In last Tuesday’s Democratic Primary elections, two winning candidates for State Assembly were Francisco Moya in the 39th AD and Robert Rodriguez in the 68th. Both are overwhelming favorites to take office as their districts are safely Democratic.
Moya and Rodriguez will join an interesting group of present and former New York City state legislators – those who were unsuccessful candidates for City Council and then were elected to the State Senate & Assembly.
Both Moya and Rodriguez ran in 2009, Moya in a Special Election to replace Hiram Monserrate (the person he defeated last week) and Rodriguez against incumbent Melissa Mark Viverito (in a district that had previously been represented by Rodriguez’ father).
Among those who preceded Moya & Rodriguez in moving from a Council loss to an Albany win are:
Brian Kavanagh who won an Manhattan Assembly seat in 2006, a year after finishing 2nd in a City Council Primary and the person Kavanagh beat, Sylvia Friedman who won a Special Election for the Assembly that year, 13 years after she lost a City Council Primary.
Brooklyn Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny also was elected in 2006. He lost a Council Primary in 2001.
Brook-Krasny’s Assembly predecessor, Adele Cohen won a Special Election for Assembly in 1998, a year after she lost in the same Council district.
Assemblyman Michael Benjamin, of the Bronx, won a Special Election in 2003 after being beaten in 2001.
Brooklyn Senator Kevin Parker who won in 2002 after a Council Primary loss in 2001 and former Queens Assemblyman Barry Grodenchik who did the same.
Former Assemblyman Francisco Diaz, who won a Special Election, running on the Liberal Party line, in 1995 after losing a Council race in 1993.
And then there are three who have been the most successful Council also-rans who won legislative seats:
Congressman Greg Meeks who won an Assembly seat in 1992 after losing in 1991.
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, also elected to the Assembly in 1992, after losing in 1989.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, elected in 1976, after losing a City Council contest in 1974.
I decided not to go further back that Silver and if I left anybody out elected since then, I’m sorry.
Now, the strategy of losing for Council and winning for legislature is not sure fire. At least 5 candidates who lost City Council races lost Primaries for either Senate or Assembly this year and one Republican who lost a Council race, Anthony Como is trying for a State Senate seat in November, but the record of success is good enough that I would say to future unsuccessful Council candidates – don’t give up!