NY STATE SENATE SEAT UP FOR GRABS

Submitted by ub on

NY Senator Jeff Klein faces two worthy opponents. One from within his own party, who has some name recognition. Former state Attorney General Oliver Koppell is challenging Klein bacause he says is breaking with fellow Democrats in the power-sharing deal that keeps Republicans in control of the Senate.

Koppell, also a former New York City council-member and state assemblyman, sys he decided to run because action on progressive issues has stalled during the alliance between Klein’s five-member Independent Democratic Conference and the Senate Republicans.

Koppell was an assemblyman for 23 years before being appointed to fill the final year left in the term of Attorney General Robert Adams, who resigned. In 2002, he was elected to the City Council, a position he held until 2013. Although Koppell has name recognition, he faces an uphill fight against the incumbent.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has endorsed Koppell’s agenda.
“It is always our policy to support candidates that will stand up for these values and who are committed to joining the Democratic Conference,”
The 34th Senate district, which Klein has held for a decade, includes The Bronx and portions of Westchester County.

And let us not forget about Green Party candidate Carl Lundgren is also running for this NY Senate seat. He got involved with the Green Party in 2000 after seeing Ralph Nader nominated as the Green Party candidate for President at the party’s Annual Meeting in Denver on C-Span.

Carl Lundgren says he had already been disillusioned with major parties in this country for some time. In fact, when he first registered to vote in 1971, he didn’t choose a party. Even then knew that the two-party system was dysfunctional. The Green Party (and Ralph Nader) captured my imagination. Carl Lundgren finally found a party that reflected his values, spoke to his concerns, had a realistic understanding of the world, and a positive and constructive platform for systemic change.

City Island Images urges all to go to the polls and VOTE for the candidate of your choice.