Assembly Dems are in the money
  Democratic candidates running for Assembly seats and the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee had a total of $13.9 million in the bank as of late yesterday, according to an analysis by the New York Public Interest Research Group. Republicans, who are in the minority in the Assembly, had a total of $2.4 million.
  Incumbents have the advantage over challengers, NYPIRG found, with $11.9 million in their bank accounts compared to $555,000 for challengers. Quite a few Democrats don’t have opponents for their Assembly seats.
  Here are some examples:
  —Amy Paulin, D-Scarsdale, has about $392,000. Her opponent, Republican Anthony Pilla, has $700.
  —Sandra Galef, D-Ossining, has about $80,100. Her Republican challenger, William Gouldman, has $22,300.
  —George Latimer, D-Rye, has about $74,700. His GOP opponent, Rob Biagi, has $10,400.
  —Adam Bradley, D-White Plains, has 268,400. He has no opponent.
  —Greg Ball, R-Patterson, has $4,300. John Degnan, his challenger, has about $1,900.
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Incumbent legislators seem to have no problem raising money for themselves. They can’t figure out anything in NY State, but they figured this out with ease. Wonder if anyone at all is giving them money for their own selfish interests so that the legislator will vote against the good of the taxpayer and for the good of the donator? If all donations were blind, (including to the legislator and staff) and legislators voted only their consciences for the good of the state en-toto, one wonders if any of them could collect a fifty dollar bill.
Greg Ball is broke as hell and John Degnan is even more broke. Who will provide John and Greg with money for their campaigns?
Check out campaign finance, Bill Gouldman donated most of the money to himself
ed1…look on line and see how Galef and Latimer raised their dough: mainly from individuals. That means grassroots support. Just because you’re far-right doesn’t mean that every one agrees with you. A whole lot of people agree wth Paulin and like Bradley and work for Spano. That’s why they win.
Oh I get it. When a CONSERVATIVE wins—it’s the voice of the people! When a DEMOCRAT wins, it’s self-interest and favoritism.
Unfortunately, you DON’T get it. If you had any knowledge of the history of this forum, you would know that I skewered Joe Bruno and others of his ilk for the very same things.
Ball and Degnan both have just pennies for campaigning. Maybe since they are low on funds they will stop the trashy signs, especially the big round lollipop signs Ball puts up. Tired of those things.
Ball doesn’t even have pennies. Check out the disclosure report. He has over $78,000 in outstanding loans as well. He’s DEEP in the negatives.
As with Ball ad Degnan both spent an awful lot in the primaries and much of the campaign is pretty much over. There are public forums and some door to door stuff they can do that doesn’t cost money. I think it’s safe to say most already know who they are voting for.
SR,
I would agree with you, but only for the Republican voters. Most will stick with Ball, but Degnan can probably carry over a few that he won on Primary night along with the Democratic voters. He might pull over a few Inpendence Party votes as well, but most of those will stay with Ball since he has the line.
The unaffiliated voters will decide this election. They have not been touched and Degnan and Ball and are going to fiercely fight for them. Ball looks like he’s short on cash and Degnan will probably have support from Albany and DACC.
If Degnan is able to convince these voters to go with him, which shouldn’t be too hard given his bipartisan attitude and moderate positions, then I give the race to him.
However, if Ball pulls these votes, he’s the winner.
This election is far from over.
Well, it will be interesting because in 06 Ball defeated Stephens in the Primary 70-30%. then went on to beat Harper by over 9 points. In fact had Stephens name not been on the ballot the margin might have been greater unless enough of them were so upset they would have voted for Harper.
In this Primary Ball defeated Degnan and his negative campaign by an even wider margin. 3 to 1 overall and there are only 2 candidates this time around. Therefore Indies will be looking at the 2.
Without a Ken Harper there is no “true” Democrat in the race but you are correct that Degnan is quite Liberal in some regards. However it is hard to tell these days. Federal Republicans favor some things Degnan stands for like Amnesty for Illegals, etc which have been hot button issues.
Degnan will grab some Republicans this year but I am not entirely sold that he can simply grab party line votes from Dems. He’ll get a lot there but not all.
Ultimately I give Ball the edge here because of the sheer numbers. Many are speculating that loads of Dems will turn out for a vote on Obama and that may be true but it doesn’t always mean party line votes for local elections. In fact often times many folks turn out for national elections and don’t even vote on local issues.
It will be interesting but I think Degnan losing both the Republican and Independent lines by a larger amount than Stephens did is a pretty telling stat.
It sure would be nice not to have two more years of Assemblyman Ball. People are tired of the last eight years of Rebpublican leadership in Washington and may vote democratic ticket across the board. Will be many close races.
don;t worry cathy..notwithstanding the Obama Juggernaut
people are not going to vote for a democratic assemblyman
in gregs district particularly not degnan
The problem with Degnan is it seems his entire candidacy is based on two assumptions.
1. He is not Greg ball
2. He is on the Democratic ticket
His entire campaign was negative smearing and it didn’t work. he only got 25% which was worse than Stephens got against Ball.
As someone who knew little of Greg Ball until earlier this year and next to nothing on Degnan I was surprised Degnan has ignored so many issues.
When he does speak about issues he is insanely vague, much like Sarah Palin, just recites buzzwords and bullet point campaign propaganda.
All I hear out of him are words like “accountability”, “vibility”, and “sustainability” but I have never heard him offer any specifics on how he intends to achieve anything. Just vague position statements. Worse his own website is nothing more than a canned interview of him attacking greg Ball and then briefly mentioning a couple issues that are important to him while offering no specifics.
At least with Ball, despite all the hatred, has a voting record and proposed legislation record that show what he has been doing and allows voters to judge if he has been true to his campaign promises. but Degnan has yet to make any specific promises, at least that I have heard, and that doesn’t exactly build a lot of confidence with voters.
Degnan was conducting a nasty negative campaign from
the getgo…trying to impugn ball’s discharge from
the airforce…and he continued to do it notwithstanding
the fact that ball made available his discharge papers
in other words..degnan was going to be negative even
if he was wrong..
the other problem is that degnan is a proxy for
vinny leibell and though i like vinny and think
he has done a good job…he and greg have issues
but the public does not and never has liked
one official interfering in the election of
another based on turf wars…when vinny pumped
all that money into the degnan campaing he was
throwing down the gauntlet…it remains to
be seen whether it will come back to bite him
in the butt,,
Going back a couple of years ago, Greg Ball ran a campaign against Stephens and there was lots of negativity from Ball bashing Stephens. Greg appears to run a campaign with smears as well as anyone else. So saying just Degnan runs a smear campaign is wrong. Ball has recognition because he goes to all events, shakes hands and makes himself known. Does that make for a good representative???? Ball has 52 bills all stuck in committee and who knows if they will ever move. The star program is not great but it is something and Ball voted against that too.
Election Day will be interesting as the 99th district has Degnan with no experience in albany and Ball with two years of nothing in Albany.
How quickly we forget. Ball began the campaign against Degnan with a horrible smear ad with lies saying things like Degnan provided healthcare and education to illegal immigrants. Total fabrications. He even used a mock picture in the ad – it wasn’t even Degnan. Its no wonder Degnan came back hard on this Ball of garbage.
Sometimes fire must be used to fight fire and Ball began the smear campaign, it is just a shame that Degnan has not finished it yet.
More money for Degnan and Ball is toast.
you sir are dreaming…ball wins easily…57-59% of the vote
Degnan will consider himself lucky to be in the 30-35% range, Mike. I think the margin will be bigger then what you’re predicting.
Ball is supremely arrogant, this will only further his overconfidence. Truth be told, if he were to take on Leibell in a primary, Ball would likely win. Leibell’s never had to run a real campaign before, and Ball is a professional. However, I doubt Ball is interested in going to the Democratic-controlled Senate in 2010.
A more likely scenario is that Ball, bolstered by his 30-point win over Degnan, tries his hand against John Hall. However, his ego will be his undoing, and Hall will trounce him.
I was basing my prediction on the Obama coatail effect in
some parts of the district..