In addition to the notable Michael Grimm news at the Board of Elections today, several other challengers saw their fates decided.
Although three of veteran Congressman Charlie Rangel’s challengers, Clyde Williams, Craig Schley, and Joyce Johnson, initially saw objections filed against their signatures, only one, Mr. Schley, had the required specifications filed against his signatures alleging exactly where the validity problems existed.
Even though Mr. Schley’s campaign was a bit disorganized in its efforts to defend his signatures (it seemed he had an unauthorized person representing him), Mr. Rangel’s campaign didn’t show up to press their case, allowing Mr. Schley to cruise onto the ballot. However, Mr. Schley did lose in his largely non-existent efforts to get onto the Independence Party line.
Although we left before the race for an open Queens Congressional seat was evaluated, elections guru Jerry Skurnik, also at the Board of Elections today, tweeted the news that Juan Sheng was successfully knocked off, but the curious Robert Mittman (who has not returned our repeated phone calls), remains on the ballot. Another candidate, Stephen Green, who had initially replaced Jeff Gottlieb, previously declined to be on the ballot.
Conventional wisdom would suggest this outcome is vaguely favorable to one of the more serious congressional candidates, Assemblywoman Grace Meng, as Ms. Sheng may have pulled some Asian-American votes that Ms. Meng would otherwise have received, and vice versa with the Jewish vote for Mr. Mittman and one of Ms. Meng’s main rivals, Assemblyman Rory Lancman. A spokesman for Mr. Lancman indicated his campaign would appeal the decision.
On the other hand, City & State reports that Ms. Meng was booted from the Independence Party line, which could matter if the Republican candidate, Dan Halloran, can make this a close election despite the district’s Democraticlean.
In addition to Mr. Lancman and Ms. Meng, a third serious Democratic candidate, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, is also competing for the June 26th Democratic nomination.
