It's official.
Political consultant Basil Smikle is off and running against Harlem State Senator Bill Perkins.
You might as well call this the race over choice. That is charter school choice.
Perkins does not support charters, but the problem that could cost Perkins his job is his position does not sit well with many parents in the district.
Smikle came out on the attack Thursday afternoon in Harlem:
“There is fear and anxiety running parallel with palpable uncertainty of the future. Such fear has been stoked by current State Senator Bill Perkins,” said Smikle. “He has provoked an atmosphere that has set neighbor against neighbor, parent against parent and young resident versus old, Harlem deserves better.
Smikle has managed to clear the field so the “anti Perkins” vote will not be divided, Harlem political leaders are no fan of Perkins, and Smikle was a consultant for Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Smikle will probably have financial support from team Bloomberg, but don’t count Perkins out by any means, the powerful United Federation of Teachers will be behind him.