Netroots vs. Party Machine in SI Primary
Harrison counts on the progressive blogosphere, Recchia banks on the Democratic establishment
November 12th, 2007
The day Steven Harrison announced that he would mount a rematch against Rep. Vito Fossella (R–Staten Island/Brooklyn) next year, The Daily Gotham, a progressive blog, redesigned its logo with a picture of Harrison’s 2006 campaign sign.
Throughout his 2006 campaign, Harrison tapped into the progressive blogs like the Daily Kos and Blue Spot. He lost, but in the process, gave Fossella his closest margin of victory to date—though one of the highest for a re-elected Republican last year—without financial backing from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and little financing from local Democratic politicians.
Now that two-term Council Member Domenic Recchia (D–Brooklyn) has expressed interest in the seat and started fundraising, Harrison is again turning to the blogosphere.
“We clearly will reach out to the major blogs, the minor blogs, and the one-man blogs,” Harrison said.
When national Democrats were planning their congressional takeover, New York’s 13th District was considered a safe Republican seat. Harrison was written off as a sacrificial lamb. Even the progressive blogosphere that rallied behind him initially gave tempered support, believing he was a conservative Democrat.
“Most people were calling me a DINO,” Harrison said, using shorthand for what he said some call a Democrat In Name Only. “I had to ask someone what that meant.”
Besides endorsements, in 2006 Harrison received $27,272 from unions and elected officials. The bulk of his $139,000 war chest consisted of small donations.
For 2008, Harrison continues to receive contributions through ActBlue, a federal political action committee that lets people raise funds online for Democratic candidates. Through ActBlue, Harrison raised over $3,000 from 23 donors for the 2008 elections. For his 2008 campaign, he has raised over $50,000.
“We’ll raise enough to keep the DCCC interested,” Harrison said.
Harrison said that his strong showing on a shoestring budget should have put the establishment behind him because he proved Fossella could be beaten.
“It’s unfortunate that the DCCC won’t avoid a primary,” he said. “What I say is: ‘Go with the person who can win this election.’”
Jonah Goodman, a Washington, D.C.-based blogger who runs the anti-Fossella website NY-13 (ny13.blogspot.com), said a netroots candidate can beat a party-backed candidate in a primary. Goodman recalled California Rep. Jerry McNerney’s (D) 2006 primary, in which McNerney defeated a DCCC-backed candidate.
Without the big donors that come with being an elected official, online fundraising will be an invaluable resource to Harrison, Goodman said.
“Small donors do matter in a race with someone like him,” he said.
Goodman, who has not endorsed either Harrison or Recchia, noted the strength of local activists in Brooklyn and Staten Island. He said these people might sour on party-backed candidates.
Local activism, Goodman said, “is what’s going to get someone to the polls, not getting 10 pieces of mail.”
As Harrison pulls in money from progressive political websites and pours over donor lists for contributions, Recchia held his kickoff fundraiser in Brooklyn last month.
The crowd was a who’s who of Staten Island and Brooklyn Democrats, like Council Member Michael McMahon (Staten Island), Brooklyn Borough Pres. Marty Markowitz and Assembly Member Vito Lopez, leader of the Brooklyn Democratic Party.
Recchia formed a fundraising committee after seeing Harrison’s July 15 financial filings, which showed little activity. Worried about Harrison’s fundraising abilities, Recchia entered the race, though has not officially declared. If Recchia can raise $500,000 by Christmas, he said, he would take the next step in officially declaring his candidacy.
Recchia is campaigning as the candidate who can raise enough money to compete with Fossella, charging that Harrison would have difficulty doing that.
“There comes a point in time where you have to be realistic. In government today, you have to be able to raise money,” Recchia said.
Recchia lives in Brooklyn, though outside the congressional district. His relationships with local elected officials and as chair of the council’s Cultural Affairs Committee will bolster his name recognition in Staten Island, which is two-thirds of the congressional district.
“When you see my filing coming up, you’ll see people from Staten Island who support Domenic Recchia financially,” he said. “That’s what makes my campaign so fruitful.”
Those in the Democratic establishment, Lopez said, are confident in Recchia’s ability to financially compete with Fossella.
“They’ve pledged financial support—enormous financial support,” Lopez said. “That gives him an edge.”
Like Harrison, Lopez agrees that a primary can only hurt the Democratic candidate’s chances of taking on Fossella, a 10-year incumbent.
“Certain individuals need to put aside their egos and agenda,” he said.
Though Lopez noted that Harrison is running an insurgent campaign, both potential candidates will be underdogs in 2008.
“Recchia and Harrison are running against an incumbent congressperson who is well funded and well established in the district,” he said. “They’re both running grassroots campaigns.”
danrivoli@gmail.com
Direct letters to the editor to editor@cityhallnews.com.
Throughout his 2006 campaign, Harrison tapped into the progressive blogs like the Daily Kos and Blue Spot. He lost, but in the process, gave Fossella his closest margin of victory to date—though one of the highest for a re-elected Republican last year—without financial backing from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and little financing from local Democratic politicians.
Now that two-term Council Member Domenic Recchia (D–Brooklyn) has expressed interest in the seat and started fundraising, Harrison is again turning to the blogosphere.
“We clearly will reach out to the major blogs, the minor blogs, and the one-man blogs,” Harrison said.
When national Democrats were planning their congressional takeover, New York’s 13th District was considered a safe Republican seat. Harrison was written off as a sacrificial lamb. Even the progressive blogosphere that rallied behind him initially gave tempered support, believing he was a conservative Democrat.
“Most people were calling me a DINO,” Harrison said, using shorthand for what he said some call a Democrat In Name Only. “I had to ask someone what that meant.”
Besides endorsements, in 2006 Harrison received $27,272 from unions and elected officials. The bulk of his $139,000 war chest consisted of small donations.
For 2008, Harrison continues to receive contributions through ActBlue, a federal political action committee that lets people raise funds online for Democratic candidates. Through ActBlue, Harrison raised over $3,000 from 23 donors for the 2008 elections. For his 2008 campaign, he has raised over $50,000.
“We’ll raise enough to keep the DCCC interested,” Harrison said.
Harrison said that his strong showing on a shoestring budget should have put the establishment behind him because he proved Fossella could be beaten.
“It’s unfortunate that the DCCC won’t avoid a primary,” he said. “What I say is: ‘Go with the person who can win this election.’”
Jonah Goodman, a Washington, D.C.-based blogger who runs the anti-Fossella website NY-13 (ny13.blogspot.com), said a netroots candidate can beat a party-backed candidate in a primary. Goodman recalled California Rep. Jerry McNerney’s (D) 2006 primary, in which McNerney defeated a DCCC-backed candidate.
Without the big donors that come with being an elected official, online fundraising will be an invaluable resource to Harrison, Goodman said.
“Small donors do matter in a race with someone like him,” he said.
Goodman, who has not endorsed either Harrison or Recchia, noted the strength of local activists in Brooklyn and Staten Island. He said these people might sour on party-backed candidates.
Local activism, Goodman said, “is what’s going to get someone to the polls, not getting 10 pieces of mail.”
As Harrison pulls in money from progressive political websites and pours over donor lists for contributions, Recchia held his kickoff fundraiser in Brooklyn last month.
The crowd was a who’s who of Staten Island and Brooklyn Democrats, like Council Member Michael McMahon (Staten Island), Brooklyn Borough Pres. Marty Markowitz and Assembly Member Vito Lopez, leader of the Brooklyn Democratic Party.
Recchia formed a fundraising committee after seeing Harrison’s July 15 financial filings, which showed little activity. Worried about Harrison’s fundraising abilities, Recchia entered the race, though has not officially declared. If Recchia can raise $500,000 by Christmas, he said, he would take the next step in officially declaring his candidacy.
Recchia is campaigning as the candidate who can raise enough money to compete with Fossella, charging that Harrison would have difficulty doing that.
“There comes a point in time where you have to be realistic. In government today, you have to be able to raise money,” Recchia said.
Recchia lives in Brooklyn, though outside the congressional district. His relationships with local elected officials and as chair of the council’s Cultural Affairs Committee will bolster his name recognition in Staten Island, which is two-thirds of the congressional district.
“When you see my filing coming up, you’ll see people from Staten Island who support Domenic Recchia financially,” he said. “That’s what makes my campaign so fruitful.”
Those in the Democratic establishment, Lopez said, are confident in Recchia’s ability to financially compete with Fossella.
“They’ve pledged financial support—enormous financial support,” Lopez said. “That gives him an edge.”
Like Harrison, Lopez agrees that a primary can only hurt the Democratic candidate’s chances of taking on Fossella, a 10-year incumbent.
“Certain individuals need to put aside their egos and agenda,” he said.
Though Lopez noted that Harrison is running an insurgent campaign, both potential candidates will be underdogs in 2008.
“Recchia and Harrison are running against an incumbent congressperson who is well funded and well established in the district,” he said. “They’re both running grassroots campaigns.”
danrivoli@gmail.com
Direct letters to the editor to editor@cityhallnews.com.
