Dem leader shares election strategy
A file photo of Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs walking through the first day of the 2010 New York State Democratic Convention at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye Brook. (May 25, 2010) Credit: Howard Schnapp
Playing to an estimated 1,100 contributors and guests at his county organization's annual spring dinner, state and Nassau Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs sounded his rhetorical battle cry on Thursday, bashing second-year GOP County Executive Edward Mangano's performance and declaring that Nassau voters go into this year "with their eyes open -- wide open."
Contacted Friday, Jacobs talked up efforts to recoup a majority in the Nassau legislature, where all 19 seats are open for election in the fall. Five currently Republican districts, he said, are targeted in particular: the 3rd, represented by John Ciotti; the 4th, by Denise Ford; the 7th, by first-termer Howard Kopel; the 13th, held by Norma Gonsalves and the 14th, where Joseph Belesi is in his first term.
Republican sources said they may need to work to defend Belesi, but argued that the other four targets in Presiding Officer Peter Schmitt's 11-member majority appear safe. They also spoke of chances to flip the 5th, held by Democrat Joseph Scannell, and the 18th, to be vacated Dec. 31 by Democratic Minority Leader Diane Yatauro. Some politicos even speculated about GOP potential in the 16th, where former presiding officer Judy Jacobs serves her eighth term. Such discussions assume for now that the current district map will be in effect.
BYGONES & BILLIONAIRES: Addressing the Democrats' dinner at the Crestwood Hollow Country Club, Woodbury, first-year Attorney General Eric Schneiderman acknowledged "my friend Kathleen Rice," the Nassau district attorney, who was seated nearby, and whom he edged out in a five-way primary last fall. He mentioned their having taken part in several debates. But in the general election, he said he faced only "smear ad, smear ad, smear ad" from the Republicans.
Since the moment's propriety called for a bit of amnesia, the AG mentioned neither the Rice ads last September portraying him as an Albany hack, nor his own short-lived shots at her 2005 party-switch and other digs . . . Schneiderman amused the $245- and $750-per-plate guests with a story about Donald Trump phoning him some time back about an unnamed personal concern and telling him he was considering a national campaign. Schneiderman said, "I thought, 'Donald, you're not crazy enough to run for president as a Republican.' " Then Schneiderman added: "Obviously he's trying to address that problem." The "Should Trump Run" team didn't respond when contacted.
