Democratic newcomer has sights set on LaValle's seat

Veteran Republican state Sen. Kenneth LaValle ran unopposed two years ago and hasn't had a serious foe in 20 years. That's about to change.

Democrat Regina Calcaterra, 43, a steely corporate fraud lawyer forged by an upbringing in homeless shelters and foster homes, is banking on public anger against all Albany incumbents to unseat LaValle, 70, a 34-year incumbent, who chairs the GOP minority conference.

"Albany is completely dysfunctional," said Calcaterra, who has lived for the last three years in New Suffolk on the North Fork. She blamed long-term lawmakers like LaValle for the malaise. "Long Island sends $8 billion to Albany and only gets $5 billion back."

But LaValle, an architect of pine barrens preservation and the STAR programs, counters that Calcaterra is "a Manhattan-based attorney" and it is the city-dominated Senate Democratic majority that prevents Long Island from getting its fair share of state aid. "She has no connection to the people of the district," he said.

Though a neophyte, Calcaterra has quietly been preparing for a year and will officially kick off her candidacy next Saturday in Eastport. Even more importantly, a day earlier, she will file a report in Albany showing she has coffers of more than $100,000 - making her a serious contender.

Calcaterra describes herself as a "moderate" and says she will take no money from Senate Democrats, conceding they are also to blame for state woes. "They have not showed any kind of leadership," she said, "I'm not interested in their support. I'm doing fine without it."

But Calcaterra has a huge uphill climb. Only one Suffolk Democrat in the last century, Brian X. Foley, has won a Senate seat and he was running against Caesar Trunzo, 83, whose town party was split because he refused to step down as town party leader. Now Foley himself is under fire for backing the MTA tax. "Foley caught a wave running with Obama, but that's not happening this year," said political consultant Michael Dawidziak.

Far better known Democrats, including Smithtown Supervisor Patrick Vecchio and Steve Levy before he became county executive, lost Senate races, as did Brooke Ellison, a Harvard-educated quadriplegic and subject of a TV movie in 2006.

But Calcaterra has a personal story that is just as compelling.

One of five children, she lived in shelters and foster homes because her mother, now dead, suffered from drug and alcohol woes. At 14, Calcaterra petitioned to be emancipated so she could stay in one high school, and later graduated from SUNY New Paltz, attending Seton Hall Law School at night. She first worked for handicapped veterans and later the city comptroller. She is now a corporate-fraud lawyer who recovered from troubled WorldCom $6 billion in pension funds, including some for New York State's fund.

Patrick Halpin, former Democratic county executive, said not only is Calcaterra impressive, he has never seen the public so volatile. "I don't think any incumbent - including Sen. LaValle - is safe," he said, "Incumbents . . . run on their record and what they've delivered. But this year that is not a persuasive argument."

Calcaterra also said LaValle's support is tepid, noting only 80,000 of the 161,000 voters who turned out two years ago voted for him, even unopposed. "That's a 50 percent drop-off," she said. The last time LaValle was tested dates back to 1990 when he beat WOR radio host Sherrye Henry, even though she spent $500,000.

Richard Schaffer, Suffolk Democratic chairman, predicted the disciplined Calcaterra will be LaValle's toughest foe ever. "He's been part of the State Senate inaction," he said, "She wants to shake things up."

But Assemb. Fred Thiele Jr. (I-Sag Harbor) expects Calcaterra to face difficulties "getting traction" because LaValle takes care of "bread and butter issues" like the pine barrens, school aid and Stony Brook University. "She may have a compelling story, but no one knows who she is," said Thiele. "He's the James Brown of Albany, the hardest working man in the State Senate."