Union endorsement sets battle for Dems' legislative primary

Assembly Democrats rarely face serious primary challenges, so for Assemb. Ginny Fields and three colleagues to be fending off primary candidates backed by the powerful state teachers union represents a startling change to state politics.

Fields (D-Oakdale) faces Sayville businessman Ken Mangan, her first primary opponent since going to Albany in a 2004 special election.

In an election year in which the front-running Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo is pitching a statewide property tax cap, New York State United Teachers' backing of Mangan may be calibrated to remind Democratic leaders of the union's political clout.

Fields, 64, who has been endorsed by the union in past elections, angered the organization earlier this year with her proposal that teachers across the state reopen their contracts and agree to a wage freeze to help close the state budget deficit.

"We endorsed so many fewer people this year than last time," said union executive vice president Andrew Pallotta. "If you come out against us, we'll be looking for a candidate who will champion our cause."

The Sept. 14 Fields-Mangan primary in the 5th District, which includes eastern Islip and a corner of southwestern Brookhaven, will be a test of union strength. The union, which plans to use phone banks and direct mail supporting Mangan, claims 1,900 members registered as Democrats in the district, a substantial number in a district that saw 2,271 Democrats vote in the last midterm primary in 2006.

The union also endorsed challengers to Democratic Assemblymen Jonathan Bing of Manhattan, David Gantt of Rochester and Sam Hoyt of Buffalo.

"What this is trying to do is send a message to the Assembly leadership that, if you ignore our position on key issues, we will look to hurt you among some of your members," Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said.

Mangan, 55, is following the anti-incumbent playbook in use by scores of candidates this year. He's painting Fields as out-of-touch with the district. He's reminding voters of Fields' well-publicized problems with her neighbors, who filed an abuse-of-power lawsuit in 2008. It claimed Fields harassed them after they reported to the Town of Islip several code violations on a property where Fields and her husband were illegally renting out two cottages. The suit was thrown out in July.

"She's just not the right person for the job," Mangan said. "Ginny Fields is all about getting elected. She's not a public servant."

Fields, who also has the Independence and Working Families party lines, says she is taking the challenge seriously. But even still, she dismisses Mangan's chances to beat her or win a general election in a relatively conservative district that once sent Steve Levy to Albany and is home to 8,615 more Republicans than Democrats. She said she'll support whoever wins the Democratic primary in the general election. "It will be me," she predicted.

Republicans have nominated attorney Alfred Graf, but GOP opponents have not come within 12 percentage points of beating Fields in her four Assembly elections.

Mangan, Fields said, "is not doing his homework. It's great to spew rhetoric and spew mistruths, but it's not so easy to sit down and do your homework and figure out that someone is doing great public service."

While Fields expresses confidence that she'll win - "Dream on," she said about Mangan's chances - such brashness did not stop her from making a public request on Facebook that Cuomo record a robocall for her.

Cuomo's spokesman declined to comment on the request. Fields said she's working hard while waiting for a response. "He's a real busy guy," she said. "I'm not banking everything on Andrew Cuomo."

GINNY FIELDS

Democrat

Age: 64

Home: Oakdale

Electoral history: Won a special election to replace Steve Levy when Levy became county executive in March 2004. Re-elected in each even-numbered year since.

Occupation: Retired medical administrator and civic environmental activist.

Key allies: Suffolk County Democratic Chairman Richard Schaffer, party organization.

KEN MANGAN

Democrat

Age: 55

Home: Sayville

Electoral history: Lost race for Islip Town board post in 2003. Occupation: Small-business owner and president of Every Child's Dream nonprofit organization.

Key allies: New York State United Teachers union, local teachers' union organization.