According to Newsday, the special election to replace outgoing state Senator Michael Balboni will take place on Feb 6th. The GOP has chosen Nassau County Clerk and former Assemby Member Maureen O'Connell and the dems will choose a candidate on Monday.
It's interesting to me that Tom DiNapoli, who was often mentioned as being the candidate with the right of first refusal in this race, isn't being mentioned in media reports at all anymore. I guess he really does want to be Comptroller. As for the other dem hopefuls, Newsday lists them thusly:
Jacobs said he will head a screening committee that Saturday will interview four Democrats seeking the party's nomination: legislators Roger Corbin of Westbury and Craig Johnson of Port Washington; East Williston activist Matthew Cuomo, nephew of former Gov. Mario Cuomo and cousin of state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo; and North Hempstead Town Clerk Michelle Schimel.
The screening committee will submit its recommendation to the executive committee Monday night, Jacobs said.
Everything I've heard in the past two weeks points to Nassau County legislator Craig Johnson as being the new favorite. Johnson seems to be a pretty progressive candidate. (here is his official site and campaign site)
Over at the albany project, guest blogger and all around bad ass Scott in NJ has some more relevant details about the state of the players and district.
Republicans have nominated Nassau County Clerk Maureen O'Connell, who reportedly has the Independence and Conservative lines as well. The Democrats will pick their candidate on Monday; Nassau County Legislator Craig Johnson is the front-runner for that nomination. Johnson has run on the WFP line in the past and he will probably get row E against O'Connell. Insiders suggest that the parties could spend up to $4 million on the race.
As of December, the Senate Republican Campaign Committee had $580,490.96 on hand; the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee had $143,166.31. O'Connell can expect substantial support from the Nassau County Republican Committee, which has $1,359,471.43 on hand. The County Democrats spent all of their cash on the 2006 campaign.
Tom Suozzi had $560,190.76 left over after his primary run, but he might have spread some of that money out among '06 general election candidates. FWIW, Johnson supported Spitzer over Suozzi in '06. Spitzer-Paterson 2006 still had $5,529,993.05 in the coffers after the general election.
Democrats hold a 38-35 registration edge in the district.
Looks like we're gettin' it on a month from today. As soon as the dems pick their candidate we'll be covering that as well.
