Don’t miss this story from the Daily News’s Brooklyn section, in which Councilman David Yassky — a Yale-law, Brooklyn Heights reformer who used to work for Senator Schumer — comes out for John Sampson in the race for District Attorney.
While you could argue that he’s endorsing Sampson because the only African-American running for District Attorney is the one with the best shot of beating Joe Hynes, it’s hard not to see a straightforward piece of racial politics here as well. Yassky is running for congresss in a traditionally black district — it was drawn to further minority representation, and once represented by Shirley Chisholm. Some of his rivals will likely be scrutinizing every move he makes for an opening to attack him as an interloper, and Yassky will be maneuvering to avoid that charge.
Endorsing Clarence Norman’s candidate of choice has to help.