Happy Passover!
Happy Easter!
Congress has gone home, which is usually a good thing. They should be working, but what have they to do? Election Day is seven months away, but we seem to already be in the mid-terms fog, where words are spoken, budgets and policy are written, but nothing really gets done.
The Passover/Easter period usually brings some quiet to politics, at least locally. Candidates show up at holiday festivities, but it is mostly behind the scenes. Petitions are due today, so that can cause some commotion.
Petitioning results will mostly be predictable, although there are a couple of races where what gets filed could be interesting. Locally, in the Democratic primary in the 149th Assembly District, three candidates (Adam Bojak, Kevin Deese, Karen Hoak) are in the race. All three should clear the petition-signatures threshold but will anyone get challenged?
Statewide, there are four Democrats vying for the party nomination for state comptroller. The incumbent, Tom DiNapoli, has an automatic spot on the primary ballot following his endorsement at the February state convention. The three other contenders (Adam Bunkeddeko, Raj Goyle, Drew Warshaw) have had to petition their way onto the primary ballot, an expensive, complex, and time-consuming effort. From DiNapoli’s point of view, it’s probably the more the merrier, as none of the three others have much name recognition and it might be hard to distinguish the platforms of one from another. In a multi-candidate field DiNapoli will win going away.
There is some behind-the-scenes jockeying going on involving the Public Campaign Financing Board’s decision to deny Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman access to matching state campaign funds. It seems that Blakeman’s Lt. Governor candidate failed to file an application with the Board, and since the two candidates are now linked as a team for ballot purposes, that would knock Blakeman out. A judicial review of the matter is likely and could reverse the Board’s decision. In the meantime, the failure of the Board to adequately notify candidates who have already been certified and publish procedures for its recently changed requirements, yet punish Blakeman anyway, has caused complaints of unfair partisanship on the part of the Board.
The primary ballot in June will also feature a Democratic primary for the state Senator in the 61st District. Newly elected Senator Jeremy Zellner is being challenged by Assemblyman Jon Rivera. Zellner has the support of the party organizations throughout the district and the advantages such as they are from his short time as the incumbent. This will be an expensive race.
Beyond the primary local political activity will be limited to two or three state and county legislative seats. There are four state Supreme Court seats on this year’s ballot. The party conventions to select candidates will be held in early August.
At this point it appears that Democrats are well positioned to win all statewide offices. Political attention will be focused nationally. Donald Trump’s war and economic malaise will hang heavy over his party’s candidates.
Ohh, ahh, Sabres in the playoffs!
I must admit that I am totally amazed at the performance of the Buffalo Sabres over the past few weeks. Football attracts most of my sports viewing time. I don’t think I have watched an entire Sabres’ game for at least 15 years. I don’t think I have been a unique Western New Yorker in that regard. I am just getting acquainted with the names of some of the players.
I wrote repeatedly about how the forever losing Sabres still had Kevyn Adams and Lindy Ruff with the team. Adams got the door in December. I guess Adams leaving had nothing really to do with the team’s incredible hot streak that followed, but it does seem strange that the team took off when a new general manager was hired.
Forgive me for noting that the team has had five general managers and seven coaches in those 15 years. They were in last place as recently as December.
In any case, I wish the team well for the conclusion of the season and the impending playoffs. Sometimes miracles really do happen in sports. Go Sabres!
Bluesky @kenkruly
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