Damning the Sin Of Backroom Wheeling-Dealing -- Not the Sinner
February 12th, 2006
Talk about trying to have it both ways. In an editorial today, the NY Times criticizes the system that allows party insiders in effect to select who will fill vacant state legislative seats in mid term. Most people in the affected districts — three of them in the city — are unaware of the elections for the posts February 28.
Democratic insiders have picked the party’s candidate in the three overwhelmingly Democratic districts, and given the power of incumbency, these three products of the backrooms will probably keep the seats for many years to come. “The election that really shines the spotlight on this unfair, party-driven method of choosing legislators is taking place for the Assembly seat from Manhattan’s Upper West Side,” the editorial says. It goes on to explain the party pick — Linda Rosenthal — is a longtime aide to Representative Jerrold Nadler, who had the Assembly seat before handing it to Scott Stringer (who now has vacated the seat to become Manhattan borough president).
But then, who does the Times endorse? Linda Rosenthal. But maybe just for now. The paper urges her two opponents to try again in November “when voters actually realize that there is an election going on.”
By Gail Robinson on February 12, 2006, 9:43 pmIn category: Electoral Politics, Gotham City, Governing | 2 Comments »


February 13th, 2006 at 8:26 am
The New York Times almost always endorses the incumbent (or the incumbent equivalent if there isn’t one) in local elections. Unless the incumbent is under indictment, in which case the Times might endorse the challenger. Unless the challenger is also under indictment, in which case the Times endorses the incumbent.
February 27th, 2006 at 5:00 pm
[...] Tomorrow, three special elections take place to replace members of the state assembly who have found new jobs or retired in the middle of their terms. These elections are not known for their democratic credibility. [...]