Quantcast

Political Action: Primaries, petition challenges dominate politics in Queens

Political Action: Primaries, petition challenges dominate politics in Queens
By William Lewis

This year has turned Queens into a political battleground during the last several weeks, with petition challenges, court confrontations and primary races taking center stage.

In the 5th Congressional District in northeast Queens and northwest Nassau County, represented by U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Bayside), it seems he now faces three active candidates competing to take his congressional seat, including Republican Dr. James Milano, who also has the Conservative Party’s endorsement. Milano, in his first attempt at running for elective office, seems to be building a significant two-county campaign organization, but faces a Republican Party primary from attorney Elizabeth Berney. She was the Republican candidate for that office two years ago when she lost to Ackerman.

Both candidates challenged each other’s Republican petitions in an attempt to remove the other from the ballot, but it did not happen. Both remain candidates and will face each other in a Republican primary Sept. 14. In the case of Berney, she is now appealing the decision of the Appellate Division to the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals.

The Appellate Court voted 5-0 to validate Milano’s petitions. There seems to be little likelihood that Berney will prevail in the Court of Appeals, especially since she is challenging the authority of the Queens Republican Party leadership in selecting Milano as its candidate. Both the State Supreme Court and Appellate Division have ruled in favor of Queens Republican Chairman Phil Ragusa.

Another challenge to Ackerman has come from within the Democratic Party. Patricia Maher of Nassau has filed petitions to run in a Democratic primary against Ackerman. Her petitions were invalidated by the State Supreme Court. Maher then appealed this decision to the Appellate Division, which reversed the lower court ruling and reinstated Maher as a Democratic candidate in the 5th Congressional District.

The decision was decided by a 5-0 vote. Ackerman could appeal to the Court of Appeals, but it is doubtful he would prevail, since the Appellate Court decided unanimously in Maher’s favor. It looks like Ackerman will be faced with a Democratic primary Sept. 14.

Maher is presently the director of development and community relations for a nonprofit Long Island health care group. In 2009, she won a Democratic primary for the county Legislature, but lost to a Republican in the fall election. Maher seems optimistic about her chances against Ackerman.

In the 15th state Senate District in southwest Queens, incumbent Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) is facing a challenge from former City Councilman Anthony Como. It was two years ago that Addabbo defeated Republican Serphin Maltese, who had held Addabbo’s position for 20 years.

In the present race, Addabbo has the endorsements of the Democratic and Independence parties, while Como has the Republican and Conservative party designations. Addabbo had the Working Families Party designation, but Como successfully challenged the WFP petitions and was able to have Addabbo’s WFP petitions invalidated. In return, the Addabbo forces will probably challenge Como’s third party line, the “Tax Cuts Now Party.” It seems a significant amount of time will be spent in the 15th Senate District in petition challenging.

In the 38th state Assembly District, Assemblyman Michael Miller (D-Woodhaven), who has the Democratic, Conservative and Independence party lines, is facing primaries from Democrat Nick Comaianni and Republican Donna Caltabiano, who is running against him in a Conservative primary as a write-in candidate.

Miller also has the WFP designation. The Queens Conservative Party does not usually give its endorsement to candidates who have WFP endorsement, but Miller did not inform Queens Conservative Chairman Tom Long that he had WFP endorsement.

Miller did not inform Long that he had the WFP endorsement. Referring to Miller’s obtaining WFP support, Long said, “I do not believe this was a good move. I hope it will not happen again.”

It seems that getting as many party endorsements as possible and challenging opponents’ petitions is becoming a standard procedure, but it has been part of the political process for a long time.