No challenge to LaValle
Democratic line most likely will be blank in November
By John Stefans
Who's afraid of State Senator Ken LaValle, the Republican who has represented eastern Long Island in the 1st Senate District since 1976 and has never lost an election?
One group, quite apparently, is the Suffolk County Democratic Committee, which has opted not to put anyone on the ballot to challenge the incumbent in the Nov. 4 election -- and this despite predictions that 2008 could well be the year the Democrats gain control of the New York Senate for the first time since 1965.
Rich Schaffer, chairman of the committee, makes no bones about why.
"It's a hopeless race," he said in an interview Monday. "Nobody wants to be on the ballot because it's tough to run against a longtime, entrenched incumbent like LaValle. We've tried to mount challenges before, but unless you're coming in there with a million dollars and you're ready to go to war, it's not doable."
Two years ago, the Democrats put up Mike Comando, a financial planner from Southold, whose only prior political experience had come the year before when he lost his race against Republican Ed Romaine for county legislator. In his run against Mr. LaValle, he lost by 23,468 votes, or 36.43 percent to the senator's 63.57 percent. That's been a pretty typical polling result in the 1st Senate District for many elections running.
So this year, the Democrats chose to pass over the only person willing to throw his hat in the ring against Mr. LaValle, Greg Fischer of Calverton, funneling their resources instead into a race they think can win -- namely, Brookhaven Supervisor Brian Foley's bid to unseat veteran State Senator Caesar Trunzo, 82, who has represented the 3rd Senate District since 1972.
Like Mr. LaValle, Mr. Trunzo has never lost an election, but the Democrats see him as vulnerable, especially given Mr. Foley's popularity and his base in Suffolk's largest town. The 3rd Senate District covers the south shore of Suffolk County between Brentwood and Mastic Beach.
"Our focus is on the Trunzo seat," Mr. Schaffer said. "We feel that's the best shot for us to contribute to the state Democrats taking back the Senate. Brian Foley's agreed to step forward on that, so there you have a big race."
Of the Democratic Committee's refusal to endorse Mr. Fischer, the county chairman said the candidate's appearance before the county screening committee was "peculiar, to say the least," and they rejected him.
"It was the first time that anyone had come in to screen and refused to state their positions on issues," Mr. Schaffer said. "He told the screening committee that he would not state his positions until he knew that they were going to endorse him. Needless to say, they were all a little perplexed."
Reached yesterday, Mr. Fischer called Mr. Schaffer's characterization of the screening "completely and utterly false." He said the session, which Mr. Schaffer did not attend, was lengthy and thorough and that the only question he refused to answer was an inquiry about a device to save on home heating bills that Mr. Fischer claims to have invented. "Without a patent, there was no way I was going to get into details," he said.
Following his turndown by the committee, Mr. Fischer sought a place on the ballot by gathering 1,474 signatures on nominating petitions and submitting them to the Board of Elections on the deadline date of July 10. Valid signatures from 1,000 registered Democrats living in the district were required, but after objections to the petitions filed by a Leslea Sullivan and review by the Board of Elections, 620 of the signatures were ruled invalid, according to Board of Elections Democratic commissioner Anita Katz.
Mr. Fischer then sued in state Supreme Court, challenging the Board of Elections' ruling, but on Monday, Justice Gary Weber dismissed Mr. Fischer's action. He could still appeal, which he said he plans to do.
"If Fischer had survived, we would have just let him do his own thing. We wouldn't have supported him," Mr. Schaffer said.
Mr. Fischer said he suspects what he calls "party deals" at work, saying, "They've coronated LaValle and that's disgusting. It destroys the process of open policy and democracy."
Mr. Fischer is remembered in Riverhead for his primary challenge last September against Amy Csorny and incumbent George Bartunek for a spot on the Democratic line for Town Board. He lost by a considerable margin to Ms. Csorny and Mr. Bartunek, who then went on to lose in the general election.
Mr. LaValle, who will be on the Conservative and Independence lines along with his Republican designation, will appear unopposed on this November's ballot. He said lack of a challenger won't change how he campaigns.
Reached Tuesday in Albany, he said, "I'll be out there campaigning on my record and also listening to constituents. My campaign schedule will not change in any way. I'll be at all the events.
"Listening to people has always been critical to campaigning and it's the part of my job I enjoy the most. People should expect nothing less than to hear a candidate say that he really wants to represent them in Albany."
jstefans@timesreview.com
