Scoop: NY-21: Next Congressmember?

My friend Dan asked me to post a link to an exclusive report on his blog,
http://www.albanyweblog.com/
about the seat opening up in NY-21 with the announced retirement of Mike McNulty at the end of his present term. The seat, based in Albany County, is as blue as the sky: the constituents are divided between old line machine Dems dating back to the Dan O'Connell/Erastus Corning era, now led by Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings, and a growing progressive movement that defeated the machine to elect David Soares Albany County DA. McNulty, having reversed his position on Bush's Iraq war from kneejerk support to passionate opposition, has had support from both camps.

McNulty himself was elected by one man, one vote - that one man was Leo O'Brien, then head of the machine.  The incumbent, Sam Stratton, announced his decision not to seek re-election after the filing deadline for the Dem primary, so O'Brien simply appointed McNulty to be the Dem candidate, tantamount to election.  

Dan was hobnobbing with some of the prominent area progressive Dems  when the incumbent State Senator, Neil Breslin, told him "...If all goes well, I'm looking at an anouncement in two or three weeks."  

Here is some of Dan's blog report:

The announced retirement of Michael McNulty after 20 years in Congress stunned most people around Albany NY. Among the stunned are most of the local political creatures and all of the corporate media content providers. At first glance no one appears to be prepared to take his seat. We have a wide open field and no designated succesor....

We are all still McNulty’s constituents until January oh nine. Therefore, we all have a solemn civic duty to light a fire under his butt and make him work for us. After all, as a lame duck, he need no longer fear anybody or anything... parties, corporations, corporate media, imaginary phantoms, Dick Cheney or Hillary Clinton. That leaves us, the voters.

But first, let’s discuss his successor....at this Saturday night gathering at a house uphill from Buckingham Pond, a rumor ignited.  I dropped my paper plate and slipped into the kitchen, where Assembly member Jack McEneny was holding forth about something or other for a tight circle of elected progressives. I put my hand on Senator Neil Breslin’s shoulder. "So Neil," I whispered, not wanting to interrupt the lecture. "When are you going to announce?" He laughed and stepped aside. "Well, I have to talk to some people, so I’m not sure yet," he said. "Test the waters, my staff has to do some polling. If all goes well, we’re looking at an announcement in two or three weeks."

He sounded real serious to me. For a rock solid confirmation I asked Ellen, his spouse, "Are you looking forward to being the congressman’s wife?" She rearranged her face into an expression that she will no doubt be presenting to thousands of tactless questioners like myself in the coming year. "I think it’s a great idea, and if he wants to do it I’m behind him all the way," she told me.

•  Tips for Dan

  I'm trying to convince him to cross post his blog here.

  by Albanius on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 07:16:10 PM PDT

•  Wouldn't This Be Brian Stratton's Seat

  For the asking? And I would consider him the strongest candidate also.

  by Davidsfr on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 07:18:14 PM PDT

  •  It's nobody's for the asking

    ...or the granting -- the machine's monopoly is long gone.

    There are several prominent Dems being mentioned.  I believe Neil Breslin's State Senate constituency is larger than Stratton's as Mayor of the city of Schenectady; in addition his brother Mike Breslin's organization in Albany County would certainly support Neil.

    The Stratton name is rather toxic for many peace activists who remember Brian's father Sam, the late Congressmember.  Having participated in an interview of Brian when he first ran for mayor, I believe that he is much more progressive than his old man, but people here have long memories.

    by Albanius on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 07:45:04 PM PDT

  •  I hope Stratton stays in Sch'dy

    As one of his constituents, I can say thay Stratton has done a great job in turning Sch'dy around in the last four years and I'm going to vote for him tomorrow. Republican sock puppets have been arguing in letters to the editor in local papers about how Stratton has only lowered property tax rates minimally, all the while missing how Straton has improved the city's bond rating, turned a deficit into a surplus, and helped facilitate a major turnaround in downtown development. It would be the city's loss if he jumped ship and ran for NY-21.

    by upstatetimmy on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 07:46:27 PM PDT

    •  He may prefer to be a big fish in a small pond

      Being a Mayor is arguably a better job than junior Congressmember, but it is a matter of individual preference.

      I left the interview with Stratton as a solid supporter, BTW.

      by Albanius on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 07:50:35 PM PDT

      •  Kind of like Governor vs. Senator:

        Governors get to be make executive decisions and look powerful while senators are often bogged down in arcane rules of procedure and look spineless. I'm not sure how this is playing out in the current presidential campaign--governors, mayors, and senators are all looking a little spineless these days...

        by upstatetimmy on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 07:59:37 PM PDT

        •  The last sitting senator to be elected president

          was JFK.

          I don't know what Harding's job was when he was elected, to find another you have to go back to the 1800s.

          Senators have to cast hundreds of votes on hot button issues, antagonizing many different small constituencies.

          The best job for an aspiring president, or presidential nomininee is the job John Nance Garner said was "not worth a bucket of warm spit" (as usually quoted, probably not quite accurately) - the Vice Presidency.

          Over the last 60+ years, the only veeps not to get at least the Pres. nomination were Barkley, Agnew, Rockefeller and Quayle.

          Truman, Nixon, Johnson, Ford, Bush 1, and Gore were elected President.

          Cheney, of course, is running the country now.

          by Albanius on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 08:13:38 PM PDT

          •  Harding was a U.S. Senator

            when he ran for President. According to Wikipedia, he was the first sitting Senator elected President. Previously he was a newspaper publisher, Lt. Gov. of Ohio, and an Ohio State Senator. My high school was named for Harding [it opened in 1926, three years after Harding's death in office] and I was never sure that was something to be proud of.

            by upstatetimmy on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 08:31:12 PM PDT

            •  I meant to say

              Truman, Johnson, Bush I and Gore were elected Pres as VP; Nixon was elected President after losing a run as VP; Ford became President and nominee but lost the election; Nixon, Humphrey, Ford and Mondale were nominated from the Vice Presidency but lost the general, and Cheney is de facto President and his own branch of government, maybe Tsar.  

              by Albanius on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 08:41:29 PM PDT

              •  Aagh, its late at night

                Truman, Johnson and Ford succeeded to POTUS when their predecessors died; Truman, Johnson and Nixon were later elected on their own; Bush I and Gore were elected President as VP; and Nixon, Humphrey, Ford, and Mondale got their party's nomination.

                So of the last 13 VPs, 8 became President and/or party nominee, 4 did not, and Cheney is acting monarch.

                by Albanius on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 08:53:59 PM PDT

                •  Well, one problem with that math

                  8 were ELECTED president, only 7 became presidents.  Fucking America... eh?

                  by turnnoblindeye on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 09:14:52 PM PDT

  •  No, I don't think so

    He certainly would have a serious shot at it but it is looking more and more like it will be a wide open primary.

    I think the one man that would jump to the head of the pack if he decides to run is State Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari.

    But would he leave the #2 spot in the State Assembly to be a freshman Congressman?

    And even Ron wouldn't get a free ride. Neil would run against him. Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings might. Stratton might. Several dark horses, lesser knowns, and a host of potential liberal candidates may step up to the plate.

    This one may turn out to be very interesting indeed.

    Peace,

    Andrew

    by Andrew C White on Wed Nov 07, 2007 at 08:25:55 PM PDT

•  First true democratic retirement?

  As far as I know this is the first true retirement of a Democratic congressperson going into the 2008 election. We have representatives going for the Senate in Colorado, Maine and maybe New Mexico. I don't begrudge him leaving after 10 terms, but I was hoping for no retirements at all this next election. Oh, well.

  by naraht on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 10:02:09 PM PDT

  •  It seems to be health related

    ...though he equivocates on the subject, McNulty acknowledges that his "post polio syndrome" is giving him trouble, making travel a hardship.

    This is a sky blue district, the only way it could be in play is if, in the week before the 08 election, the Dem nominee is "caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

    by Albanius on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 10:36:13 PM PDT