NEW YORK – Amid the hoopla and outward signs of unity surrounding Gov. Kathy Hochul's candidacy for a full term at today's Democratic State Convention, an underlying backlash simmers.
Rep. Thomas R. Suozzi of Nassau County and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams were barred from addressing the convention, but they have not been shy about pushing against party leadership and advancing their own primary candidacies against Hochul. Suozzi, for example, is using the gathering to jump-start his underdog effort even as he and Williams are both expected to leave the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel without reaching the 25% vote of the convention to qualify for the June Democratic primary.
Without reaching the 25% threshold, they face the daunting – but both say "doable" – task of collecting 15,000 petition signatures across the state to qualify for the June primary ballot.Â
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The congressman eagerly answered questions today about the call he received from Hillary Clinton, who's slated to address the convention later today. Clinton, he revealed, called him to seek his exit from the campaign in favor of Hochul.
"'Let's unify the Democratic Party, and you're doing a great job in Congress,'" is how Suozzi summarized his conversation with the former first lady, senator and secretary of state. But even the plea of one of the Democratic Party's best-known names does not appear to have changed the congressman's decision to run. He reiterated much of his ongoing campaign for governor, calling himself at "common sense Democrat" addressing issues of crime and taxes.
"I feel strongly that this country is in a lot of trouble," he told reporters after he addressed a private breakfast of convention delegates. "People are moving out the state and are having problems with crime and taxes. And nobody is talking to the people about these issues.
"They're talking about these poll-tested issues that feed our base," he added, "but not about what people are worried about."
Indeed, Suozzi advanced his campaign a significant step further, by introducing newly named running mate Diana Reyna, a former New York City councilmember and former deputy borough president of Brooklyn. She immediately piggybacked on Suozzi's "common sense Democrat" theme and also had no problem criticizing the status quo of her party.
"People are tired of the lies, people are tired of being told things will get better," she said, "and nothing gets better."
Williams, meanwhile, continues his primary effort from the party's left wing. He criticized the state party's reported efforts to add several last-minute Hispanic speakers to today's program and said the Democratic Party has over time failed to take on the status quo.
"It's sad that this is continuing," he said.
