NEW YORK—Congressional candidates, Senate seat seekers, and gubernatorial hopefuls have nearly reached the culmination of months of campaigning. The results of Nov. 2 elections will ignite victory celebrations in campaign offices across the country. Of course, with every winner there will be a loser and hope for next time around.
The ballot this Tuesday in New York has one governorship, two Senate seats, the state attorney general’s post, and 29 congressional seats.
New York’s gubernatorial race includes a colorful array of candidates, from a City Council member who was formerly a member of the Black Panthers to YouTube phenomenon Jimmy McMillan from the Rent Is Too Damn High Party. The candidates are vying for the position currently held by David Paterson, who was appointed governor after Eliot Spitzer resigned in 2008 due to a sex-related scandal. Paterson, with dismally low approval ratings throughout most of his time in the office, announced in February that he would not be a Democratic candidate for the office.
Though the climate across the country is favoring Republicans in the midterm elections, with an expected increase of six Republican governorships and a decrease of seven Democratic governorships nationwide, New York is characteristically leaning toward the Democrats.
Primary contender Democrat Andrew Cuomo, currently serving as the state attorney general, has a seemingly comfortable lead over Republican Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino. Sienna College polls released over the weekend have Cuomo with a 25 point lead over Paladino, who has been behind in the polls throughout the campaign and has repeatedly dismissed the importance of the poll numbers.
Cuomo continued to campaign over the weekend, saying to NY1 on Sunday, “How many times have we heard … that somebody’s way ahead in the polls and then they wind up losing, and this is a very uncertain political climate, I wouldn’t take anything for granted.”
Some of the major issues facing the next governor include balancing the state budget in light of the current $9.2 billion deficit, obtaining natural gas through the controversial method of hydraulic fracturing (or hydrofracking) at the Marcellus Shale, and addressing decreased faith in the integrity of the government in Albany, and significant unemployment with 247,000 private sector jobs lost last year. And, of course, no election would be complete without talking about taxes—New Yorkers are taxed more heavily than any other state.
DEMOCRAT ANDREW CUOMO
Cuomo, 52, is currently serving as the state attorney general. He grew up in Queens and attended Fordham University in the Bronx and Albany Law School. He worked as a landscaper, an auto mechanic, and a security guard. Cuomo began his public service career as head of the Transition Committee for his father Mario Cuomo, who served as New York governor from 1983 to 1994.
Cuomo served as assistant secretary of Community Planning and Development at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and subsequently as the HUD secretary under President Bill Clinton. In his position with the HUD, he pulled the Federal Housing Association (FHA) out of a deficit to $16 billion dollars into the black. He has been criticized, however, for encouraging banks to hand out mortgage loans that partially contributed to the current economic crisis.
On the issues, in brief:
State budget: Cuomo is calling for a cap on state spending and a salary freeze for state employees. He intends to reduce the number of state agencies by 20 percent by consolidating services between local governments.
Hydrofracking: Cuomo is widely criticized by environmental groups for his support of hydrofracking.
Government integrity: Cuomo promotes a re-examination of partisan redistricting and campaign financing laws, as well as increased transparency of legislator interests and income.
Unemployment: Cuomo says he will hand out tax credits of up to $3,000 for each unemployed New Yorker that a business hires.
Taxes: Cuomo proposes a local property tax cap and no increase in sales or corporate income tax.
Supporters: Cuomo is endorsed by former President Bill Clinton and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He is criticized for accepting contributions from natural gas companies, considering the sensitive issue of hydrofracking and the special interests these companies have in the matter. Though campaign contributors include Access Industries, which deals in natural resources and chemicals, many of the contributors on his roll have a variety of interests from casino development to maritime transportation.
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REPUBLICAN CARL PALADINO
The ballot this Tuesday in New York has one governorship, two Senate seats, the state attorney general’s post, and 29 congressional seats.
New York’s gubernatorial race includes a colorful array of candidates, from a City Council member who was formerly a member of the Black Panthers to YouTube phenomenon Jimmy McMillan from the Rent Is Too Damn High Party. The candidates are vying for the position currently held by David Paterson, who was appointed governor after Eliot Spitzer resigned in 2008 due to a sex-related scandal. Paterson, with dismally low approval ratings throughout most of his time in the office, announced in February that he would not be a Democratic candidate for the office.
Though the climate across the country is favoring Republicans in the midterm elections, with an expected increase of six Republican governorships and a decrease of seven Democratic governorships nationwide, New York is characteristically leaning toward the Democrats.
Primary contender Democrat Andrew Cuomo, currently serving as the state attorney general, has a seemingly comfortable lead over Republican Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino. Sienna College polls released over the weekend have Cuomo with a 25 point lead over Paladino, who has been behind in the polls throughout the campaign and has repeatedly dismissed the importance of the poll numbers.
Cuomo continued to campaign over the weekend, saying to NY1 on Sunday, “How many times have we heard … that somebody’s way ahead in the polls and then they wind up losing, and this is a very uncertain political climate, I wouldn’t take anything for granted.”
Some of the major issues facing the next governor include balancing the state budget in light of the current $9.2 billion deficit, obtaining natural gas through the controversial method of hydraulic fracturing (or hydrofracking) at the Marcellus Shale, and addressing decreased faith in the integrity of the government in Albany, and significant unemployment with 247,000 private sector jobs lost last year. And, of course, no election would be complete without talking about taxes—New Yorkers are taxed more heavily than any other state.
DEMOCRAT ANDREW CUOMO
Cuomo, 52, is currently serving as the state attorney general. He grew up in Queens and attended Fordham University in the Bronx and Albany Law School. He worked as a landscaper, an auto mechanic, and a security guard. Cuomo began his public service career as head of the Transition Committee for his father Mario Cuomo, who served as New York governor from 1983 to 1994.
Cuomo served as assistant secretary of Community Planning and Development at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and subsequently as the HUD secretary under President Bill Clinton. In his position with the HUD, he pulled the Federal Housing Association (FHA) out of a deficit to $16 billion dollars into the black. He has been criticized, however, for encouraging banks to hand out mortgage loans that partially contributed to the current economic crisis.
On the issues, in brief:
State budget: Cuomo is calling for a cap on state spending and a salary freeze for state employees. He intends to reduce the number of state agencies by 20 percent by consolidating services between local governments.
Hydrofracking: Cuomo is widely criticized by environmental groups for his support of hydrofracking.
Government integrity: Cuomo promotes a re-examination of partisan redistricting and campaign financing laws, as well as increased transparency of legislator interests and income.
Unemployment: Cuomo says he will hand out tax credits of up to $3,000 for each unemployed New Yorker that a business hires.
Taxes: Cuomo proposes a local property tax cap and no increase in sales or corporate income tax.
Supporters: Cuomo is endorsed by former President Bill Clinton and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He is criticized for accepting contributions from natural gas companies, considering the sensitive issue of hydrofracking and the special interests these companies have in the matter. Though campaign contributors include Access Industries, which deals in natural resources and chemicals, many of the contributors on his roll have a variety of interests from casino development to maritime transportation.
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REPUBLICAN CARL PALADINO
Paladino, 64, is a Buffalo real estate developer. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and Syracuse University College of Law. He served in the Army and worked as a lawyer for 15 years. Paladino was named Buffalonian of the year in 1991.
The gubernatorial hopeful has been known to make controversial remarks that have brought a lot of criticism to him.
However, according to his website: “Carl Paladino is not a politician. He is known for speaking his mind—especially if folks don’t want to hear what he is saying.”
On the issues, in brief:
State budgeting: Paladino promises to cut state spending by 20 percent in his first year in the office. He will evaluate state agencies for efficiency and necessity.
Hydrofracking: While campaigning in Kingston on Oct. 12, a reporter asked Paladino where he stands on hydrofracking. He responded, “We don’t want to take any risks in the watershed area right now.” He believes in hydrofracking, “not necessarily in the watershed area close to NYC, but certainly to the west of that.”
Government integrity: Paladino calls for full disclosure from all legislators of all incomes. He intends to put an end to automatic pay raises for legislators, calling instead for a vote on the raise.
Unemployment: Paladino says he will temporarily suspend manufacturers’ obligation to pay taxes, so that they can reinvest in job creation.
Taxes: If elected, Paladino plans to cut taxes by 10 percent in his first six months as governor. He wishes to implement a required super-majority vote in the Senate and Assembly for the state to raise taxes.
Supporters: Carl Paladino’s most prominent campaign contributor is Carl Paladino. The real estate developer invested $10 million in his campaign, with additional contributions from fellow Buffalo developers and the Empire State ABC Political Action Committee, which advocates for free enterprise and the meritocracy in the construction industry, among other contributors.
Also running for governor: Howie Hawkins of the Green Party (http://www.howiehawkins.com/landing.php), Jimmy Mcmillan of the Rent Is Too Damn High Party (http://www.rentistoodamnhigh.org/), Warren Redlich of the Libertarian Party (http://wredlich.com/ny/), Kristin M. Davis of the Anti-Prohibition Party (http://www.kristindavis2010.com), and Council Member Charles Barron of the Freedom Party (http://www.freedompartynys.com/candidate/charles-barron).
RACE FOR US SENATE
Two Senate positions are up for grabs this November. Contending for one of the seats are Democrat Sen. Charles Schumer, Republican Jay Townsend, Colia Clark of the Green Party, and Libertarian Randy Credico.
According to an Oct. 19 Rasmussen Report, Schumer has support of 59 percent, Townsend has 31 percent, 5 percent is divided between Clark and Credico, and the remaining 5 percent is undecided.
Schumer has already served two terms in the Senate, winning his first seat at the age of 23. The 60-year-old Sheepshead Bay native is a Harvard Law School graduate. He is known for his passion for protecting local manufacturers from the move to overseas production. He worked to bring Canon camera production to Long Island and spoke out vehemently against Adidas’ proposed move of its upstate factory to Thailand.
Schumer’s challenger Jay Townsend grew up on an Indiana farm and moved to New York 30 years ago as an entrepreneur. After working as a market analyst, Townshend eventually established his own marketing firm. This Senate hopeful makes regular appearances on Fox News. Some of the items on his “to-do-when-I-become-senator list” include stepping up efforts to explore federal land for oil, promoting lowered regulation in the marketplace and increasing military spending.
The two main contenders for the other open Senate seat are Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand and Republican Joseph DioGuardi.
As of Oct. 19, Gillibrand had 54 percent of the vote, with DioGuardi trailing behind at 33 percent. Of the 500 potential voters surveyed, 6 percent prefer one of the other candidates running for the seat, and 7 percent are undecided.
Sen. Gillibrand filled the seat left vacant by Hillary Clinton when she accepted the post of secretary of state. Before becoming a senator, Gillibrand worked as special counsel to Cuomo while he served as the secretary of Housing and Urban Development under the Clinton administration.
Gillibrand stands behind her work with Obama on his health care reform and says creating jobs is her number one priority. This year, she wrote legislation to give businesses a 20 percent tax break for hiring new employees.
DioGuardi is an accountant from the Bronx who has served two terms in Congress. He has a record of scrutinizing government spending and is responsible for the appointment of the chief financial officers that supervise each U.S. agency. He is the author of the CFO Act and “Unaccountable Congress: It Doesn’t Add Up,” in which he blows the whistle on what he sees as irresponsible spending in Congress.
Other candidates running alongside Gillibrand and DioGuardi include Cecile A. Lawrence of the Green Party, Joseph Huff of the Rent Is Too Damn High Party, Libertarian John Clifton, Vivia Morgan of the Anti-Prohibition Party, and Bruce Blakeman of the Tax Revolt Party.
The gubernatorial hopeful has been known to make controversial remarks that have brought a lot of criticism to him.
However, according to his website: “Carl Paladino is not a politician. He is known for speaking his mind—especially if folks don’t want to hear what he is saying.”
On the issues, in brief:
State budgeting: Paladino promises to cut state spending by 20 percent in his first year in the office. He will evaluate state agencies for efficiency and necessity.
Hydrofracking: While campaigning in Kingston on Oct. 12, a reporter asked Paladino where he stands on hydrofracking. He responded, “We don’t want to take any risks in the watershed area right now.” He believes in hydrofracking, “not necessarily in the watershed area close to NYC, but certainly to the west of that.”
Government integrity: Paladino calls for full disclosure from all legislators of all incomes. He intends to put an end to automatic pay raises for legislators, calling instead for a vote on the raise.
Unemployment: Paladino says he will temporarily suspend manufacturers’ obligation to pay taxes, so that they can reinvest in job creation.
Taxes: If elected, Paladino plans to cut taxes by 10 percent in his first six months as governor. He wishes to implement a required super-majority vote in the Senate and Assembly for the state to raise taxes.
Supporters: Carl Paladino’s most prominent campaign contributor is Carl Paladino. The real estate developer invested $10 million in his campaign, with additional contributions from fellow Buffalo developers and the Empire State ABC Political Action Committee, which advocates for free enterprise and the meritocracy in the construction industry, among other contributors.
Also running for governor: Howie Hawkins of the Green Party (http://www.howiehawkins.com/landing.php), Jimmy Mcmillan of the Rent Is Too Damn High Party (http://www.rentistoodamnhigh.org/), Warren Redlich of the Libertarian Party (http://wredlich.com/ny/), Kristin M. Davis of the Anti-Prohibition Party (http://www.kristindavis2010.com), and Council Member Charles Barron of the Freedom Party (http://www.freedompartynys.com/candidate/charles-barron).
RACE FOR US SENATE
Two Senate positions are up for grabs this November. Contending for one of the seats are Democrat Sen. Charles Schumer, Republican Jay Townsend, Colia Clark of the Green Party, and Libertarian Randy Credico.
According to an Oct. 19 Rasmussen Report, Schumer has support of 59 percent, Townsend has 31 percent, 5 percent is divided between Clark and Credico, and the remaining 5 percent is undecided.
Schumer has already served two terms in the Senate, winning his first seat at the age of 23. The 60-year-old Sheepshead Bay native is a Harvard Law School graduate. He is known for his passion for protecting local manufacturers from the move to overseas production. He worked to bring Canon camera production to Long Island and spoke out vehemently against Adidas’ proposed move of its upstate factory to Thailand.
Schumer’s challenger Jay Townsend grew up on an Indiana farm and moved to New York 30 years ago as an entrepreneur. After working as a market analyst, Townshend eventually established his own marketing firm. This Senate hopeful makes regular appearances on Fox News. Some of the items on his “to-do-when-I-become-senator list” include stepping up efforts to explore federal land for oil, promoting lowered regulation in the marketplace and increasing military spending.
The two main contenders for the other open Senate seat are Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand and Republican Joseph DioGuardi.
As of Oct. 19, Gillibrand had 54 percent of the vote, with DioGuardi trailing behind at 33 percent. Of the 500 potential voters surveyed, 6 percent prefer one of the other candidates running for the seat, and 7 percent are undecided.
Sen. Gillibrand filled the seat left vacant by Hillary Clinton when she accepted the post of secretary of state. Before becoming a senator, Gillibrand worked as special counsel to Cuomo while he served as the secretary of Housing and Urban Development under the Clinton administration.
Gillibrand stands behind her work with Obama on his health care reform and says creating jobs is her number one priority. This year, she wrote legislation to give businesses a 20 percent tax break for hiring new employees.
DioGuardi is an accountant from the Bronx who has served two terms in Congress. He has a record of scrutinizing government spending and is responsible for the appointment of the chief financial officers that supervise each U.S. agency. He is the author of the CFO Act and “Unaccountable Congress: It Doesn’t Add Up,” in which he blows the whistle on what he sees as irresponsible spending in Congress.
Other candidates running alongside Gillibrand and DioGuardi include Cecile A. Lawrence of the Green Party, Joseph Huff of the Rent Is Too Damn High Party, Libertarian John Clifton, Vivia Morgan of the Anti-Prohibition Party, and Bruce Blakeman of the Tax Revolt Party.
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