The stuff dreams are made of
It looks like Michael Balboni wasn’t the only Republican Senator from a Dem-leaning district that Spitzer asked to serve in his administration. The Newsday blog reports:
Nassau Republican sources say Spitzer has reached out to other GOP senators who have Democratic-leaning districts — including Serphin Maltese, who represents part of Queens and who barely won re-election last month.
Unlike Balboni, who accepted Spitzer’s offer to become the state’s homeland security chief, Maltese, a longtime Conservative Party activist, turned aside Spitzer’s approach, sources said.
It sounds like the Dems missed a big opportunity to unseat the Falcon in 2006:
According to the tentative tallies, state Sen. Serphin Maltese, an 18-year Republican incumbent and longtime conservative activist, held his 15th district seat by a mere 783 votes against Democratic challenger Albert Baldeo.
Baldeo, 46, an attorney, nearly pulled off the upset against Maltese - the Queens Republican chairman - without party support, defying insiders’ expectations.
(snip)
For the moment, some observers see the Democrats as having already blown a big chance.
“They were so focused on the statewide races and they built up these huge margins, they squandered this huge opportunity for a Democrat to unseat a dinosaur,” said Doug Muzzio, a political science professor at Brooklyn College.
Ugh. I’m sure (I hope) the state Dem party had their reasons, but man, that hurts to hear that. Especially with Senate control so very close.
I am from Albert Baldeo’s district. Trust me, the 2008 Democratic candidate will win, and that candidate will NOT be Albert Baldeo. He has alienated everyone. and there isn’t much substance to the man. (His campaign website was embarassing just to look at)
The guy is a lunatic. He has a history of gun assault (check it out), and he would harm the Democrats credibility. I say we go for GOOD Democrats, rather than ANY Democrats.
Peter, those charges were declared bogus and false by the DA’s office. Baldeo saved his opponent Dr. Mahadeo and wife-because of their kids- from jail time for filing false police complaints. Baldeo could not be an attorney if those charges were true. Brown would have gutted him. C’mon, Peter, any one can be set up on a false allegation- you too. Does that make you any less a person?
[...] After Aubertine’s win in NYSD-48, the Democrats are one win away from taking control of the New York State Senate and ending Joe Bruno’s reign of terror. Which seats will be most heavily targeted in November? We’ve heard various things about some seats near Syracuse (especially this one) and on Long Island, but for now it looks like the biggest targets are: [...]