NY: It's Official -Thomas Suozzi is Running

[Frodo]

Long Island Democrat Is Spitzer Rival in Governor Bid

By PATRICK D. HEALY
Published: February 26, 2006

GLEN COVE, N.Y., Feb. 25 — Thomas R. Suozzi, the Nassau county executive and a self-styled renegade Democrat, announced Saturday that he was challenging Attorney General Eliot Spitzer for his party's nomination for governor, running as an underdog who will rely to an unusual degree on businesses leaders who have been sued by Mr. Spitzer and New Yorkers who dislike his tactics.

Mr. Suozzi's bid, declared at a boisterous rally in his Long Island hometown here, stands as a direct affront to the New York Democratic Party, which is behind Mr. Spitzer with rare unanimity in the hope of electing the first Democrat as governor since Mario M. Cuomo was defeated in 1994.

"This will be a tough fight: My opponent will have the vote of almost every single Democratic Party boss," Mr. Suozzi told a crowd of more than 1,000 supporters, after taking the stage to the music of U2's "Beautiful Day."

"He'll have the support of almost every single Albany legislator, Albany lobbyist and Albany lawyer," he said of Mr. Spitzer, then quipping to much laughter, "So far, I've been endorsed by my mother and my father — and I'm working on Helene," his wife.

Mr. Suozzi pledged to "fix the culture of Albany" by working to reduce property taxes, overhauling Medicaid to save billions, settling a state education funding lawsuit, and giving more money to schools in New York City and districts statewide.

Mr. Spitzer, the two-term attorney general, earned a national reputation and the moniker "the Sheriff of Wall Street" for his successful prosecutions of white-collar crime on Wall Street. He has high favorability ratings in polls statewide and has raised a formidable $19 million. But Suozzi aides — and some Democratic officials — say that Mr. Spitzer has a prickly side and can come across as haughty, and that these traits will come out in the heat of a contest.

Supporters of Mr. Suozzi, 43, say he has the raw political talent and the track record to win an upset victory akin to Hugh L. Carey's in 1974 and Mr. Cuomo's in 1982, not to mention Mr. Suozzi's own toppling of the Democratic front-runner and the Republicans' decades-long hold on the executive's office in 2001.

He faces a long climb, with few powerful allies and far less money than Mr. Spitzer, but Mr. Suozzi is showing brio by pursuing a two-pronged strategy that is unconventional by New York standards.

He is aggressively seeking support from centrist Democrats, independents, and Republicans, by straying from New York liberal doctrine on issues like abortion rights and gay marriage and by targeting his own party's leadership with an agenda he calls Fix Albany.

It is a risky bet, because liberals and party loyalists historically dominate Democratic primaries, but Suozzi advisers say even these voters may buck the party bosses.

source

[Moooooo]

Id vote for that freedom fighting son of a bitch, Eliot Spitzer.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Id vote for that freedom fighting son of a bitch, Eliot Spitzer.

[TheresNoMoney]

I hope he gets spanked badly.  Spitzer has done a tremendous job as AG.

What is Suozzi's slogan going to be? "Elect me so that corporate criminals can get away with it again!" Pathetic issue to run on.

[Defarge]

lol, freaking idiot

[YRABNNRM]

What a fool. Bad news for him, Good news for NYGOP: No Suozzi in NY-3.

[Smash255]

What a fool. Bad news for him, Good news for NYGOP: No Suozzi in NY-3.

Which is unfortunate because Suozzi would have beaten King.

[Smash255]

As much as I like Suozzi and I think he has done an absolutley tremendous job at fixing the absolute disaster the Republicans led by Gullotta left the county in, I think its a mistake for him to run for Govenor.  Spitzer has done an excellent job at AG, brilliant job at cleaning up the corruption and deserves it.  With the way he has led the County I have no question that Suozzi is fully qualified and would do a very good job as Govenor, howeverSpitzer has even accomplished more.  I am a big fan of both ( I disagree with Suozzi that Spitzer's tatics have been too hard, though that has come more from Spitzer critics than Suozzi himself,  disagree with him on gay marriage, and disagree with him somewhat on abortion, though I feel his abortion stance has been made out to be something its not.  Safe, legal, and rare seems to be the main part of his proposal, and that some have made it to be something its not, have tried to make it seem like Suozzi wants more crackdowns on abortion when in fact its seems to me at least more education to cut down on the need for abortions).  I admire Suozzi's fix albany campaign because quite honestly their is alot thats needs to be fixed on both sides of the aisle.  With that being said at this point I do favor Spitzer, his crackdown on corporate fraud has been excellent, I agree with him more on issues like that as well as gay marriage and abortion (though as I said I feel Suozzi's views has been misrepresented a bit).

Suozzi is my mind (as I stated above) should have focused on unseating King, because he would have & King really needs to go.  However Suozzi's own aarogance probably fueded part of this.  He honestly feels he can win and overcome the odds, because quite frankly he has done it before.  While not near Spitzer's stature in 2001 he took on thomas DiNapoli in the Nassau Dem Primaryfor county Executive.  DiNapoli at the time (and still is) a member of the State assembly.  he was easily the biggest name, & most well liked Democrat on Long Island at the time.  DiNapoli had the backing of pretty much everyone Party wide both in the county & the state, but the Glen Cove mayor, Suozzi pulleed off an amazing upset which no one expected, then he went on to win the general election in a landslide, and won re-election in a landslide as well. 

[YRABNNRM]

What a fool. Bad news for him, Good news for NYGOP: No Suozzi in NY-3.

Which is unfortunate because Suozzi would have beaten King.

I know

Although King is FAR from my favorite politician I have to respect him for being the last bastion of GOP on LI.

[Smash255]

What a fool. Bad news for him, Good news for NYGOP: No Suozzi in NY-3.

Which is unfortunate because Suozzi would have beaten King.

I know

Although King is FAR from my favorite politician I have to respect him for being the last bastion of GOP on LI.

At this point King is still vulnerable.  It looks like either Dave Deneberg or Dave Mejias (both Nass County Legislators) will takke King on (leaning denenberg at this point).  Both would be much tougher than anyone King has faced.  King would become even more vulnerable if he jumps ship (no pun intended) and decides to back the Congressional GOP Port compromise proposal.  While he is the most vulnerable member of LI's Congressioanl Delegation, and more than likley facing stronger competition than he has in the past King at this point has the clear edge.  If Suozzi ran for his seat, King would have had no chance whatsoever at retaining hiss seat (outside of Suozzi eating live babies on tv).  At this point King owes Suozzi a huge thank you for not running against him and taking his job (which Suozzi would have done with ease)

[Cubby]

I am so pissed off about this. Does he think he's too big and important to take Peter King's job? He's trying to sabotage a done deal. I was so glad when he was elected in 2001 but now he is a horrible person.

Spitzer/Weld/Suozzi- I liked all 3 candidates before this race started.

[dazzleman]

I like Suozzi better than Spitzer.  He does seem to have done a nice job cleaning up the mess left behind by the corrupt GOP machine in Nassau County.

Too bad the Republicans can't seem to get him.  He stands little chance against Spitzer within the Democratic party, but he could do well in the general election.  And he's certainly better than anybody who seems to be available with NY's dessicated Republican party.

[WalterMitty]

a true freedom fighter!

i wish him nothing but the best in his race against the enemy of capitalism-william jennings spitzer.

[Speed of Sound]

Spitzer is a man that needs this seat so that he can advance his career. Its all about getting Spitzer ready for a run at the presidency down the road.


I, obviously, voted Spitzer, BTW

[© tweed]

Spitzer is a man that needs this seat so that he can advance his career. Its all about getting Spitzer ready for a run at the presidency down the road.


I, obviously, voted Spitzer, BTW

No New York Jew is going to win the presidency.  Spitzer may become Attorney General of the USA eventually, however.

[YRABNNRM]

Spitzer is a man that needs this seat so that he can advance his career. Its all about getting Spitzer ready for a run at the presidency down the road.

Uh...thats a reason to support someone? Just so they get a jumping point? You know there's like...a job to do as Governor right?

[Speed of Sound]

Spitzer is a man that needs this seat so that he can advance his career. Its all about getting Spitzer ready for a run at the presidency down the road.

Uh...thats a reason to support someone? Just so they get a jumping point? You know there's like...a job to do as Governor right?

No, i beleive he's a good enough person to hold the jobn as president. Naturally if I think he could be President certainly he would be a great Governor.

[YRABNNRM]

Spitzer is a man that needs this seat so that he can advance his career. Its all about getting Spitzer ready for a run at the presidency down the road.

Uh...thats a reason to support someone? Just so they get a jumping point? You know there's like...a job to do as Governor right?

No, i beleive he's a good enough person to hold the jobn as president. Naturally if I think he could be President certainly he would be a great Governor.

Your post implied that the only reason he should be governor is so he can run for president which is probably true because he is a media whore but NYers seem to love them so they won't care...

I need a new state.

[TheresNoMoney]

i wish him nothing but the best in his race against the enemy of capitalism-william jennings spitzer.

You are really a messed up kid. Busting corrupt corporations makes you an "enemy of capitalism"??

We really have some f**ed-up views on this board.

[ATFFL]

i wish him nothing but the best in his race against the enemy of capitalism-william jennings spitzer.

You are really a messed up kid. Busting corrupt corporations makes you an "enemy of capitalism"??

We really have some f**ed-up views on this board.

Problem is Spitzer got a bit of an ego for a while and began looking into any company, corrupt or not, trying to get his name in the papers.  Spitzer announcing he was looking into a company hurt more than one company unjustly.

The question is what kind of governor will he be?  Will he be out to get his name in the paper to try and keep advancing his career while possibly driving businesses out of New York or will he actually govern for the interests of the whole state.  If he does the latter, he could be a fine governor.  If he does the former, he will be a disaster.  I bet he slips into the Mario Cuomo mold and does what is best for New York City.

[Jake]

We really have some f**ed-up views on this board.

Leave and we'll be rid of a few.

[ATFFL]

We really have some f**ed-up views on this board.

Leave and we'll be rid of a few.

Are you saying Scoonie is more than one person?

[Jake]

No, he has multiple "f**ed up views" and by leaving we'll be rid of them.