Surrounded by hundreds of supporters and family members, and joined by a number of city and state lawmakers, City Councilman Joseph Addabbo Jr. formally announced on Saturday his highly anticipated run for state Senate in the 15th District against Republican incumbent Sen. Serphin Maltese.
áicking off his campaign, Addabbo, traveling via school bus, made four stops throughout the district, which includes the communities of Glendale, Howard Beach, Maspeth, Middle Village, Ozone Park and Woodhaven, among others.

Addabbo shook hands with and spoke to supporters about his plans at each stop, which included a rally at Peter Charles Park in Maspeth and a visit to Myrtle Avenue in Glendale, where he plans to open a second campaign office.
Addabbo’s bus, which had departed at 9 a.m. from his Howard Beach campaign office, also stopped by a Sikh center in Richmond Hill before reaching its final destination: a campaign party at Danny’s Szechuan restaurant in Howard Beach.
“For too long, the families here have watched as their taxes have gone up and funding for our schools has gone down. Our local economy is suffering while politicians in Albany simply brush our needs aside,” Addabbo said. “I am running for state Senate to change the way business is done in Albany.It’s time to improve the way our government works for the people of this Senate district.”
The race is expected to be one of the hardest fought in the state, and the GOP is expected to spend millions of dollars to defend the incumbent, who is gunning for his 11th consecutive term. Maltese nearly lost the 2006 election to Democrat Albert Baldeo, a community leader who does not currently hold elected office.
Baldeo is running for the Senate seat again and will face off with Addabbo in the primary election. However, the Queens County Democratic Club has endorsed Addabbo, making him a prohibitive favorite.
Addabbo, however, recognizes that it won’t all be smooth sailing. “Make no mistake,” he said, “this will be a tough race. But my father taught me to never back down from a fight just because it was going to be difficult.”
His father and namesake, Joseph Addabbo, who was born and raised in Queens, served as a Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1961 to 1986.
“I stand with the people of Queens and I will be their voice, demanding that Albany finally ease our crushing tax burden, give our schools their fair share and make sure we can afford our healthcare,” Addabbo Jr. said.
New York State Democratic Chairperson June O’Neill joined Addabbo at the kickoff.“The state committee is 100 percent committed to winning a majority in the state Senate because it’s time for new leadership, new ideas and a state Senate we can count on to fight for our values,” she said. “From right here in Queens all the way to Buffalo, I look forward to welcoming new Democratic state senators to our new majority in January.”
Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith (D-St. Albans) is one of Addabbo’s greatest supporters. “I have known Joe and his family for years and am very excited that he has decided to take on this critical fight,” Smith said. “He grew up in a tradition of family service, and there’s no elected official who works harder or more effectively for their community.He’s going to be a true asset for the hard working families of Queens.”
So far, Addabbo has raised about $175,000.

Addabo says that the local economy is suffering. What did he do about the economy when he was in the City Council?

quote:

Originally posted by Alexander:
Addabo says that the local economy is suffering. What did he do about the economy when he was in the City Council?

The name Addabo is seen on certain health facilities, including a huge on two buildings in the Rockaways, Queens. Even if he did nothign for a staggering local economy in the past, there are some edifices bearing his name that say he was instrumental in making health services easily accessible to some New Yorkers.

The name Baldeo is seen only on the building that houses his lawyer's office. Baldeo has the greater burden of responsibility than Addabo to influence voters.

quote:

Originally posted by Communicator:

quote:

Originally posted by Alexander:
Addabo says that the local economy is suffering. What did he do about the economy when he was in the City Council?

The name Addabo is seen on certain health facilities, including a huge on two buildings in the Rockaways, Queens. Even if he did nothign for a staggering local economy in the past, there are some edifices bearing his name that say he was instrumental in making health services easily accessible to some New Yorkers.

The name Baldeo is seen only on the building that houses his lawyer's office. Baldeo has the greater burden of responsibility than Addabo to influence voters.

Communicator,

It is obvious that you don't know the politics or history of Queens. The name on those buildings are for his FATHER NOT him. Check his voting record as a city council member on various issues. He is also very anti-immigrant.However, he uses some immigrants from the Guyanese community: Dr. Taj Rajkumar, Frank Singh and Ram Jodah

Older Italian residents of Queens will verify that Addabo sr was indeed a "peoples' representative"....he worked well with progressives like LaGuardia etc...

Addabo jr INHERITED his position from his father....the voters thought that with the Addobo name he would have been a "peoples' representative" also....they were soon to be very disappointed especially on his anti immigrant positions....

This Addabo has done zero but people like Taj are giving him a profile in the Indo community. The Kris Gouden case will hang around the neck of Addabo for non-action. Baldeo championed the Gouden case.

I have serious reservations about Baldeo....but I recognise that he is all the Guyanese community has at this time......

Church, you are trying to throw a curved ball, but Baldeo is brave to take them on. If not Baldeo whom do you have? Dhanpaul? He is not doing anything.

quote:

Originally posted by Alexander:
Church, you are trying to throw a curved ball, but Baldeo is brave to take them on. If not Baldeo whom do you have? Dhanpaul? He is not doing anything.

Now look who is throwing the curved ball....

Stalin and Alex,

I concede on the Addabo senior and Addabo junior mix up, but family politics can still prove an enigma if only because voters may be willing to gamble with a known quantity, even if it has failed in the past, than an unknown quantity but especially if the unknown quanitity does not 'look like them'.

And that's why I say Baldeo has the greater responsibility than Addabo to influence voters.

Yes, Barack Obama does not look like the m,illion sof whites who voted for him, but Obama made his initial mark in the 2004 DNC Convention with a stirring speech and combined with his oratory, excellent campaiging skills and media backing, he today stands out as a unique player who could run against the grain and win.

And yes, Bobby Jindal, an American of Indian parentage, proved the exception when he became governor of Louisianna, but he first had to prove himself among the ranks of the Republican Party. Where does Baldeo stand in the Queens Democratic Club? What would be the results of a Bisram NACTA poll of eligible voters in the district?

Look again at the lead paragraph of the news story and see where Addabo was 'surrounded by hundreds of supporters andd family members' as he kicked off his campaign bid. Did Baldeo get hundreds of his supporters and family friends to join him when he lauched his bid?

Finally, look at the communities that make the Senate's 15th District: Glendale, Howard Beach, Maspeth, Middle Village, Ozone Park and Woodhaven, among others. Except for Ozone Park, all these communities are predominatly white or mixed with Hispanics.

In a primary run off, do you see Baldeo, an Indian Guyanese-turn-US citizen, beating a white Addabo born in America? How widely known is the name BALDEO in these communities versus the name ADDABO? Do you believe the whites in these communities believe Baldeo is running as a representative of his own home base as opposed to running as a representative of the entire district?

And it doesn't help that the Queens Democratic Club has endorsed Addabo, even though you believe he failed in the past as a politician.

Communicator, thanks for a lucid reply. You have made some good points. Forget the NACTA poll. Didnt they get it wrong in Grenada? But that aside Baldeo has a lot of work to do. He needs greater name recognition which is something that Addabo already has. He is also endorsed by the Democratic machine. But this does not mean automatic victory as history has shown. Baldeo however, has support among Italians, blacks and Hispanics who supported last time and who see Addabo as an opportunist, who just wants to hang on to a public office now that his limit has ended.

quote:

Originally posted by Alexander:
Communicator, thanks for a lucid reply. You have made some good points. Forget the NACTA poll. Didnt they get it wrong in Grenada? But that aside Baldeo has a lot of work to do. He needs greater name recognition which is something that Addabo already has. He is also endorsed by the Democratic machine. But this does not mean automatic victory as history has shown. Baldeo however, has support among Italians, blacks and Hispanics who supported last time and who see Addabo as an opportunist, who just wants to hang on to a public office now that his limit has ended.

And that's why I will close with this repitition: "... Baldeo has the greater responsibility than Addabo to influence voters."

But that is somewhat obvious since Baldeo does not have the machine and he is literally coming from behind. Anyway, it will soon become clear.

Baldeo nearly won the seat the last time why is it the Democratic Party is endorsing Addabbo?

quote:

Originally posted by Chief:
Baldeo nearly won the seat the last time why is it the Democratic Party is endorsing Addabbo?

racist pricks livin in Qns wut yuh expect

The Democratic machine is not going to go against a sitting Councilman. The last time Addabo didnt run. But Baldeo can still pull it off, he has to work doubly hard and he can.

quote:

Originally posted by Alexander:
This Addabo has done zero but people like Taj are giving him a profile in the Indo community. The Kris Gouden case will hang around the neck of Addabo for non-action. Baldeo championed the Gouden case.

And what % of the voters are IndoGuyanese vs Italian?

quote:

Originally posted by Alexander:
But this does not mean automatic victory as history has shown. Baldeo however, has support among Italians, blacks and Hispanics who supported last time.

1. Some thought Baldeo was Italian last time because his name ends in a vowel.

2. There was no strong Democratic candidate last time.

3. One can only wonder what reaction people will ahve when Baldeo's colorful history percolates through the community. Remember those infanous NY Daily News and Newsday articles?

4. What has Baldeo done for voters in that district?

Traditionally, Indo Guy dont get registered to vote but they have big mouths and talk as if they know it all.

Alex,
Many Indo Guyanese are now voting.

quote:

Originally posted by Chief:
Alex,
Many Indo Guyanese are now voting.

Many Guyanese are not registered to vote.

So there you have it, two opinions on the same subject.

how wud Sugahwuka kno, she lef NY since de 80s