BK Southie » NY-13

Challenger To Michael Grimm Earns Supportive Remarks From Bay Ridge Democrats

Posted by Brian Hedden at 7:00 am Bay Ridge, Politics

Jan 272012

Mark Murphy will run against Congressman Michael Grimm in November 2012. (Photo source: Mark Murphy For Congress)

Last week, Mark Murphy – son of former Congressman John Murphy and a former aide to Public Advocate Bill DeBlasio – announced his candidacy for the 13th Congressional District, currently held by Michael Grimm. The move generated considerable interest on Staten Island – including strong support from the Richmond County party chairman and some notably less-strong encouragement from elected officials, including Staten Island/Brooklyn State Senator Diane Savino. Reaction from Bay Ridge – roughly one-third of Grimm’s district – was notably absent.

BK Southie reached out to Justin Brannan, the President of the Bay Ridge Democrats political club, to get a sense of the feeling among party activists on the Brooklyn side. Brannan told us:

“We need someone who understands and will fight for local values and put our interests first before the party’s agenda. The current Congressman is simply not in tune with the district he represents. He spends too much time on TV and too little time listening to the concerns of the people. If you’re a leader your #1 job should be to listen; Mark Murphy listens. I’m glad he stepped up.”

Proposed district boundaries for the Assembly and State Senate were released yesterday. At the time of our publishing deadline, there is still no word on the new Congressional districts, which must reduce the number of New York State representatives from 29 to 27. With that reduction in mind, it stands to reason that the new District 13 will need to reach further into Brooklyn than it already does – potentially into areas that have a Democratic registration edge. That prospect, along with the general competitiveness of district and a new poll suggesting Democrats have a chance to take majority control of the House this election, may have the effect of boosting Murphy’s campaign. Working against Murphy is the fundraising head start that Grimm holds over him ($1 million dollars to zero as of the last FEC filing), and the fact that the elder Congressman Murphy left politics in disgrace, marred by an indictment in the Abscam scandal that led to the bribery conviction of five of his House collegues.

The impact of Murphy’s Hollywood career, including roles in my college-era favorite show, Pacific Blue, remains to be seen.

Grimm is currently leading a controversial effort to weaken federal whistleblower protection by directing complaints to in-house reporting mechanisms before federal regulators.

Additional notes on Mark Murphy Congressional run, still lacking Bay Ridge reaction

Posted by Brian Hedden at 6:00 am Bay Ridge, Not Brooklyn, Politics

Jan 202012

News Corp’s Brooklyn Daily chimed in on the announcement from Staten Island Democrat Mark Murphy would challenge Michael Grimm for the Congressional seat that includes Bay Ridge as part of its constituency. After the Staten Island Advance covered the dissension between the Richmond County party chair and elected leaders from that borough, I was expecting the Bay Ridge Courier team to publish the Bay Ridge reaction.

On the contrary. The article didn’t mention Brooklyn until the end, mainly to say this:

Another hurdle — probably the biggest — is that no one Bay Ridge knows who he is. Murphy has yet to introduce himself to voters and many Bay Ridge Democrats are holding back their support until he hones his message — and crosses the Verrazano Bridge.

“I think he’s handsome, but I have no idea what he stands for,” said one Bay Ridge Democrat.

Yikes. I knew the Richmond County bosses – in both parties – hold most of the cards when it comes to official party support. But for Bay Ridge partisans to be completely in the dark? Yikes. Wait – I said that already. Continue reading »

Murphy (D-Staten Island) To Challenge Grimm (R-Staten Island) For Bay Ridge Congressional Seat

Posted by Brian Hedden at 6:00 am Bay Ridge, Not Brooklyn, Politics

Jan 192012

WNYC reports that a new contender has emerged for the Congressional seat of Michael Grimm (R-Staten Island): Mark Murphy (D-Staten Island), the son of a former nine-term Congressman.

Murphy, 41, most recently worked as an aide to Public Advocate Bill DeBlasio representing Staten Island, south Brooklyn and northeast Queens. Murphy resigned from the position over a week ago and plans to launch his campaign Wednesday evening at his headquarters in Staten Island.

His father, John Murphy (D-Staten Island), served as Staten Island’s Representative from 1963 to 1981. He lost his re-election bid to a tenth term to Guy Molinari (R-Staten Island) after being indicted for bribery charges.

On the Staten Island side of the district, there’s already some ruffled feathers. As reported by the Staten Island Advance, Richmond County Democratic Chairman John Gulino (D-Staten Island) has embraced the Murphy candidacy. This boost has apparently raised tensions with several elected leaders, including Diane Savino (D-Staten Island), whose North Shore State Senate district reaches into Sunset Park, Bensonhurst, and Coney Island. Of particular note, Staten Island Councilmember Debi Rose (D-Staten Island) has expressed interest in running for the seat. (Murphy declared last summer that he would not challenge Rose for her spot on the Council, possibly as a favor to then-boss Public Advocate Bill DeBlasio.)

To date, the media discussion seems to be absent of any opinion whose name ends with (D-Bay Ridge) or (R-Bay Ridge).

Election: Michael Grimm projected to defeat Michael McMahon in Staten Island/Bay Ridge district

Posted by Brian Hedden at 12:55 am Bay Ridge, Politics

Nov 032010

Republican challenger Michael Grimm has been projected by the Associated Press to defeat one-term Democratic Representative Michael McMahon in the Staten Island Congressional district that includes Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights. McMahon, a former City Councilmember, made his mark in the 111th Congress by going against his party in its key legislation, the Health Care Reform bill. Grimm is a former Marine and FBI agent that will become one of over 50 freshman Republicans in the 112th Congress, giving the GOP the majority in the House for the first time in four years.

The McMahon campaign has not conceded, as of 12:30am. Grimm leads 51.6%-47.6% with 97% of the tally counted. (Staten Island Advance, NY Times)

Photos: The Bay Ridge 5th Avenue Festival

Posted by Brian Hedden at 7:00 am Bay Ridge

Jun 102010

5th Avenue Festival in Bay Ridge. All photos: Brian Hedden

Here some of the pictures from last Sunday’s street festival on 5th Avenue.

The band Holla Back played in front of the Wicked Monk.

Health Care Reform: How South Brooklyn Voted

Posted by Brian Hedden at 7:00 am Politics

Mar 242010

The U.S. House of Representatives passed two bills relating to health care reform Sunday night – the Senate’s sweeping reform package that President Obama signed into law Tuesday morning, and a budget reconcilliation bill that increases health care affordability that is expected to pass in the Senate this coming weekend.

Feel free to express your feelings in the comments. I’m largely going to stay out of it – let’s just say that this fence-sitting Kucinich Democrat is a little puzzled why (1) Republicans are so vehemently opposed to, and (2) Democrats are so proud of, what is essentially a RomneyCare health care plan. (I’m especially puzzled by Mitt Romney’s opposition to it.)

What I find more interesting at the moment is how Brooklyn put this thing over the top. Needing 216 votes to pass, the Senate bill was approved by only four votes. Which means the six Representatives with Brooklyn constituents could make it or break it. Five of the six voted in favor, led by Jerry Nadler (Sunset Park, Borough Park, Bensonhurst, Brighton Beach, Coney Island, and Manhattan) and Anthony Weiner (Sheepshead Bay, Gerritsen Beach, Marine Park, Mill Basin, Bergen Beach, and Queens).

Weiner’s stock rose considerably over the course of the debate (which has been going on for about three ages of Middle Earth). He was once considered a candidate for the 2009 Mayor’s race, but he opted to stay in Congress in the wake of term limit extensions that allowed Bloomberg to run again. That political calculation will pay off quite nicely for him – his early cheerleading for Medicare-style universal coverage, his insistence on public option insurance as a bare-minimum alternative, and his visibility on TV and on the House floor won over liberal progressives nationwide. (And I don’t think the fact that he, along with the rest of the Democratic left, got rolled by the Corporate Welfare wing of the party will hurt him with voters down the road.)

Michael McMahon, whose district covers Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Gravesend, and Staten Island, was the lone Democrat in the New York City delegation to vote against the bill. And the White House is reported to be pressuring donors to cut him off. Labor and progressive groups are promising a primary or third-party challenge from the left. I guess I feel like they’re wasting their time. McMahon’s district – dominated by Staten Island – has a registration edge for Democrats, but it leans Republican in actual elections. It’s why Bush men like Vito Fossella held the seat in the past. In Michael McMahon, district voters have found a politician who is their perfect representative – a Democrat who leans Republican. So I don’t think McMahon will be facing any serious fallout, either with Democratic primary voters or his district at large.

(Photo: U.S. House of Representatives)

Tuesday: Health Care Town Hall in Bay Ridge

Posted by Brian Hedden at 9:30 am Bay Ridge, Politics

Oct 172009

McMahon (Official) This Tuesday, October 20, from 10am to noon, Congressman Michael McMahon (D-Staten Island & Brooklyn) will hold a town hall on the topic of health care reform at the Shore Hill Community Room (Shore Rd. and 90th Street).

Rep. McMahon held a town hall on Staten Island earlier this month. I know someone that attempted to attend, and was turned away because the auditorium had already been filled. Even among those left outside, according to this anonymous Friend of BK Southie, emotions and tensions were running high.

For those of you that haven’t been keeping score at home, there is a single health care bill in the House that is believed to have, just barely, the support of the 218 Representatives needed to pass the bill. There are six bills in the Senate, five of which have the strong public option that has been at the core of the debate, but the option-less Finance Committee bill is the one that has the most attention and possibly the favor of Majority Leader Harry Reid, who has control over the merging process. There’s no question that the Senate bills have the 51 votes needed to pass outright, but 60 votes are needed to end debate, leaving the bills prone to filibuster if all 40 Republicans are joined by any one Democrat in a procedural vote.

House Leader Nancy Pelosi is said to be looking for more support so that the House bill passes with a comfortable majority… enter Congressman Michael McMahon, one of roughly 20 undecided House Democrats.

Tuesday’s town hall is inexplicably and inexcusably in the middle of the morning. I realize there are plenty of people who can make a midday appointment like that, but I would think such an important and high-profile issue would deserve a prime time slot to accommodate people with day jobs (especially since the Staten Island town hall was in the evening).

I wish I could attend. Mike McMahon is almost my Congressman! And if I moved to the other side of the street, he would be! Funny, that gerrymandering thing. Perhaps another Friend of BK Southie (apparently, one with very flexible hours) can fill me in on the details.

P.S. 26 days between the last post and this one. Oops. Sorry about that, but I gotta go now. I have a kid’s room to paint.