EMBOLDENED by their stunning capture of the Nassau County Legislature, state Democrats plan an all-out effort next year to win control of the GOP-dominated state Senate.
“The political landscape in Nassau County will never be the same after last Tuesday – and that has implications for the four Republican senators in Nassau,” said Assemblyman Thomas DiNapoli, the Nassau County Democratic chairman.
“Nassau is going to be the prime battleground in the Senate race – there’s no question about it.”
Republicans now control the Senate, 36-25 – meaning the loss of just six seats next year would cost them control. Some Democrats, like Albany Assemblyman John McEneny, are urging that fellow party members pool resources from several separate campaign committees – including the Assembly’s own – in an unprecedented effort to defeat Senate Republicans.
“With the opening we now have in Nassau, it may make sense for us to de-emphasize defeating Assembly Republicans in favor of emphasizing the chance to control the entire Legislature,” McEneny said.
Senate Minority Leader Martin Connor of Brooklyn said Democrats have an “enormous opportunity” because Nassau County still faces a $300 million deficit and virtual bankruptcy because of Republican policies.
“Look, [Republican] County Executive Thomas Gulotta is still there, unrepentant about his fiscal irresponsibility, and he’s got a whole coterie of Republican state senators who were complicit in his actions,” Connor said.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno of upstate Rensselaer – Gov. Pataki’s top legislative ally – called the Democratic saber-rattling “a joke,” insisting he isn’t worried about the Nassau vote.
“The vote was strictly about local issues involving the county executive and the county Legislature, and I don’t see that carrying any way into the state elections next year,” Bruno said.
“The Senate has always been responsive to the needs of the people of Nassau County.
“Why on earth would constituents want to get rid of their Republican senators who have been doing such a good job for them?”
Key legislative insiders, however, describe Bruno as “increasingly concerned” over potential Democratic inroads. And they say he may be ready to challenge some of Pataki’s politically unpopular policies – such as health-care cuts – to protect Republican lawmakers.
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Pataki’s notoriously unhelpful “press office” – which makes a practice of refusing reporters’ requests for even such basic information as the governor’s physical location – is having increasing difficulty with spelling and grammar.
In recent press releases, former Gov. W. Averell Harriman’s name was spelled, “Averill W. Harriman;” author Norman Mailer’s first name was spelled “Normal;” Yankee manager Joe Torre’s last name appeared as “Torres;” and Yankee pitcher Mariano Rivera’s last name was given as “Riveria.”
Two press releases last week spelled the name of the new Jefferson County district attorney two different ways, as Cynthia Inschert and Cindy F. Intschert.
A press release in which Pataki praised filmmaker Ken Burns’ new TV feature on feminist pioneers said the film portrayed the “live and times” of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
And then there’s the grammatical problem known as redundancy.
In a press release praising the Yankees’ World Series victory, Pataki was quoted as saying that the Yankees “have given the entire state an unforgettable era of baseball dominance that will never be forgotten.”
It certainly is the case that an “unforgettable era” is rarely forgotten.
“Obviously, the press releases didn’t get proofed well enough,” said Pataki spokesman Michael McKeon, who makes $118,000 a year.
Fredric U. Dicker’s radio show, “Live from the State Capitol,” can be heard weekdays from 10:05 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Saturdays from 4:05 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the Web at http://www.wrow.com.