Some (catty) notes on NY’s Dem House primaries
We generally don’t endorse in a party’s primaries if we’re likely to endorse the other party’s candidate in the general election, after one candidate years back used it as an excuse to claim “endorsed by the New York Post” in November. But our readers might enjoy our (perhaps uncharitable) thoughts on some interesting contests.
In the insane scrum of the NY-10 race, voters in Lower Manhattan and brownstone Brooklyn have plenty of choices. Any centrist (heck, anyone concerned about quality public education, soaring crime, out-of-control homelessness and so on) should go for Maud Maron, a longtime community activist who of course is disfavored by the clubhouse machines.
On the left, Israel-boycotters and near-communists should love Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou, while lefties who give some thought to common sense (and the community’s practical needs for things like housing) can turn to City Councilwoman Carlina Rivera. Oh, and if you like carpet-baggers, Rep. Mondaire Jones — forced out of his Westchester district thanks to the selfishness of Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (see below) — is your guy.
In the Staten Island-Brooklyn NY-11 district, ex-Rep. Max Rose is the clear choice for sane Democrats. But feel free to vote for socialist Brittany Ramos DeBarros or public-school teacher Komi Agoda-Koussema if you don’t care about winning in November. (By the way, Republicans who don’t care about winning the general can support anti-vax activist John Matland over the clearly superior Rep. Nicole Malliotakis.)
In NY-12, combining Manhattan’s Upper East and West sides, Rep. Jerry Nadler exposed himself as this close to senile in that epic NY1 debate, though his bungling of Trump impeachment hearings (Speaker Nancy Pelosi eventually steered later proceedings away from his Judiciary Committee as a result) provided earlier signs. And don’t forget his Acela phone call where he got recorded discussing his secret-oops impeachment plans! Fact is, this is his first real race in decades: He may have been losing it for years.
We routinely disagree with Rep. Carolyn Maloney, but she at least delivers, including for first-responders afflicted with post-9/11 illnesses. And the fact that she can work with the other party (she’s known for chatting with, gasp, GOP women in the House gym) means she can keep delivering in the likelihood that Republicans take the House. But if you just want change, you can try hotel magnate Suraj Patel, now on his third try for Congress.
One more race of note: NY-17, the Westchester seat Sean Patrick Maloney opted for in the wake of court-ordered redistricting. He is an utter tool who ran for two offices at once a few years back (apparently as a favor to his buddy, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as part of a vendetta against lefty gadfly Zephyr Teachout). This year, he weakened Democrats’ chances to hold the House (though he runs House Dems’ campaign committee!) by choosing this district, which he plainly figures will maximize his chance for re-election. Kudos to Democratic Socialist state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi for zooming in to challenge him: She’s a longshot, but Maloney is exactly the sort of smug hack who deserves a slap.