Last week, three candidates filed at the Board of Elections to contest the race for the 21st Senatorial District. They are: Kevin Parker (incumbent); Dr. Kendall Stewart (City Council/45) and Simcha Felder (City Council/44). This is the first time in my thirty-five years of first-hand experience with New York’s politics that I can remember three present officeholders (all elected officials), contesting the same state senate seat. If I am correct, then it means that we are witnessing history folks.
Contrary to the persistent rumors being circulated for the past month or so, Dr. Kendall Stewart is running. He told me last week that he is in it to stay. He said that the rumors of his withdrawal were being driven by a panicking Parker camp. Dr. Stewart says that he is in it to win it. He is totally confident of pulling of the upset. He cites his sixteen years as an elected official (two positions) and his lifetime of community activism. He also cites over two decades of professional service to the community. He said that all this serves him in good stead and he expects to win. He also said that his support in this district is strong, wide, large and deep.
Stewart believes that the negative press emanating from the arrest of two of his staffers who allegedly stole city money, will not subtract from the fine work he as has done representing the 45th council district. He says that the voters know he had nothing to do with these allegations (otherwise he too would have been arrested), and he expects his core support to stay in tact.
Some supporters of Kevin Parker have been suggesting Stewart leave the race, once it was announced about two months ago, that Felder would run. There were internet rumors that Governor Paterson was going to give Stewart a high-profile job, just like he has recently done, for Senator Sabini, Assemblyman Lafayette, and some other elected officials. At least one key political operative from Harlem has already held discussions with Stewart as to what can persuade him to leave the race. Stewart is adamant that he is not leaving. He said that he has been preparing for this race for almost two years now, and that he is set to go, convinced that he will win.
In 2001 Stewart convincingly whipped Kevin Parker in the race for the 45th council district. That was when 8 candidates ran to replace then outgoing councilman Lloyd Henry. Supporters of Stewart have been claiming that he has whipped Parker before, and he will do it again. They seem to be relishing the prospect of a Parker v. Stewart 2. There seems to be a lot of bad blood towards Parker. I remember directly telling Kevin many times over the years, that he needs to mend quite a few fences; he never listened to me. Reaching out to people (to bury the axe) isn’t something that incumbents do well; sometimes they pay a price for their folly.
Meanwhile many others in the district seem to believe that the seat is at risk for losing a black representative. Some have intoned that Felder is nowhere as controversial as Noach Dear, who came close to whipping Parker twice in three attempts. They say that Felder will get more raw votes than Dear did, which makes him extremely dangerous in this race.
Simcha Felder -the white Jewish candidate- up against two blacks in a district where the black population is over sixty percent, is also confident of victory. Sources tell me that Felder expects to win even if he is in a one on one race. Felder’s camp appears to be supremely confident that the voters of the district will respond to his campaign.
What is distressing for me personally is the fact that quite a few blacks have been angry at my public position, which in essence is that Felder (like David Yassky/two years ago), has every right to contest this race. I will say it again: no one racial, ethnic, tribal, religious or nationalistic group has a lock on (or ownership of) any seat. I am amazed at the fact that so many don’t get this.
In this race I have made a five hundred dollar bet that I know who the winner is; I will reveal it to you all in a column on Election Day (morning). Please don’t try to second guess me in the thread of this column/lol.
Stay tuned-in folks; this race is far from over.