Mayor Bill de Blasio announced this afternoon that he will endorse State Senators Jeff Klein and Tony Avella’s re-election bids, dealing blows to the two well-known insurgents trying to unseat them.
Mr. de Blasio endorsed the two Independent Democratic Conference members shortly after the labor-backed Working Families Party said they would remain neutral in both races.
“Throughout this past session, Sen. Jeff Klein and Sen. Tony Avella worked tirelessly on behalf of the residents of New York City and helped make progress on issues that had been stalled for far too long,” Mr. de Blasio said in a statement. “With their leadership, we secured a record increase in funding for universal Pre-K, a fair budget for New York City, needed property tax relief for victims of Hurricane Sandy, and the changes we need to save lives and improve street safety.”
The endorsement also comes as the IDC, currently governing the State Senate with the Republican Party, agreed to break their ties with the GOP and work with the Democrats after the fall elections. Mr. de Blasio worked behind-the-scenes to broker an agreement between the five-member IDC conference, led by Mr. Klein, and the Democrats.
Mr. de Blasio, a liberal Democrat, believes it’s essential to weaken the GOP in order to enact his agenda, much of which is dependent on Albany and is less popular in many of the upstate and suburban districts that Republican senators represent.
14 comments:
In mostly conservative area of Queens Avella represents, the DeBlasio endorsement is like a kiss of death.
"Mr. de Blasio, a liberal Democrat"
That's an understatement at best. He's more like a socialist than any mayor in recent history. His endorsement might be Avellas undoing.
Tony Avella has worked tirelessly and created so many bills and zonings laws that we benefit from every day.
The Mayor's backing will only give him more power to do more great things and pass more important bills that will improve our living even more.
I've been following Avella since he was a councilman. A lot of other politicos don't like him because he's not afraid to get a skunk on table.
He has helped my community when no one else does. We need him.
the endorsement is not going to ruin avella,Liu is a pariah and you hardly see him in public without his entourage.
Liu got destroyed in the mayoral primary.He got so desperate he called for the legalization of pot.
Let's remember that the liberal nuts come out for primaries. This can only help Avella. He doesn't have much competition if he makes it past the primary.
Why would anyone, including di Blasio, endorse or trust John Liu?
Liu is a political climber who will step on anyone and lie to anyone in order to attain an elected position.
Plus he is a stomach turning slacker who refuses to pay his political fines.
Liu will end up in Danbury before Albany.
Finally - this dumbass mayor has done something good.
Go Tony!!
Tony Avella is the ONLY politician in Queens who listens to his constituents and does an honest day's work!
The idea that Avella will owe something to DeBlasio in the future, in the unlikely event DeBlasio needs Avella's support, pleases DeBlasio. A hopeful quid pro quo.
de Blasio's endorsement is hardly the kiss of death as one commenter stated. The people know the type of politician Tony Avella is, honest, hardworking and gets thing done for communities.
Score another one for Tony.
I'm voting for Tony. He's one of the only politicians who gets anything done.
The rest are hacks owned and paid for by their ma$ter$.
Everyone forgets that there is no love lost between Liu and di Blasio.
Liu accused him of stealing his political ideas on more than one occasion and more.
It also took Liu a full two weeks to endorse di Blasio after the democratic primary.
Paybacks are a bitch.
John (son-of-a-bank-thief) Liu is toast, thank God.
I used to suggest to him that he slink away, but now I find I am enjoying the destruction of his political career in public.
YAYYYY Tony Avella!!
a kiss of death to INDEPENDENT AVELLA ?
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