2006 Challengers

Who will be running against who in 2006? District by district?

[Friend of Sid's]

In the 20th Assembly district, it is strongly rumored that either former Nassau County Legislator Michael Zapson or former City Councilman Dennis Kelly are said to be vying for Suozzi's attention to primary well liked, incumbent Democrat Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg.

The common belief is that with Suozzi leading the popular charge of reform ("Fix Albany") and the backing and support of Long Beach which is the largest area within the 20th A.D. , that either one of these two former public servants will pose a challenge to Weisenberg who is rumored to back Spitzer.

Suozzi controls Polcer/ Cammarato who are now the Democratic Party Chairs again. Silver and Spitzer better lean on these guys and let them know who runs this state and Dem party. Harvey is the deputy pro tem speaker of the Assembly and taking him down would be a huige accomplishment for Prince Suozzi.

Michael Zapson or Dennis Kelly? Who will it be?

[Zalman]

who cares-they both luz...................

Trunzo against Bodkin? Trunzo against Houser? What about in the general election? Will Trunzo have to step down before Nov?

the big suozzola is going to be all- consumed by his own primary. He is not going to care about an Assembly primary in Nassau County. Been there, done that!

[Benjamin / Cedarhurst]

Suozzi will need people to represent him in targeted races to secure his Primary wins in specific districts through out Long Island.

While Suozzi controls the Cammarato / Polcer Long Beach Democratic Clubhouse, Weisenberg is solidly behind front runner Eliot Spitzer. Thus, if Suozzi does not Primary Weisenberg with one of his candidates, he loses an opportunity to be the "maverick".

Speculation is that it will be former City Councilman Dennis Kelly over former Legislator Michael Zapson. Why Kelly over the stronger candidate Zapson? Suozzi has already pitched Kelly to Bogstead and the Conservative Party as an acceptable Democrat to co-sponsor. The Conservatives will like the fact that Kelly is a former Republican, Catholic who left the Republicans to get elected as a Democrat. Zapson is well known to be somewhat of a more liberal democrat with a strong record in government.

Suozzi & Kelly will play well with Conservative Republican voters as well as Long Beach Democrats. The Conservative Party is banking on the fact that the Republicans will offer no resistance. This is unfortunate and clear lack of leadership.

The Republican Party will miss the one chance to take this seat. Why? Kelly will defeat a tired incumbent in Harvey Weisenberg. Then Kelly who has an awful record of contradiction and nonsense and is loathed by as many Democrats as Republicans will get elected because the Republican Party has no vision, no bench, and no will to take this seat.

The Republicans could win this seat. Unfortunately, they will cite history and the difficulties, etc,etc,.... No wonder so many good people are considering walking away from the Long Beach/ Island Park Republicans.

What I do not understand is how can former U.S. Senator Al D'Amato not see this? Has everyone forgotten how D'Amato won? The same conditions. While two Democrats vied for Senator, D'Amato met with former President Richard Nixon and laid out a quiet but successful plan to take the traditionally Democrat Senate seat ignoring political correctness.

I think very highly of Joe Mondello and the leadership, but this Assembly race reflects how far they have fallen. Dislike Suozzi? Take it to him and everyone else in this race. Tell the public how Suozzi will raise taxes 20% when he becomes Governor!

The Republicans will suffer more erosion like tooth decay. They do not have the guts or the willpower to find an attractive candidate and run them.

[Friend of Joel's]

Interesting thread. Harvey Weisenberg is a nice man but the scenario that was posted points out how Suozzi could lose the Dem State Primary yet position his Assembly candidate to win their Primary and then win an uncontested election.

I personally have not forgiven Kelly for some of his self absorbed political decisions. First Kelly switches his political affiliation to get elected on the Coattails of the popular Joel Crystal (Billy Crystal's brother). How does Kelly repay Crystal? In 2003, Kelly endorses the political opposition thinking only Hennessy and Sofield would win making him, Kelly the City Council President. When Goodman wins by a slim margin, Kelly finds himself part of the minority.

Suozzi & Kelly are both political opportunists. I will not support the political recycling of Dennis Kelly!

[East End Dem]

Rumor has it that Albany knows Weisenberg may drop out or even subject himself to losing the primary. The best remedy would be to get Weisenberg to retire and have Michael Zapson run for the Assembly representing Eliot Spitzer. Zapson vs. Kelly would be a donnybrook!

[Silberman]

It's not going to be Zapson. Suozzi controls Zapson and is looking to place Zapson on a specific spot. Zapson will not cross Suozzi.

Solomon would be a better choice to run should Weisenberg retire. Solomon is closer to Weisenberg on the positions and would be an acceptable choice no matter who wins (Spitzer or Suozzi)

[Catholic Dem - Linda]

Dennis Kelly is not Conservative. I remember how a well respected Dem Catholic Committeeman petitioned the Diocese of RVC to remove Kelly as a Lector at St. Ignatius because of his well known support for Abortion rights.

[Flipper]

Solomon or Zapson would be stronger candidates than Kelly. Kelly cannot be trusted.Kelly is always shooting his mouth off about this or that without speaking to anyone to build consensus.

Kelly is too immature to deserve this opportunity. Solomon demonstrated some promise but Zapson has both the experience and the pedigree. I think Suozzi is placing too much emphasis on the potential of Kelly being perceived as a Conservative. That will not wash with Conservatives in the Long Beach / Atlantic Beach area at all.

If Weisenberg were to retire, I would be more excited about Zapson's chances unless we can convince Bruce Nyman to run for the seat. Let's hold Kelly back for the County Legislature in 2007 where I like his chances.

[West End Mommy]

Kelly would fit right in with the lunatics in the Nassau Legislature.

Can't you see Dennis right in there with Corbin & Altmann?

[Krap]

Kelly raised taxes by large margins during his tenure on the Long Beach City Council. Just last year, Kelly advocated that the City Council he sat on and said nothing while Gene Cammarato drove the City into the gound financially. Then tried to place it on the Repub / Dem Coalition that worked to undo many of the problems.

Kelly is known to have supported the original Superblock Proposal.
When the Coalition re-worked the original deal on much more favorable terms to the taxpayer, Kelly was against it.

How is Kelly going to stand up to Majority leader Shelly Silver?

Not likely!

[On the Move?]

Now that Judy Jacobs has become even more of a household name, can she spin that into a winning election for State Senate against 5th District State Senator Carl Marcellino who may have just hung around too long?

[Jacobs for Senate]

..at least it would get her away from the crazies at the Legislature.

[let the old lady be pleaz]

Judy Jacobs was a great political warhorse for many years, but don't you think enough is enough? The travel from Woodbury to Albany and back is grueling enough for an able bodied person. But let's be real. Starting a legislative career in your mid to late sixties as a junior Senator (most likely in the minority), does no good for Ms. Jacobs, and no good for the people in her district.

At times, it would seem that Ms. Jacobs barely had a clue when she served in Mineola, and she got through mostly on her clout, her well deserved reputation as a fighter for her district and her NIMBY causes, the strength of her LD as solidly Democratic, and the accumulated reputation of many years in public service.

Ms. Jacobs' Legislative District is safely Democratic. Maybe it is time for her to take a position in the Suozzi Administration as some kind of $100K+ a year Commissioner or DCE, accumulate four solid years towards her pension, and wind it down. And let a young person take over her LD. The "Blank" registration debacle may play well in the neighborhood among her followers, but it really does nothing to add or advance her legacy. It only shows her to be someone desperate to hold onto power, despite the verbal abuse from Tom Suozzi and Jay Jacobs, two of the most reprehensible men we have seen in Nassau Politics. Judy deserves better but needs to recognize that some chapters must come to an end, and that she does not own the job of Presiding Officer, or even her seat in the Legislature.

[Judy Loses]

But she gets goodies for the run when she loses by 15 pts.

[goody goody yum yum]

But she gets goodies for the run when she loses by 15 pts.

What kind of goodies will they give her, a life time pass to Boomy's and a parking space in the fire zone?

[Jacobs Suozzi]

No way. Judy Jacobs is in the hip pocket of the ACLU and other special interests often holding back any ability for other legislators to vote on serious issues that affect the community.

Suozzi cannot have her run and jeopardize his ability to be seen as a Conservative.

[Spitzer Supporter]

Weisenberg? Zapson or Kelly? This absolute dogspit.

Weisenberg is behind Spitzer and no one will beat him. End of story.

[A. Kremer]

Weisenberg is a solid Albany guy. No one is going to knock him out.
Let's be serious, guys like Zapson and Kelly have more political baggage then Weisenberg ever has. Zapson or Kelly running for the Assembly would be like putting Anna Benson as spokesperson for the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Zapson and Kelly had promising political futures but both are responsible for their own demise with often contradictory behavior and political choices. Many thought of Zapson as a player for this seat but lost one of the strongest drawn seats in all of Long Island and possibly the State. As for Kelly, not much is known about him. If it is true what one blogger stated about Kelly's decision to oust members of his own political party, that would qualify him for Tom Suozzi but hardly the give and take of Albany. People of Long Beach wake up, and examine the candidates real legacy of government service. Most of it was self service. Weisenberg is a real gentleman and worthy of re-election. Do not allow Tom Suozzi to diminish all he has done for Long Beach and the Five towns.

[Pearls of Wisdom]

Kremer's analysis is keen. The test of how successful would Kelly be should he primary Weisenberg are with influential people like Joel Crystal, Scott Nigro and Gina Guma. Rumor has it that only Nigro is willing to support Kelly with Crystal and Guma still disgusted with Kelly. Crystal is very well respected by Democrats and is said to be leaning towards supporting Eliot Spitzer.

[Newspaperman Al]

How do you explain the rumor that Lenny Remo is quietly urging and supporting Kelly to run a primary against Harvey?

[local mall shopper]

The idea that anybody on the Democratic side of the aisle would try to knock out Weisenberg stinks. There is a little known side of Weisenberg that I notice sometimes when I go to a local Mall. I have seen Mr. Weisenberg on a number of occasions spend time helping children and adults with severe handicaps.

Mr. Weisenberg does this work outside of his district, dressed down so that people will not recognize him, often in the summer. Mr. Weisenberg is a quality man, tending to the needs of these people who are often ignored by society. In this regard, Mr. Weisenberg is a man who walks with God. He is a good man, and a man that we need in public life. You would think that the Brothers at Chaminade would have taught Tom Suozzi that "whatever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me." In this regard, Mr. Weisenberg is a much better christian than Mr. Suozzi.

Men like Tom Suozzi appear to live for solely for their vain glorious ambitions. They do not have time for a person with down syndrom, or an adult with severe handicaps, unless it is for some photo opportunity. Indeed, if one looks at some of the heartless practices of Nassau County DSS or some of the harsh treatment of the needy by our fine county officials, you can only marvel at the unselfish acts of Mr. Weisenberg and be awed by these acts of grace.

Mr. Suozzi and his followers can use of dose of Mr. Weisenberg's grace and goodwill. I think it is even terrible to speculate about this kind of thing on a thread. Funny thing is that I am not a Democrat and I do not live in Weisenberg's district. Yet, I have observed Mr. Weisenberg in these quiet moments, when I myself am shopping with my family, and I am awed by his grace and human dignity. Maybe Mr. Suozzi should observe this for himself one day. And recognize that there are more important things in life than some bullsh*t political career.


Weisenberg is a solid Albany guy. No one is going to knock him out.
Let's be serious, guys like Zapson and Kelly have more political baggage then Weisenberg ever has. Zapson or Kelly running for the Assembly would be like putting Anna Benson as spokesperson for the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Zapson and Kelly had promising political futures but both are responsible for their own demise with often contradictory behavior and political choices. Many thought of Zapson as a player for this seat but lost one of the strongest drawn seats in all of Long Island and possibly the State. As for Kelly, not much is known about him. If it is true what one blogger stated about Kelly's decision to oust members of his own political party, that would qualify him for Tom Suozzi but hardly the give and take of Albany. People of Long Beach wake up, and examine the candidates real legacy of government service. Most of it was self service. Weisenberg is a real gentleman and worthy of re-election. Do not allow Tom Suozzi to diminish all he has done for Long Beach and the Five towns.

[Glen]

Why would Tom Suozzi & Dennis Kelly get rid of a nice man who takes care of the less fortunate, a real Democrat, a fine man?

Why? Why? Why?

[dee answer dude]

Why would Tom Suozzi & Dennis Kelly get rid of a nice man who takes care of the less fortunate, a real Democrat, a fine man?

Why? Why? Why?

Because Suozzi is a vicious, self-centered SOB who hates gentlepeople and enjoys the company of other vicious self centered SOBs who happen to be "yes people."

Why are Dennis and Lenny looking to unseat Harvey?

Please ask Steve Levy why he hates labor so much. This is one lying boss that has infected all that circle him. Pay attention...............

[GUEST 23.5]

Lenny is helping Dennis Kelly because he knows Dennis's weakspot. Dennis's weakspot is his ego. Dennis really believes that with Suozzi's help he can defeat Harvey Weisenberg.

The problem is this is no longer a secret.

Weisenberg continues to meet with Republican officals who are interested in brokering a deal to ensure Harvey will still be there should the clubhouse try to shut Harvey down.

Another example of Joe Mondello and Jim Moriarty working for the community's benefit.

and like that...Dennis was f*&^ed!

[Denis Kelly and Friends]

WHO EFFING CARES

if Tom Suozzi has to worry about doing well in Long Beach (so worried that he sets up someone to run a primary for assembly) than he is in pathetic shape in his gov race. Tom Suozzi has to worry about Democratic voters in Rochester, Buffalo, Albany, Bronx, Brooklyn, etc. Long Beach should have been locked up already. Where is that 10% coming from?

[Guest 23.5]

Open your ears and you would be surprised what you hear.

Stopped at the Long Beach Diner recently on Park Avenue and heard a prominent person within the Independence Party brag about how smart Dennis Kelly is and what a terrific Assemblyman he will make. I think there is more substance to this unsubstantiated rumor than people realize. Just imagine if Kelly or some other political entity similar to him received the Independence Party and Conservative Party and then primaries Weisenberg. Wow! Impressive!

Harvey will never have seen him coming. The Long Beach Clubhouse which is owned by Suozzi will not work for Harvey. Who is going to get him signatures? Harvey Weisenberg could very well lose this race before it even starts.

Dennis Kelly - New York State Assemblyman 2007.

Why would anyone try and stop this?

[dennis kelly jelly]

dennis kelly

[Ruby Today]

For goodness sake, please spell his name correctly. It's Denis with one "n" . The grammar and punctuation on these posts is really awful.Your English teacher Mrs. Crystal wouldn't be very proud of your lack of attention to detail.

[guest 23.5]

There is only one "n" in penis too.

[Ruby Today]

A+. I'm glad to see you were paying attention in Health class. Now, in Civics class... let's see if someone can tell us something real about the political landscape in Long Beach, instead of " diner talk" and "he said, she said". Who wants to go first? Larry... Steve ... Harvey...Gene...Steve... Bob...Lenny...Scott... And what about the ladies...Mindy...any of the Marys...Lee?

[nickerson's ghost]

Kelly is nervous with the undeniable rumors of his impending primary against Assmeblyman Harvey Wesienberg circulating.

The ability to lay low is no longer his advantage. Weisenberg is said to be working with former Assemblyman Jerry Kremer outlining a successful campaign for Eliot Spitzer to become the Democrat candidate for Governor. At a dinner last week, they both raised over $100,000 in one sitting.

Weisenberg is working out and determined not to let Suozzi derail all he has accomplished for those with the greatest reliance on government, the physically challenged / disabled community.

Spitzer is rumored to be ready to go door to door to help Weisenberg.

Rumors are that Suozzi is considering other candidates in the Long Beach area that may be better positioned to assist Suozzi.

Kelly is nervous with the undeniable rumors of his impending primary against Assmeblyman Harvey Wesienberg circulating.

The ability to lay low is no longer his advantage. Weisenberg is said to be working with former Assemblyman Jerry Kremer outlining a successful campaign for Eliot Spitzer to become the Democrat candidate for Governor. At a dinner last week, they both raised over $100,000 in one sitting.

Weisenberg is working out and determined not to let Suozzi derail all he has accomplished for those with the greatest reliance on government, the physically challenged / disabled community.

Spitzer is rumored to be ready to go door to door to help Weisenberg.

Rumors are that Suozzi is considering other candidates in the Long Beach area that may be better positioned to assist Suozzi.

If this post is accurate, Suozzi would be smart to drop any idea of a Primary against Weisenberg. Suozzi does not need to anger and excite Jewish voters, and cannot risk ethnic political warfare during the primary. Weisenberg is simply too much a beloved figure in the community. Suozzi's best move would be to promote his candidacy and the status quo in the area, and not upset Weisenberg loyalists who might otherwise fall asleep at the switch and not come out for Spitzer, if they know their beloved Assemblyman only faces the usual laughable Republican opposition in November.

[Bring Back the Ball Boy!]

Maybe Gary Spitz can change parties and set up another life and death match -- lifeguard v ball boy

[Proud Republican]

Gary Spitz is not the enemy. Gary Spitz is a terrific person if you have ever had the pleasure of meeting him. Someone has had to run against a popular incumbent quietly and last time around it was Gary Spitz.

Harvey is a terrific person who we are all proud of but please show more class and do not denigrate Gary Spitz. Gary is a good guy and this can be a tough, unforgiving business.