Cross-Posted on The Albany Project.

Warrant Issued for Suspect with "Direct Ties" to Tracey Brooks for Theft of Steck Signs

There will have to be some follow up on a breaking report from Capitol Confidential. The headline reads Cops probe theft of Steck signs and was out on the blogs just before the six o’clock news cycle.

Police are preparing to obtain an arrest warrant for a man charged with stealing congressional candidate Phil Steck’s lawn signs after the suspect refused to turn himself in, Chief Steve Heider said this afternoon.

A complaint was filed July 17 by a Steck campaign worker that signs were removed from along Route 9 in the Loudonville area. A week later the case was assigned to an investigator, Heider said.

Steck’s campaign sent out a statement this afternoon saying the person has direct ties to one of his opponents, Democrat Tracey Brooks. Kyle Kotary, Brooks spokesman, said he hadn’t gotten in touch with Brooks to comment as of 6 p.m.

More on this breaking story below the fold...

Oringinally Posted on The Albany Project

    I first met Paul Tonko outside the first candidate’s forum in late March, shortly before he announced his candidacy for Congress in New York’s 21st Congressional District.  I was hanging out after the debate had ended, determined to not only get back on the blogs to cover the event unlike any mainstream media outlet, but also because I’d had a crazy idea:  why not set up some extensive interviews with the candidates as well?

For a college student wearing long hair, a scruffy beard, and a Bob Marley tee-shirt, I can see where the candidates might have seen me as going out on a limb.  After I asked Paul Tonko, a 20-plus-year veteran of the Assembly who’s name is synonymous with the politics of the Capital Region, I wondered myself just what I’d gotten myself into.

The rest of the Soundpolitic Interview with Paul Tonko is below the fold as it appeared originally on The Albany Project.

Cross-Posted on The Albany Project

Candidates Debate at Two Forums - Tonko, Democrats Release Energy Plans
New Endorsements for Tonko, Brooks - Internet Poll Gives Lead To Steck

With about 25 days to go before Primary Day, the Democratic race in the 21st Congressional District saw one of it's busiest weeks ever in the past seven days.  Two major candidates' forums were held, people's mailboxes are overflowing with mailers, signs are popping up everywhere, and the airwaves are beginning to see a bombardment of advertising.

Given the competitive nature of the race and the strength of the candidates, it's likely that we ain't seen nothin' yet.  Go below the fold for a wrap-up of the bigger events and the odds and ends that may have whizzed by you in the past seven days.

On Tuesday, five of the seven candidates for Congress met at the the Unitarian Universalists Society in Albany.  Democrats Tracey Brooks, Phil Steck, Joseph Sullivan, and Paul Tonko and Republican Steven Vasquez were all in attendance.  The debate's moderator, Dr. Robert Fropp, introduced himself as the chair of the Capital District Alliance for Universal Health care, recieving plenty of applause when he announced "I am definitiely not running for Congress."

One Democrat, Darius Shahinfar, and the other Republican, Jim Buhrmaster, were both absent from the forum.  Shahinfar because his wife was giving birth to his second child at the time, and Buhrmaster to cast votes in his capacity as Schenectady County Legislator.  The five candidates that remained were then given several questions that devled deep into one of the biggest issues of the primary.

Below the fold, a full report of the questions and answers in yet another debate in this hotly contested primary.

Originally Posted on The Albany Project

Steck Leads the Pack on Iran, Campaign Finance
Shahinfar Speaks Out On Iraq; Brooks Back On TV
Sullivan Petition Challenge Fails, "Loneranger" Rides On

The first week of August saw a flurry of campaign activity as the five Democrats seeking to replace retiring Representative Mike McNulty continued...and indeed a five-way race.  Self-described conservative Democratic candidate Joseph Sullivan has withstood a private challenge to his petitions.  

Meanwhile, the other four major contenders, Tracey Brooks, Darius Shahinfar, Phil Steck, and Paul Tonko, all lined up against a recent House resolution co-sponsored by the retiring incumbent regarding new sanctions and a possible blockade of Iran.  While the big four seem unified on this front, we have ourselves a bit of split on campaign finance reform.

The full weekly wrap-up below the fold...

Cross-Posted On The Albany Project

September 9 Ballot Order Made Final
Steck Hits Mailboxes, Telephones; Brooks On Radio Waves
Update on Petitions Challenges

As we say goodbye to July and hello to August, the two primaries for the Democratic and Republican nominations to be the NY-21’s next Representative keeps rolling.  While there are no holidays in August, you can rest assured that none of the candidates are taking one, and are likely getting a lot of exercise and perhaps even bruises on their knuckles from knocking on doors.

This week may not have been as awash in news as last week’s State of the Race, but in a race with five Democrats and two Republicans, there’s bound to be enough news even for the seventh day of rest.  Get your fill below the fold...

Cross-Posted on The Albany Project

Brooks Debuts Advertising Blitz, Steck Delivers First Mailer
New Endorsements Totals for Brooks, Steck, Tonko
Shahinfar, Sullivan Continue Fight for Media Coverage

With less than fifty days to go before the Democratic Primary for Congress, all five Democrats are putting forth their best effort to get their messages out to the voters.  Each is making the case that they have their own unique experience and style that makes them the best replacement for retiring Democratic Congressman Mike McNulty.

Below the fold, the first in a weekly series of news wraps ups summarizing the campaigns’ activities directly from the campaigns themselves...not filtered through the lackluster mainstream media.

Columbia Street in Albany is one of those modern marvels of urban transportation.  It's one of those streets that becomes a one way street in one direction and then in a different one.  And a different one.  I was wondering how I was to find Congressional candidate Tracey Brooks's campaign headquarters...

...in a torrential downpour, that is.  For those who aren't film buffs, rain symbolizes change.  Which is the big word in all 2008 elections.  This includes the 21st Congressional District of New York where Tracey Brooks is one of five Democrats seeking to replace a Democratic veteran of two decades.

In the interview below the fold, Tracey goes deeper into her life's story and experience than ever before, and faces questions that may be the closest any candidate in the race gets to Hardball.  Campaigns themselves can be an obstacle course, as can an interview, but as she says in the interview below:

"Never have I faced anything with an obstacle perspective, but rather a can-do, will-do, must-do perspective...just like we have approached this race."

Orginally Posted On The Albany Project

JULY 19, 2008 - Yesterday night, the Albany Jewish Community Center and NORC hosted a forum featuring all seven candidates vying for both major party lines in an open Congressional race to fill the vacancy that will be left when Rep. Mike McNulty (D-Green Island) retires.  It was the first debate held after the filing of nominating petitions, so all seven candidates will be appearing on the ballot for the September 9th primary.

"I am not the League of Women Voters!" the hostess pointed out at the beginning of the forum, before asking the first question of all the candidates: would they all sign a civility pledge as drawn up by the League?  The response was unanimous in the affirmative, and the candidates kept to that pledge for the entirety of the debate.

Below the fold, you get the candidates opening and closing statements and their answers to six questions submitted from the audience.

The Albany Times Union yesterday debuted the first article in a series chronicling the growth of the Capital Region’s suburbs in the last half century and the effect it is having on the present day.  Yesterday’s cover story gives the editorial introduction, and today’s page prints comments from the TU’s blog.

Now, with the price of gas above $4 a gallon, some wonder if the Capital Region, and the rest of the country, is at a crossroads. Can the growth of suburbia continue? Can the region maintain its high quality of life if existing trends continue? Will fuel become so pricey people can no longer afford commutes from the outlying suburbs?

As I read the article and the comments, I couldn’t help but notice that these questions have great relevance to the Democratic primary for Congress in the 21st district.  Indeed, some are exactly the same questions being asked of the four Democrats running for the seat.

Complete analysis below the fold...

Oringainally Posted on The Albany Project

When I met Darius Shahinfar at the Tea & Tap Room in Albany, he greeted me with an anecdote about this story, which joked that, if elected, his name would mess up all the Congressional spell-checkers.  The unusual name is of Iranian origin, as Darius is a first-generation Iranian-American, named after one of the great emperors of ancient Persia.

But while he recalled this story with a sense of humor over introductions, he introduced his campaign to with a sense of confidence over coffee.   The race in the 21st shrank with the turning in of petitions, and he now has only three opponents.  Something he said during the course of the interview, however, indicated that he didn’t see things quite that way:

"I’m not running against Paul Tonko, I’m not running against Phil, I’m not running against Tracey...I’m running for Congress."  Shahinfar said as part of the interview below the fold.

There's been much talk about filing nominating petitions lately, and I think a wrap up is needed.  Per the Times Union report, candidates Tracey Brooks, Darius Shahinfar, Phil Steck, and Paul Tonko all handed in enough Democratic signatures to make the cut.

Four Democratic candidates emerged from the petition-filing deadline Thursday, chopping in half the crowded field that once numbered up to 10 Democratic hopefuls in the most competitive 21st race in more than 50 years.

Full coverage below the flip...

Paul Tonko was one of the most talked-about candidates for months before he decided to run about two months ago, and "officially" a few weeks ago.  He could often be heard saying he would "hit the ground running" both on the campaign and in Mike McNulty's seat once the Congressman retired and the recently resigned NYSERDA presient and 23-year Assembly veteran Tonko took the cake.

But judging from Tonko's performance on the web as the Times Union reported yesterday, Tonko may have hit the ground running, but when it comes to hitting the Web, a better saying might be "I've fallen, and I can't get up."

Find out how the big name fell flat below the flip...

Originally Posted at The Albany Project

Now that the big Democratic primary for President is over with Hillary Clinton suspending her campaign this weekend, it’s time to turn our primary-attention to races for Congress and state houses.  First question on  the list: how does Hillary’s exit and Barack Obama’s triumph affect the many Democratic primaries that are still ongoing?

In New York’s 21st Congressional District, the question has greater weight: candidate Tracey Brooks, the only woman in a field of eight other men seeking retiring Representative Mike McNulty’s seat, has made the fact that she served as an aide to Senator Clinton a centerpiece of her campaign.

So does Hillary’s exit help or hurt the Congressional hopeful from Albany?  The Times Union considered this question just before Clinton’s exit:  Feel free to join the discussion below the fold.

Originally Posted on The Albany Project.

It turns out the packed Democratic primary in the Capital District is gaining some attention in Central New York thanks to candidate Paul Tonko having years of connections as a former Assemblyman and recently resigned NYSERDA President.

From the Syracuse Post-Standard under the headline Key lawmaker milks the system for his backyard:

For 15 years, Paul Tonko could be counted on to criticize state energy policy and National Grid's prices.

At the same time, the chairman of the Assembly Energy Committee quietly asked the state's energy agencies and the utility for a favor:

A breakdown of an investigation into Paul Tonko's energy record below the fold.

Phil Steck gets Independence Party Backing
Working Families endorse Paul Tonko
Former Republican party chair enters Democratic Primary

When the Working Families Party endorsed Paul Tonko, they released a statement entitled "In Crowded Field, Third Party Hopes to Give Progressive Candidate Major Boost."

This could also have been said about Phil Steck, who has recieved the backing of the Independence Party.  The two now have third-party support in an eight...make that nine-way race to fill Mike McNulty's shoes when he retires.

...and in "who cares" news, the dueling Republicans picked up their backing too: Conservatives for Buhrmaster and Presidential candidate Ron Paul for Vasquez.  More on the primary that will produce the next Congressman for the 21st below the fold.

You know those strobe lights that go off during fire alarms?  They help to alert the deaf to the emergency.  One of the of the New York State laws that required this new safety measure.  Craig Burridge, now a candidate for Congress in the crowded field to fill a Democratic vacancy after Mike McNulty retires, has a framed copy of the signed law he worked on in the New York State Senate on the wall of his office.
  His office right now is Chief Executive Officer of the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York, and he is now making his first run for elected office in a race against seven other Democrats.   In the first of a series, I interviewed Mr. Burridge last week to get a better idea of who the candidate is.
  Most of the attention on the 21st, in the mainstream and on the netroots, has been on "front-runners" Tracey Brooks, Phil Steck, and Paul Tonko.  Yet put eight Democrats together, and you’re bound for a wealth of talent.   And as far as discounting any of them as "low-tier", goes Mr. Burridge himself had some choice words to answer:

  "Discount me at your own risk." said Craig Burridge in the interview below the fold.

The recent endorsement of Congressional candidate Phil Steck by the Albany County Democratic Committee has recieved much coverage in the local mainstream  press as a "controversy" for about a week now.  Here on the netroots, there was much debate about the impact of the county's endorsement; the county is home to 55% of the voters in Congressman McNulty's district, and the endorsement was made from amongst a field of eight Democrats seeking to replace him after his retirement.

After a week, Metroland, the district's independent newsaper finally hit the nail on the head and interviewed the endorsed candidate himself extensively:

The Powers That Were

Phil Steck thwarts old guard and secures the Albany County Democratic Committee endorsement for U.S. representative in the 21st District

The rest of the story below the flip...