Future Of State Senate In The Balance

The November 6 midterm election has the entire country in suspense. Will the Blue Wave materialize and hand the Capitol to the Democrats, or is President Trump’s voter base as enthusiastic as it was in 2016? In New York, the Republican majority in the State Senate leads by a single vote, and after the primary losses of six former Independent Democrats last month, the prospect of the Blue Wave landing in Albany is palpable.

In the 15^th Senate District, which stretches across the Rockaways and along Woodhaven Boulevard into Rego Park, Forest Hills, and Kew Gardens Hills, incumbent Joe Addabbo Jr. looks forward to his party making a sweep while defending his seat against Republican challenger Tom Sullivan. “We will be looking at ethics reform, voting access, and providing more resources for libraries. We have a lot of work to do in helping small businesses,” said Addabbo.

A former City Councilman, the Ozone Park resident was elected to the State Senate in 2008, ousting longtime Republican incumbent Serphin Maltese. After the 2011 redistricting, his district expanded to cover a large chunk of the Queens Jewish community. “Part of my work is hearing the constituents. I look to the stores of Main Street and consider items such as tax breaks for small businesses, improving traffic flow, and bus service,” said Addabbo. In his effort to understand Jewish concerns, he holds meetings with local leaders, attends public events, and hired staff who come from the Queens Jewish community. The issue of yeshivah affordability for Addabbo involved continued support for tax credits and bus service. “We’ve increased funding for all schools in the past eight years – public, private, and charter. Support for yeshivahs will not take away funds from public schools,” said Addabbo.

With a growing number of Orthodox voters switching to the Republican Party, many in the community fear that Democratic control of the legislature will leave them without a voice. Addabbo offered assurance that as he has been listening to Jewish constituents since taking office, and he will continue to do so, whichever party assumes the majority after November 6. “There will not be ignorance of the Orthodox community, or any community of New Yorkers. You will have representation.”

As incumbent Republicans fight to keep their seats, Sullivan is seeking to defeat Addabbo in a district that has a long history of Republican votes, especially around his Breezy Point home, and pockets of Howard Beach, Ozone Park, and Middle Village. “The Republican Party is much more supportive of the Jewish community because we are more supportive of faith-based organizations,” said Sullivan.

Sharing his long résumé of public service, Sullivan spoke of his 25 years in the military, which included tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, and which earned him two Bronze Stars. When he was not in uniform, Sullivan took a long commute to downtown Manhattan working in financial services for 23 years. “I worked with the state banking authority, and financial crimes enforcement. On 9/11, I was in the South Tower of the World Trade Center. My company lost a quarter of its workers on that day.”

Closer to home, Sullivan’s family operated a restaurant business, and he also sat on the Breezy Point co-op board as an elected member. “I’ve worked with all the city agencies in the family business – on property taxes, building regulations, and health codes.”

On Orthodox Jewish matters, Sullivan said that the tax credit given to private school parents is a savings for the state in comparison to the cost of public education for one student. “Parochial schools are saving the taxpayer and reducing crowding in public schools,” he said.

On his view of President Donald Trump, Sullivan separated his work from his public persona. “I support him on the economy and immigration, but do not compare me to his character. I served my country and have been married to the same woman for 19 and a half years,” said Sullivan. “He has his way of doing things.”

Another Queens district where the Blue Wave is making its impact runs from Hillcrest and Jamaica Estates through Bayside to the county line, where incumbent Tony Avella was defeated in the Democratic primary by John Liu. Rather than congratulating the victor, the former Independent Democratic Conference member remains on the ballot on third party lines. District 11 also has a long history as a Republican stronghold. Prior to Avella’s election to the seat in 2010, it was held by Frank Padavan, who held the office for 27 years.

Vickie Paladino is seeking to reclaim the district for her party, running on a platform that embraces President Trump with fiery rhetoric against Mayor Bill de Blasio and Liu. “Our radically leftwing mayor and city council believe in putting handcuffs on our hard-working police instead of on criminals. They worry about conditions for criminals in Riker’s Island and the long commute to borough courts, and they plan to close Riker’s and open jails in residential neighborhoods in every borough,” she wrote on her campaign website. “Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio are on a mission to run for president, and in doing so want to radically transform life here with their social justice, anti-business ideas.”

Paladino’s hard anti-left approach included praise for the Proud Boys, a pro-Trump men’s movement that has been accused of street violence. After being accosted by anti-Trump protesters outside the Manhattan Republican Club earlier this month, she praised the group for defending her. “Thanks to the #ProudBoys who were there to pull me out of danger!” she tweeted.

In name recognition, Liu is certainly well-known as the first Asian-American member of the City Council, later elected as Comptroller. Although he failed in the 2013 race for mayor, Liu remained visible in public affairs as a professor at Baruch College and active supporter of labor groups. His run for the State Senate was inspired by party loyalty following Avella’s decision to caucus with the Republicans between 2014 and this past April.

Within a week this past summer, Liu and an army of party-loyal volunteers gathered the necessary signatures to put him on the ballot. Having lost narrowly to Avella in the 2014 Democratic primary, this time he won, and should Liu win on November 6, northeast Queens will again make history as Liu would be the first Asian-American State Senator.

As State Senate lines zigzag through neighborhoods, the easiest way to find your district is by typing your address on the New York City Board of Elections poll site locator: nyc.pollsitelocator.com/search. 

 By Sergey Kadinsky