Quaglione lawn signs were the early signs of a campaign — some Quaglione mail has hit, some phones are doing some live outreach talking about John Quaglione — and a even a Democrat “front group” endorsed the Republican-Conservative Quaglione for City Council over the incumbent Democrat
Over the last week to ten days, the Quaglione campaign seems to have turned up the heat. The “Q” posters and lawn signs are finally appearing at more and more locations. There is some live phone bank phone activity; and at least two pieces of Q-mail have hit. There has even been a tiny bit of “earned media” generated as a result of the endorsement of John Quaglione by the New Era Democrats (See “New Era Democrats Endorse John Quaglione for City Council (D-43)” 10/16/13, Brooklyn News Corp. [[http://www.brooklynews.com/20131016/new-ear-democrats-endorse-john-quaglione-for-city-council/]).
For the longest time it had looked that Quaglione, as a campaigner, was AWOL in everything but remora-like appearances with local elected Republican officials, certain operatives associated with “Republicans for Change,” Conservative Party leaders and a very small band of readily recognizable Republican and Conservative activists. Some even asked if John Quaglione was on a leash of some sort, as a condition of being allowed to run for City Council by his bosses State Senator Martin Golden and Golden's Chief of Staff, Jerry Kassar, who is also the Conservative Party leader who arranged Quaglione's Conservative Party endorsement.
To be fair, for several months, the Quaglione campaign was made to take a back seat to the ill-fated Marty Golden led effort to get Timothy Cochrane elected to the Brooklyn Republican leadership. When I specifically asked one Republican observer, who has not been directly involved with the candidate or his campaign, about this; that long-time activist said this: “The whole Bay Ridge Republican and Conservative Party establishment needed to be involved 100% behind Quaglione and working on his campaign since the spring. And, Quaglione himself should have reached out to any Republicans that weren’t with the Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights groups associated with his boss Golden. Instead, Quaglione’s campaign has looked like it’s been part of a Golden show that was either pushing Lhota or attacking Eaton. Whatever all of that was, only now has it gotten around to an operation that looks like a Quaglione Campaign.”
Another quarter that I questioned was the other side -- certain Democrats that have been active in recent campaigns in the Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, and the lower end of Bensonhurst and Bath Beach. Their comments were more derisive than truly critical. "We just haven't seen very much more than a flyer about a DA candidate, who is a fine professional who defeated the incumbent in a primary, and an inappropriate picture of fried chicken. If that's the kind of campaign he wants to run...." As for the New Era Democrats, "Everybody knows that they are little more than a front group for Golden's crowd." All in all, this is typical of their general outlook on the entire GOP ticket for 2013.
With Republicans desperate for any good news in 2013, it is now hoped that the Quaglione campaign keeps percolating and really builds into something that might gain some steam, as well as traction, against the incumbent Councilman, Vincent Gentile.
11 comments:
Anonymous, I think you are correct. If John does win this City Council race, every plan of his will wreak of Marty Golden. Thus far, his campaign consisted of following Marty Golden and Joe Lhota around NYC holding up a sign or two, while badmouthing Gentile. I do not think John Quaglione has the knowledge, experience or maturity to hold such a position and I hope Republicans in the 43rd are not fooled by his "we can do better" campaign slogan.
Glad to see Quaglione in campaign photos where Marty or his other adult supervision is nowhere to be seen. If things go well, he'll be allowed to cross 5th Avenue without them holding his hand.
Agree..But Have There Ever Been Somewhat Independent Local Candidates For This Seat ThatHad At Least Some Independence From Golden...
I agree - however, Marty has showed his true colors in the last year. Are you familiar with his actions that are currently ripping apart the Republican Party in Brooklyn? He has brought suit against the Republican Chairman in Brooklyn because his candidate lost. This is after he defamed the Brooklyn Chairman by stating he was involved with the Smith-Halloran scandal, shredded petitions at the BOE and threatened other members at the BOE to vote for his candidate Timmy "Hot Dog" Cochrane. Instead of helping his buddy Joe Lhota with his campaign, he is letting his ego get in his way and causes him to act irrational. Quite immature if you ask me. You want someone like this whispering in your City Coucilman's ear? The guy is a crook and I know many Bay Ridge and Dyker residents feel the same way as I.
Gale, you should know better. John Quaglione has worked harder for this seat than any Republican in recent memory, knocking on hundreds of doors over the past several months throughout the district. It may not be glamorous, and you don't exactly get a press cadre following when you run for city council, but make no mistake, Quaglione is working very hard and does all that could be expected of a GOP candidate for council.
Yes, but the rest of Marty's (dis)organization has spent the year beating up on other Republicans, and it will hurt John.
The truth is that Marty Golden DOES NOT want John Quaglione to win. If Quaglione wins then Gentile is free to run against Marty in 2014. For that reason alone I support John Quaglione in 2013!!!
How would I know better, the very retail door-to-door campaigning that you're describing is, by your own admission not followed by a press cadre. That makes it very much like the tree that falls in the forest, unseen and unheard (except, of course, by those who are at home to meet him in his door-to-door visits). My report is completely about what the Quaglione Campaign looks like now, compared with how it has looked like before. If you don't like that I said it's looking better, WELL, EXCUUUUUSE ME ! ! ! !
I am gratified to hear that John Quaglione is working very hard, however I don't think he is doing all that could be expected of a GOP candidate for council. The only important consideration is whether he is doing enough to win. The proof on that is not what you or I think or say about that -- it's what the voters say on election day and how the votes add up.
The democratic "front" group that endorsed Quaglione is not much of a front.
New Era Democrats consists of three people in Mary Sansones living room which is out of the district.
A campaign run on smoke and mirrors works until the votes come in.
Golden lost Bay ridge & Obama carried it twice.
Quaglione is going down 57% to 43%.
He'll do better than Hynes & Lhota, but it still winds up as one big pile of losers.
UPDATE: THE “MAKING A LIST AND CHECKING IT TWICE” EDITION
John Quaglione, the Republican-Conservative candidate for City Council in the 43rd District that covers Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, and Bensonhurst-Bath Beach, has prepared a “to-do list” that contains 39 ways to improve the quality of life throughout that district.
(See”Quaglione presents his to-do list to voters” by Paula Katinas, 10/21/13, Brooklyn Daily Eagle [http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/quaglione-presents-his-do-list-voters-2013-10-21-133000]).
An interesting aspect of this article is the way that Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis is outspoken in her views on the job of Councilman and her message of support for Quaglione’s run for the City Council. “John has a great list of ideas and initiatives,” said Assemblywoman Malliotakis (R-C-Bay Ridge-Staten Island), who has endorsed Quaglione in his race for the City Council seat now held by Vincent Gentile.
John Q. seems immature at debates with Gentile. His speech was written on paper and he had difficulty conveying his message. I can't imagine how we could expect him to be in front of the Council.
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