Steve Harrison Showed Up In Manhattan Last Night

At a smoky (for at least a few minutes, quick someone call 311!) bar on Franklin Street last night, DfNYC, Stonewall Democrats, Three Parks Democratic Club and Village Reform Democrats came together to hear from the challengers to incumbent Vito Fossella (R - Staten Island). One candidate by the name of Steve Harrison showed up to talk about his passion to represent Staten Island as a liberal and he took question from the audience even if he disagreed with the locals (such as on congestion pricing). He also talked about ending the war and that much of the Responsible Plan being floated around in 2008 was very similar to what he was saying two years ago.

The other man in the race the seemingly reclusive Councilman Dominic Recchia didn't bother to show up despite having the event rescheduled for him to make it easier. Oh and by the way, the place is about a ten minute walk from City Hall, so it isn't like Recchia couldn't have come over for an hour to talk about issues that concern not only Staten Island, but New York City and the nation as a whole.

It was a shame that Recchia wouldn't even bother to make an appearance, but it is starting to show through that there is only one candidate in this race willing to make an effort to talk to voters and people all over the city in order to make Staten Island and that slice of Brooklyn that is the 13th Congressional District of New York blue again. Steve Harrison proved last time around in 2006 that he had the guts and determination to do whatever it took to reach out to the voters in what was thought to be the last Republican stronghold in New York City. Despite being outspent nearly 10 to 1 by Vito Fossella, he still got 43.2% of the vote. With the help of activists that came out to see the candidates last night, this time we can cross that fifty percent threshold and send Vito packing.