The political battles of 2013 and 2014 are likely to permanently change the center of GOP gravity in Brooklyn away from Bay Ridge. This trend will both be amplified and solidified if Democrat Dominic Recchia is able to complete a solid run for Congress in 2014 in the district that includes Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and a good part of Bensonhurst
It’s beginning to look like Brooklyn Democrat City Councilman Dominic Recchia is about to get very serious about running for the U.S. Congress from the trans-Narrows district now represented by Congressman Michael Grimm (See “Exclusive: Brooklyn Democratic City Councilman Domenic Recchia says he will run for Congress” by Tom Wrobleski, 2/16/13, SI Advance/silive.com ”[http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/02/brooklyn_democratic_city_counc.html#incart_river]).
The Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights-Bensonhurst branch of the Brooklyn GOP will have a very difficult year in 2013. It will most likely be an organizational shambles after its 2013 post-redistricting (re)organizing process; and in addition, the entire 43rd City Council District election process, beginning to end, will cause the local GOP to have a hangover into 2014, much like what happened in 2009-2010. As a result, the Brooklyn GOP will be a weaker partner for Congressman Grimm's efforts than any time since he first tried for his seat in 2010. However, all of that will have more meaning for and about Brooklyn Republicans than it will for Congressman Grimm, and more consequences too. After all, Congressman Grimm can still win it all in Staten Island, especially against a Brooklynite like Mr. Recchia.
Nobody has yet projected that this move by a lone non-Bay Ridge Democrat can be a “game changer” in every aspect of Brooklyn GOP politics, especially in its longtime power base, Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights; nonetheless, that’s exactly what it will be if Mr. Recchia does throw his Democratic hat into the ring and he winds up as the ultimate Democratic Congressional nominee in 2014 in the Brooklyn-Staten Island District. Even though Republican Congressman Michael Grimm might survive a challenge by Recchia; with Recchia in the general election race for congress in 2014, no part, aspect or member of the Brooklyn GOP establishment based in Bay Ridge and Dyker will survive with the same power and significance that he/she/it has at this time.
If they're lucky, afterwards they'll be remembered fondly like Marilyn or Diana.
6 comments:
Grimm can be beat. The 53% he got against a weak candidate like Murphy shows Grimm can be ousted.
However, Recchia has a better chance of becoming the next Pope.
Recchia makes no sense. His council district isnt even in Bay Ridge.
The southern boundary of the 11th Cong. Dist. encompasses part of Dominic's Counc. Dist.... Recchia's biggest hurdle would be a primary against former Dem. Cong. & Counc. MMcM....
The point of my post above is that Recchia would bring a special ethnic appeal to the Democratic line that would play very well in the Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst parts of Brooklyn where his name would appear on the ballot. Actually, being strong enough that each and every Republican on the ticket would be trailing in those areas -- most notably, the current State Senator who already showed weakness there in the 2012 race.
In other words, the pro-democrat bulge in SW Brooklyn might be even bigger with Dominic Recchia on the ballot for Congress.
Recchias ethnic appeal !! To who ?
Your living in the past.
There are no more Italians in Bensonhurst
".... There are no more Italians in Bensonhurst" ! Maybe you don't know where to look or how to count....
However, I will concede that there are FEWER Italian -Americans in Brooklyn over all, and in Bensonhurst in particular, than a while back. Then explain this to me --- How is that any good for the Brooklyn Republican establishment and its lone elected official?
Who needs Recchia ? A solid Democratic candidate, like Andrew Gounardes, only needs to make a few more inroads into neighborhoods like Gerritsen Beach and Marine Park or pockets of Graves End, Sheepshead Bay and Manhattan Beach in order to win against Golden. Golden acknowledged that he was run out of Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights, where he lost to Gounardes, by taking his swearing-in ceremony to the other end of the district where he won.
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