No concession in some IDC races
Primary was a week ago, but 4 candidates still not ready to say they’ve been defeated
Four out of six of the so-called “turncoat” Senate Democrats toppled in this month’s primary election have yet to concede in their respective races.
Former IDC Sens. Jeff Klein, Jesse Hamilton, Tony Avella and David Valesky have not called to congratulate their opponents, prompting speculation that they may be considering third party bids in the general election, since each has the endorsement of the Independence Party line.
The Independent Democratic Conference, an eight-member group of breakaway Democrats that held a power sharing majority with the Senate Republicans since 2011, was disbanded in April as part of a Democratic reunification plan orchestrated by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Six former IDC members were casualties of insurgent, progressive campaigns that seized on Democratic voters’ increased awareness — and growing distaste — for the coalition in light of the Trump administration’s attacks on liberal policies.
Grassroots groups rallying to elect “true Democrats,” such as NO IDC NY and True Blue NY, sprang up and gained traction in the final stretch leading up to the primary. The anti-idc movement was boosted, in part, by the stunning victory of 28-year-old Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-cortez in Queens in June’s congressional primary, which shattered perceptions about the power of incumbency and establishment politics.
Klein, the Bronx-based Democratic powerhouse, who founded and led the IDC for seven years, was perhaps the most surprising upset of the Sept. 13 election. He was defeated by Alessandra Biaggi, who formerly worked for Cuomo and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
A campaign spokesman for Biaggi confirmed that the two have “exchanged calls, but have not spoken.”
A late-night message Klein left for Biaggi on primary night was apparently unintelligible.
Longtime Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf said he did not think Klein would stay in the race, and rumors have swirled that Klein may be eyeing a judgeship. Sheinkopf attributed the former senator’s silence to the shock at last Thursday’s outcome.
“Look, it’s a tough loss for him. He’s been a senator for 15 years, and before that he was in the Assembly ... and he was pilloried for somewhat being connected to Trump,” Sheinkopf said.
Hamilton, in Brooklyn, has similarly not spoken to his victorious opponent Zellnor Myrie, a campaign spokeswoman has confirmed.
Former New York City Comptroller John Liu, who toppled Avella in Queens with 52.67 percent of the vote, had previously worked with the senator in the New York City Council and challenged Avella for his seat in 2014.
The two men have never had Keep up with politics
before 8 a.m. www.timesunion.com/newsletters a great relationship, and Avella ignores him when they find themselves at the same event, Liu said.
“Look, four years ago, when it was clear on NY1 (that he won), I called him at 10 o’clock. I would have clearly taken his call. I was hoping for a call, but wasn’t holding my breath,” he said.
Before the primary, Avella told a Chinese-language media outlet that he didn’t intend to campaign on the Independence Party line if he lost.
In Syracuse, the match-up between Sen. David Valesky and Rachel May is apparently still contested. May, who drew 8,013 votes compared to Valesky’s 7,407, is holding out on declaring victory until all the absentee ballots are counted on Sept. 20.
Monica Klein, partner at Seneca Strategies, who consulted on many of the IDC challengers’ races, said that the former IDC members are likely still processing the loss.
“Sometimes when you cut the head off the chicken, the body doesn’t realize it’s dead for a few minutes,” she said.
Historically, holding a legislative seat — a rare elected position that does not carry term limits — was seen as a job guarantee. Now that guarantee is over, according to Sheinkopf.
“I don’t think they know what to do. The very mere fact that many incumbents can get whacked in one day, in a place where incumbency is the rule,” he said, “it’s a shock.”
A seventh longtime Democratic incumbent, Sen. Martin Dilan, lost to 27-year-old Democratic Socialist activist Julia Salazar in Brooklyn. Dilan, who was elected to seat in 2002, publicly congratulated his opponent, praising Salazar’s courage in the face of a slew of negative stories calling into question her biographical history.
“Ms. Salazar has shown great resolve throughout the campaign and I applaud her tenacity, especially when the world seemed to challenged her. That courage is not typical. It will no doubt come in handy in Albany,” Dilan said in a statement.