mejias said he expects to make a decision "within the next four to six weeks" after weighing various factors, most notably his ability to raise the $1 million to $2 million he needs for a credible challenge.

In Washington, Mejias said, he met with Ackerman, Israel, Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), who is helping manage House races, and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. "They were very . . . excited about the race," Mejias said.

Congressional Democrats have been buzzing after a survey of King's South Shore district showed him susceptible to a campaign that would link him to his strong support of President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq, which the poll concluded are highly unpopular.

Initial attention focused on Suffolk Legis. David Bishop (D-West Babylon), who the poll showed at first being trounced by King. But the results reversed after King's support of Bush and the war were highlighted.

However, Bishop bowed out after national Democrats wouldn't commit to make the race a top priority and some New York Democratic lawmakers balked at backing a race against King. But that now appears to have changed.

"If he decides to run for Congress, it's clear that he has a lot of fans in New York and Washington who would heavily support him," Jennifer Psaki, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said of Mejias.

Jack Pratt, Israel's chief of staff, said the congressman is also willing to help Mejias, including fund-raising.

King said yesterday he never thought he'd go unchallenged. "Someone has to run," he said.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usking184556945dec18,0,6428402.story?coll=ny-uspolitics-headlines

Hmmm... is Steve Israel showing more enthusiasm for Mejias than a potential Bishop bid?  Could he still be a little angry over that nasty primary...

In any case, geographically Mejias seems to be a better fit for the district, coming from Nassau rather than the small Suffolk portion. 

[socaldem]

Nassau County Legislature Dave Mejias D- North Massapequa (14th LD, which is my LD) is considering a run & has been urged to run by Suffolk County Democratic Chairman Richard Schaffer  as well as two Long Island Democratic members of Congress (Steve IsraelNY-02 & Gary Ackerman NY-05).  While my top choice is Suozzi, I am very enthusticastic about a possible Mejias run.  Very down to earth & charsmatic & would be a great improvement over King

BY J. JIONI PALMER
WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON - With national Democrats buoyed by a recent internal poll hinting veteran Rep. Peter King is potentially vulnerable to a challenge, Nassau Legis. David Mejias traveled to Capitol Hill Friday for a meeting with top lawmakers eager for him to run.

Mejias, 35, who last month won a second term in a district where Republicans outnumber Democrats 2 to 1, said yesterday that he hasn't decided for sure whether to mix it up with the seven-term Seaford Republican.
"Right now, I'm considering it very seriously," said Mejias, of North Massapequa. He said he was urged to run by Reps. Gary Ackerman (D-Jamaica Estates) and Steve Israel (D-Huntington) and Suffolk County Democratic Chairman Richard Schaffer.

Mejias said he expects to make a decision "within the next four to six weeks" after weighing various factors, most notably his ability to raise the $1 million to $2 million he needs for a credible challenge.

In Washington, Mejias said, he met with Ackerman, Israel, Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), who is helping manage House races, and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. "They were very . . . excited about the race," Mejias said.

Congressional Democrats have been buzzing after a survey of King's South Shore district showed him susceptible to a campaign that would link him to his strong support of President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq, which the poll concluded are highly unpopular.

Initial attention focused on Suffolk Legis. David Bishop (D-West Babylon), who the poll showed at first being trounced by King. But the results reversed after King's support of Bush and the war were highlighted.

However, Bishop bowed out after national Democrats wouldn't commit to make the race a top priority and some New York Democratic lawmakers balked at backing a race against King. But that now appears to have changed.

"If he decides to run for Congress, it's clear that he has a lot of fans in New York and Washington who would heavily support him," Jennifer Psaki, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said of Mejias.

Jack Pratt, Israel's chief of staff, said the congressman is also willing to help Mejias, including fund-raising.

King said yesterday he never thought he'd go unchallenged. "Someone has to run," he said.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usking184556945dec18,0,6428402.story?coll=ny-uspolitics-headlines

Hmmm... is Steve Israel showing more enthusiasm for Mejias than a potential Bishop bid?  Could he still be a little angry over that nasty primary...

In any case, geographically Mejias seems to be a better fit for the district, coming from Nassau rather than the small Suffolk portion. 

Mejias is a bit more energetic than Bishop which is would help, he would also have more appeal than Bishop.   At this point also Mejias  probably does have more name recognition than Bishop does (78% of the district according to voter regristration totals is in Nassau).  The Tom Suozzi factor also benefits Mejias.  The Nassau  County Executive is quite popular here & just off a landsldie victory.  Mejias is a close ally with Suozzi, something Bishop doesn't have the benefit of since he is in Suffolk County.  Being close with Suozzi also gives Mejias more appeal than Bishop.  Another thing that works in Mejias's favor, is the fact Mejias's LD is heavily Republican, and he has been able to win there.  Bishop who was term-limited & couldn't run again in his LD this fall, is popular in his district, but comes from a district that tends to be much more Dem friendly than Mejias's district.  In other words Mejias will more than likley be able to pick up more cross party votes in his home district than Bishop would pick up in his home district. 

If Bishop did get the nod I would strongly support him.  King must go & he is clearly vulnerable.  Few things need to come in place to make this race a really competitve one though, one his national $$ the other is the candidate themselves with strong appeal & name regonition.  While my first choice remains Suozzi, he seems to have his eyes set on Albany with a primary challenge to Spitzer.  While I personally like Bishop, and feel both Bishop & Mejias can knock off King if given the opportunity & resources, I would rather Mejias (and no not just because he is my Legislator).  Mejias would have more appeal, the better chance of getting the $$ needed from the nartional Dems, and overall a better shot of knocking off the slimebag King & send him packing than Bishop would. 

There's also the fact that Mejias--at least from this article--is looking very much like a candidate.  It seems to me that the congressional race would also be a decent political move for him.  I'm not sure how much longer he will be able to hold his legislative seat given its close margin... he would probably be better off seeking countywide office eventually and even a close congressional loss would probably not really harm such an ambition...

BTW, are the legislative offices 2 or 4-year terms?

[socaldem]

Who will get the Independant party line?

What about in the other close NY races like NY-24 and NY-20?

If Arcuri or Gillibriand get the line, they could be in good shape...

[socaldem]

Who will get the Independant party line?

What about in the other close NY races like NY-24 and NY-20?

If Arcuri or Gillibriand get the line, they could be in good shape...

According to dcpoliticalreport.com  Arcuri has the line, but Sweeney & King do also

Oh good, Arcuri is going to need every advantage in what should be a nail biter.  I suppose the Independance Party line tends to favor incumbents, eh?