Saturday, February 20, 2010

Sears to run as Republican in special election

From the Daily News:

Former Democratic Councilwoman Helen Sears was unanimously nominated by the Queens Republicans last night to carry the GOP banner in the March 16 special election for Hiram Monserrate's Senate seat, sources familiar with the proceedings confirmed.

The Independence and Conservative parties are expected to decide by the end of the day on whether they will also nominate Sears.

If they do, the name of the veteran Queens Democrat will appear on three ballot lines on election day, while Assemblyman Jose Peralta will likely have two: The Democratic and Working Families Party lines.

The wild card here is Monserrate, whose supporters are rushing to collect 3,000 signatures by midnight Monday in order to get him on the ballot as an independent candidate.

Actually, Monserrate is going to need to collect a lot more than the threshold number of signatures, given how worried the Democrats are at this point.

"Panic" was the word employed by a Senate source I spoke with early this morning. It's a safe bet the Democrats are going to employ every weapon in their considerable arsenal to try to block their expelled former colleague from getting on the ballot.

Why? If you thought the five-plus weeks of deadlock in the Senate last summer was tedious, consider five-plus MONTHS of deadlock, which is what Sears' election is likely to bring for the remainder of the 2010 legislative session.

Sears has had numerous conversations with the Senate Republicans, GOP sources confirm, and has agreed to conference with them if she wins. That means the chamber will be tied and neither side will have the majority.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

So what IS the difference between a Democrat and a Republican???

Anonymous said...

Why do we keep recycling politicians? Isn't there anyone with half a brain in Queens who could run for this office? Come on people -- think -- isn't there someone in your community who could fit the bill and run?

Anonymous said...

It will be even more entertaining if Monserrate wins.

Will the two parties engage in a bidding war again for his services?

After his humiliation, what will it take to satisfy him this time around?

Anonymous said...

Running for office is expensive, and legally daunting. Filling out countless forms and stuff. You try it.

Anonymous said...

Poster #1,

There is a HUGH differance between a REAL Republican and a REAL Democrat. I found out quite awhile ago many candidates say they are Democrates just to get elected.

Guess Sears wants Lead Paint poisioning for all children in NY State.

Wake up folks and do some readng before you vote.

Anonymous said...

to paraphrase the honorable martha flores vazquez: we can elect a democrat or we can elect a qualified candidate

Anonymous said...

Actually Marthas' quote was " We can elect an Asian candidate or a qualified candidate". Very racist but considering who she was working for at the time, it was hardly a surprise.

Anonymous said...

Screw Monserrate!, I hope he gets bumped from the ballot and back to obscurity!

Anonymous said...

1. Is Roebuck going to be on the ballot too?

2. Another example of Democrats doing the job that Republicans won't do. If New York City remains a two party city the "other" party is going to be the Communist -- excuse me -- "Working Families" party.