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……Is New York a Democratic stronghold? Not quite. Not yet. The Governor is a Democrat. The Assembly (House of Representatives) has a Democratic majority. The state Senate is controlled by the Republicans. There are 63 state Senate seats all of which are up for election every two years.
……At this moment the New York state Senate has a Republican majority Two Democratic resignations leave 30 Democrats and 31 Republicans. Eight of the Democrats belong to the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC). The 8 members of the IDC have, in the past, joined the Republicans to give Republicans control organizing the Senate. There is one more non-IDC Democrat who joins the Republican to organize the Senate.
……The two Senate vacancies are to be filled in special elections on April 24. Perhaps anticipating the election of additional Democrats in 2018, the IDC has made a deal with the Democratic leadership. After the state budget is complete and after the special elections, if the Democrats win both special elections, the IDC would organize with the Democrats.
……The deal may not matter. The Senate rules require a super majority to reorganize in the middle of a session. The reorganization attempt may be practice for after the 2018 election. Whether the deal happens now or not, the Democrats need every seat they can get.……There is a lot to say about the IDC, about its relationship to the Republican and Democratic leadership, about the old IDC deal with the Republicans, and the new deal with the Democrats. Not now.
……This Note is about a special election.
……One seat will definitely remain Democratic. District 32 is in the Bronx. Luis Supelveda is the Democratic candidate. He will win.
……One seat is not so clear. District 37 is in Westchester County. The long,\squiggly District stretches along beside the Sound and the Connecticut border, then reaches to New Rochelle and has a western portion in Eastchester and a piece of Yonkers.. Shelley Mayer https://www.shelley4senate.com/, who currently represents Yonkers in the New York State Assembly, is the Democratic candidate. Her opponent is a former councilwoman from Rye. The Republicans and their PACs are spending a lot of money to attempt to make this a Republican seat.
……Republicans complain that Shelley Mayer is an insider, tied to Governor Cuomo, and fits right into the corruption that is Albany. Shelley Mayer is an insider. She worked in Robert Abram’s Attorney General office, was senior counsel for the National State Attorney General Program at Columbia, was vice president of government and community affairs for Continuum Health Partners, and served as chief counsel to the senate Democrats — all before being elected to the Assembly. She promises a cleaner political atmosphere in Albany, stronger ethics requirements, more effective ways to address sexual harassment. Shelley Mayer also promises a focus on the consequences of the federal tax laws, finding ways moderate its impact on constituents and to minimize local property tax burdens.
……Read local newspapers and Shelley Mayer’s community communications. The newspapers provide no hint to support Republican claims of corruption. Shelley Mayer’s spring 2018 newsletter has a picture of her with Cardinal Dolan, another picture of her with a senior police official, and a picture of her with Sarah Lawrence union members. She writes about opioid overdose prevention and heroin treatment and recovery, the inclusion of paid family leave in the state budget, and infrastructure investment. In a newspaper interview Shelley Mayer stressed improving roads and bridges rather than Governor Cuomo’s proposed tunnel from Long Island to Westchester.
……Shelley Mayer https://www.shelley4senate.com/ is an experienced politician, a pro who seems most at home with local bread and butter issues. She is worth electing. Help her. Her election helps make the New York State Senate Democratic. Flipping Republican seats and replacing the IDC members with Democrats will do the job. That’s next. This special election is here and now. Support Mayer now.
……Like the effort to flip the Virginia House of Delegates, gaining control of the New York State Senate is a project. I have written one Note about Robert Jackson’s anti-IDC primary challenge and will write about others. Shelley Mayeris seeking to hold a Democratic seat. Others will be working to flip Republican seats. Join the effort.……………
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