City’s biggest municipal union makes endorsements
Posted on September 3, 2010 by Ivan Pereira in Assembly, Congress, District 10, District 10, District 11, District 14, District 15, District 16, District 23, District 24, District 26, District 28, District 30, District 35, District 37, District 38, District 39, District 6, District 9, State Senate, U.S. House
Representatives from DC 37, which represents 125,000 New York workers in various sectors and 5,000 retirees, released an incumbent-heavy list of endorsements of political candidates running for office in Queens and throughout the city, but also withheld its endorsement in several contested races.
For the borough’s congressional races, the union has backed incumbent U.S. Reps. Gary Ackerman (D-Bayside), Anthony Weiner (D-Forest Hills), Carolyn Maloney (D-Astoria) and Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) for their reelection campaigns. However, the union did not give an endorsement to U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Jamaica) or his Republican opponent Asher Taub.
For state Senate races, DC 37 backed state Senators Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica), Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose) and Toby Stavisky (D-Whitestone) for their reelection bids, but did not issue endorsements in the races of incumbents Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights), Malcolm Smith (D-St. Albans) or Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), or in the race to replace George Onorato (D-Astoria), in which Assemblyman Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) is running unopposed.
The union also gave endorsements to several state Assembly candidates including incumbents Audrey Pheffer (D-Rockaway Beach), David Weprin (D-Little Neck), Margaret Markey (D-Maspeth) and Jeffrion Aubry (D-Corona), as well as candidate Francisco Moya, who is facing Hiram Monserrate in a Democratic primary for the 39th Assembly District seat that was vacated by state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights). The winner of that primary will face Republican Humberto Suarezmotta.
The union did not make endorsements in several Assembly races, including District 26, where there is a Republican candidate and a crowded Democratic primary field vying to replace departing Assemblywoman Ann-Margaret Carrozza; District 28, currently held by Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills), who is facing Joe Fox in a Democratic primary and a Republican opponent, Alex Powietrzynski; District 34, where incumbent Barbara Clark (D-Queens Village) is being challenged in a Democratic primary by Clyde Vanel; District 37, in which incumbent Cathy Nolan (D-Ridgewood) is facing a Republican challenger, John Malone; and District 38, where incumbent Michael Miller (D-Woodhaven) faces a Democratic primary with Nick Comaianni and Republican opponent Donna Marie Caltabiano.
Representatives for DC 37 were not available to comment Friday on why they declined to endorse candidates in certain Queens races.
