Michael Bouldin
Spot the Liberal Reformer!
On the surface, the story is a familiar one.
A young insurgent, Dan Squadron, decides to challenge an entrenched incumbent, Marty Connor, in a State Senate race, in a year when public antipathy towards the ossified ways of Albany is greater than it has been in recent memory. The line between underdog liberal reformer and entrenched proponent of the status quo should be clear.
But a couple of unusual things have happened. Squadron, 28, has acquired the trappings, at least, of the establishment guy. He has raced out to a lead in high-increment fund-raising -- he has spent heavily but still has nearly $300,000 on hand, whereas Connor has barely spent $2500 and has only $83,000 -- and has gained support from some powerful labor entities like UNITE HERE, the Communication Workers of America and the union-backed Working Families Party. read more »
The Debate Over DFNYC's Connor-Squadron Non-Endorsement
Democracy for New York City’s decision to endorse neither State Senator Marty Connor nor his challenger--former Chuck Schumer aide Dan Squadron--has sparked an interesting debate among some stalwarts of the progressive Democratic community.
(It should be noted how the decision came about: neither Connor nor Squadron got 60 percent of votes from DFNYC voting members.)
Michael Bouldin, who blogs regularly on Daily Gotham, says that Connor isn't all that bad, but takes a throw-the-bums-out view of the need to replace him:
“We need, as a state, to infuse fresh blood into both chambers of the legislature; Dan Squadron's campaign could be the first ripple of a wave of new fresh faces who are suddenly considering public service. read more »
