In one of Suffolk’s key legislative races, the Independence Party has decided to endorse Republican Betty Manzella over incumbent Democrat Legis. Kate Browning.
Frank MacKay, state and Suffolk Independence Party chairman, said his decision was “not anti-Browning,” but pro-Manzella, calling her a “courageous woman, a fighter and a survivor,” referring to her past battle with breast cancer.
Manzella, a Suffolk elections worker, could not be immediately reached for comment. Jesse Garcia, Brookhaven GOP chairman, said the endorsement shows the “groundswell universally” for Manzella, who he described as “civic-minded, community-based and principled.”
The Independence Party, party officials say, did not give Browning a chance to screen for the endorsement. Two years ago, the minor party backed former Republican Legis. Peter O’Leary (R-Moriches) whom Browning ousted in a major upset. In that race, the Independence line gave O’Leary just 274 votes, far less than Browning’s 1,863 vote margin of victory.
Manzella is also a cousin of former Suffolk and Brookhaven GOP chairman John Powell, who spent 18 months in prison on federal charges of bribe taking and involvement with an illegal truck chop shop, and now is in the paving business.
Richard Schaffer, Suffolk Democratic chairman, said he was “disappointed” with MacKay’s decision, “but at the end of the day all Kate’s aggressive work on issues like code enforcement and sexual predators should carry the day down there.”
Browning, a Working Families Party member who runs with Demcoratic backing, said she has “a record to stand on” attacking sexual predators and illegal housing. She said in the year before she took office in 2005 there were only 140 summons issued on housing compaints; since she took office in 2006, the number is more than 600.
Rick Brand
Comments (8)
Is the Board of Elections now the farm system for political candidates?
The fact that the IP was worth only 274 meaningless votes for an incumbent last time is an indication it will be as irrelevant this time. If only your political reporters stopped obsessing about McKay & his gang, the tail might stop wagging the dog.
274 Votes - MacKay has built no brand loyalty to his party name. These candidates do way too much work for these minor lines. At least Browning wasn't willing to kiss ass.
The Republicans have put all of their eggs in the basket of a BOE hack who is the cousin of convicted felon John Powell.
Gradually, bit by bit, candidates will realize that their leaders are lazy and look to garner extra votes from people like Frank Mackay and his nonexistant party. Phoney phoney puffer pigeon.
The minor parties are really just subsets of the major parties...our system is broken and we need a real thrid party.
The Independence leader deserves to be strapped down while a coulple of half blind, over anxiuos, semi twitching, Tourettes syndrome siamese twin sisters get to practice their bizzare style of body sculpting techniques with a pare of brand new electric carrott pealers that they've been just dying to use.
Browning has been a disaster. She knows nothing about the district or the issues and is incapable of making decisions on her own. Her support, and probably her votes, come from outside the district, from the bizarre kids from the city who seem to advise her on everything and from union people who all seem to live in Nassau.