Council Endorsements for Election Day

City Council Endorsements

District Two
Daniel Peterson (Conservative) of course, but if I'm not on the ballot (which is likely), Claudia Flannagan (Libertarian). It would be great to see John Carlino (R, I) beat Rosie Mendez (D, WF), but I have not heard much from him since early June when petitioning began when I told him I planned on forcing a Republican Primary. After failing to gather enough Republican petitions, I was unable to force a Primary. And when I learned I won't be on as the Conservative candidate, I reached out to John to help on his campaign. I have not heard from him. John has been MIA and not fundraising, so I don't know if I can vote for him. He sounded like a serious candidate, but unless he intends on doing a last minute push, I don't see him winning. I've met Ms. Flannagan at the Grand Street News sponsered debate. She seems very bright and the only Democrats praising the work of Mayor Bloomberg. If this election will be a cake-walk for Ms. Mendez, I plan to vote for one of the candidates she undemocratically challenged and forced out of the Democratic Primary.

District Four
Jak Jacob Karako (Libertarian) is my pick for District Four. I don't live in the district, so not voting there can work in Patrick Murphy's (R, I) favor. Mr. Karako is the only candidate talking about fiscal responsibility and repealing the 18.5% Real Estate Tax increasae of two year's ago. For a Democrat (he lost in the primary), his campaign is to the right of Patrick Murphy's. I have met and talked to five of the six Republican candidates running for city council in Manhattan. Murphy is the one who I haven't met. I do expect to run into him before election day, but at the moment, I am not comfortable endorsing him. Hopefully he can wow me. Until then, Mr. Karako is my choice.

District Five
Joel Zinberg (Republican, Independence) is someone I can support, because I've heard him speak and I've heard him address the issues for his district and for all of Manhattan. His opponent is Jessica Lappin (D, WF) and from what I've heard, Ms. Lappin has no conscience about whose money she takes for little government pet projects. I read in the Our Town weekly how she believes money grows on trees up in Albany. Someone needs to explain to her that the money used in government is from tax payers and I hope that someone is Dr. Joel Zinberg. A debate between the two of them would be entertaining, but I've heard she isn't much of a debater. She'll likely avoid any debate in the hopes that she can cake-walk into City Hall.

District Six
Josh Yablon (Republican) is the most conservative Republican candidate of the six in Manhattan and it is unfortunate he did not seek the Conservative Party line in time for this year's election. Perhaps it's a strategic thing, since the Upper West Side is known for being very Liberal. His opponent is councilwoman Gale Brewer (D, WF) and it's going to be a touch race, since he faces an incumbent. Mr. Yablon would be the perfect voice from the right in City Hall and if Patrick Murphy and Joel Zinberg win their races along with Josh, he would definitely form a strong voting block on fiscal responsibility. Josh is also someone who knows how to argue the housing issue and how the same old, same old hasn't been working, so why keep doing it. I honestly think having Mayor Bloomberg and conservative challenger, Tom Ognibene will help draw many conservatives and republicans out to the polls, which will be great for Josh. But will it be enough?

District Seven
Michael Petelka (Republican) unfortunately does not have a website where you can go and get a good feel for his campaign, but he was quoted in The Crimson on one of his democratic opponents, Victor Bernace (D), hoping Bernace would win making the race easier for him, since Robert Jackson (D, WF) is an incumbent. Mr. Petelka has been active in his community for many years and he's well traveled. I met him at a fundraiser and learned he would use his experience from his travels on how to represent here. I'm not sure how his campaign has been going over the last few weeks since I've seen him, but here's hoping he receives respectable poll numbers.

District Nine
Will Brown, Jr. has run for Council in the past and is running again this year and would make for a great city councilor representing Harlem and Morningside Heights. His opponent is Inez Dickens (D, WF) who has the support of David Dinkins and Charles Rangel, but in debates and public appearances, Will Brown has held his own in stressing the importance of Republican values. If his campaign does anything, it will help build and grow the Harlem Republican Club. Will Brown has worked tirelessly to build the Republican Party in northern Manhattan and has done so with great success.

District Thirteen
Phil Foglia (Republican, Independence, Conservative) will make a great City Councilor for the Bronx. While there are other Republicans running in the Bronx, district thirteen has a large conservative democrat & republican community. Mr. Foglia's opponent is James Vacca (D). Mr. Foglia has picked up endorsements from Mayor Bloomberg, former Mayor Giuliani, former Bronx Borough President Herman Badillo and current councilwoman Madeline Provenzano (D,C), it is looking good for the first Republican to win a seat in the Bronx in nearly a century.

District Twenty-Five
Masud Rahman (Republican) looks to be a great candidate for Queens and I'm under the impression he's getting County support. He faces the incumbent, Helen Sears (D, WF) and Rodolfo Flores (I), who has a hilarious website. Mr. Rahman may benefit from having many expected Ognibene protest votes as well as registered Republicans intending on re-electing Mayor Bloomberg.

District Thirty-Five
Anthony Herbert (Republican, Conservative) won't win district thirty-five, but he has become a true reformer republican in politics. He is sticking to his guns and running an urban republican campaign against incumbent, Letitia James (D, WF). Mr. Herbert has not changed his website from his Senate campaign from last year, but his political platform is the same and he would make a great addition in the city council as a Brooklyn representitive.

District Thirty-Eight
Vivian Vazquez-Hernandez (Republican, Conservative, Independence) is someone I had the priveledge to meet after a Republican Club meeting and she is definitely a strong minded Republican candidate. I endorse her for district thirty-eight and I hope she puts up a good fight and wins.

District Thirty-Nine
Yvette Velázquez Bennett (Republican, Conservative) is running in a very difficult district, since the area has had many young liberal minded twenty-somethings move in. Fortunately, there is still a decent number of long time Brownstone residents and many republicans who are members of the Brownstone Republican Club. I'm not sure if her chances are the same as Vazquez-Hernandez, but here's hoping they are.

District Forty-Two
John Whitehead (Republican, Conservative) is running against Charles Barron (D, WF). I don't think there really is any reason for me to explain why I endorse John Whitehead other than he is running against Charles Barron and he's running as a Republican and Conservative.

District Forty-Three
Pat Russo (Republican, Conservative, Independence) will win the seat for the forty-third district. He will win and I fully support him. If a republican can win 46% of the total vote in 2003, when there is no city-wide ticket candidate like the mayor, then he can certainly win when he has the mayor as a running-mate. The incumbent, Vincent Gentile, is facing criticism for sexual harrassment (charges were dropped) and his credibility has declined severely in the area. If Republicans are to add only a fourth seat to the three we hold now, this is the seat. But it can only happen if district forty-three republicans and conservatives go to the polls.

District Forty-Seven
Russell Gallo (Republican, Conservative, Independence) I met on the same night I met Vivian Vazquez-Hernandez. Mr. Gallo is a good man, a good American, a soldier and a man of integrity. If you live on Coney Island, Seagate or Brighton Beach, vote for Mr. Gallo.

I endorse our three Republican Incumbents: Dennis Gallagher, James Oddo and Andrew Lanza.