Steve Bellone on message as election nears

Steve Bellone, the Democratic candidate for Suffolk County executive, was between a senior center and the campaign's final debate last week when he visited his party's Huntington call center.

Volunteers -- just like the voters Bellone sought last week at train stations, markets and school auditoriums across Suffolk -- heard a candidate relentlessly on message.

Coaching 78-year-old Elwood volunteer Paul Kamrass on his telephone pitch, the Babylon town supervisor advised: "Say we cut the size of government by 21 percent; that we delivered two consecutive tax cuts. Then put it all together. We've made government work; made it more efficient."

The final full week of Bellone's Election Day push included two debates with his Republican foe, Suffolk Treasurer Angie Carpenter, a rally with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and a hastily called news conference where he personally picked up the tab for a seasonal Santa Claus axed by the county.

It was something of a full-circle experience. At one point, he was at the Ronkonkoma Long Island Rail Road Station in an overcoat -- a repeat of April, shortly after he announced his candidacy.

But much has changed since then. No longer unknown, Bellone walked into Patchogue pubs at happy hour Friday and met people who could quote from his commercials -- a byproduct of his campaign having spent about $3 million.

Jeri Horton, a retired bookkeeper from Moriches, met Bellone recently on Patchogue's LIRR platform.

"If he could do what he says he can, it'd be wonderful," said Horton, a Republican, who indicated she may vote for Bellone. "It sounded good. But you have to work with others."

Saturday, he walked Main Street in Northport with Democratic legislature candidate William "Doc" Spencer and repeatedly said the election was an opportunity to elect a county executive who, unlike the outgoing Steve Levy, would work with district lawmakers.

"That line of buildings there," he told one resident, looking up Main Street. "Quintessential." The observation allowed him to note a planned $500-million private redevelopment in Wyandanch. Bellone ties his efforts there to what he said would be a focus on low-income neighborhoods.

At Wednesday's Cuomo rally in Hauppauge, he entered to the Bon Jovi song "Work for the Working Man." After a Thursday debate in Central Islip focusing on minority communities, he drew praise from a resident who liked his idea to expand public transportation.

"It's kind of upsetting when you have to go somewhere at 6 p.m. and you can't get a bus until the next day," said Keshia Benjamin, 34, of Central Islip, who does not have a car.

Many of Bellone's interactions lasted just seconds. But if he's cut off with an "I only vote Republican," he's got a reply: "That's OK. My mom's Republican."