Even I am suffering from election OD. But there is another election next week, and it is an important one. The good news is that the 11% of us who voted last week are off the hook – the other 89% of registered Democrats will, however, need to go to the polls on Tuesday to vote for Comptroller and Public Advocate.
In the Comptroller race, there is a run off between David Yassky of Brooklyn and John Liu of Queens. Yassky has the stronger record and a healthy list of endorsements – all three major dailies as well as politicos like Chuck Schumer, Ed Koch (who had been endorsing Melinda Katz in the primary), and Katz herself. Liu has his own collection of political endorsements, including former Comptroller candidate David Weprin, Congressman Charlie Rangel and former State Comptroller H. Carl McCall. What Liu lacks in newspaper support he makes up for in union endorsements (though Yassky has the Freelancer’s Union, which counts for something in my book!). And, importantly, Liu has the support of the Working Families Party, which has been throwing its weight around in City elections.
Yassky and Liu have been on the opposite side in a couple of recent City Council votes. Most famously, the vote on term limits, which Yassky ultimately supported and Liu was opposed to down the line. Liu opposed the recent City Council Bicycle Access Bill (which Yassky was the sponsor of), and used his position as chair of the Council’s Transportation Committee to stall the bill (a bill Liu had co-sponsored before he decided to run against Yassky for Comptroller).
On the Public Advocate front, City Councilman and Brooklynite Bill de Blasio is running against former Public Advocate Mark Green. Both men have political ambitions beyond Public Advocate, the difference between the two is that de Blasio has actually been elected to a position other than Public Advocate.
And I was kidding about the 11% – everyone has to vote on Tuesday.