REALITY BASED EDUCATOR PROVIDES SOME POSITIVE STATE POLITICAL NEWS

RBE sent this to me this morning.

This quote is from NY State of Politics; the commentary that follows is all from RBE.

"An independent expenditure committee backed by the United Federation of Teachers is making a last-minute push for Democrat Todd Kaminsky in the special election to replace Republican former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos. The group Teachers For Todd reported spending $27,794 on mail in the 9th Senate district ahead of Tuesday’s vote. The group also reported spending $14,908 on a radio ad purchase and $27,720 on phone banking for a race in which voter turnout is expected to especially key.

The race itself appears to become something of a proxy war for the battle over education policy in the state. The political action committee supported by the education reform and pro-charter group StudentsFirstNY, has spent heavily in the race backing Republican Chris McGrath, with records showing the group has spent more than $1 million the Nassau County district. Meanwhile, records show on Friday the Republican State Leadership Committee spent $15,000 on digital advertising critical of Kaminsky, a freshman member of the Assembly. Kaminsky has in recent weeks been archly critical of the controversial Common Core standards and raised questions after Republicans successfully pushed for a boost in charter school aid the budget and then received campaign support from the pro-charter organization."

So UFT spends about $71,000 in the race, the ed deform criminals spend $1,015,000. Gee, don't you love when the ed deform criminals play it like they're the underdogs?

Kaminsky is said to be up by about 750 votes - that's a 53%-45% spread, but the Republican candidate (a shyster personal injury attorney) says it's "too close to call" (i.e., Repubs can't believe they're going to lose this state Senate seat.)

If Kaminksy wins, it helps us in Albany but does not return the State Senate to Dems because of the breakaway IDC. However, it does help send a message that the charter school/ed deform criminals can't just expect to win by outspending the unions 14 to 1 or go with the default attack ad that every Dem is a commie pinko tax lover who vacations with de Blasio in Cuba (which had been the GOP strategy against Kaminsky.)

 Let's see if after the rest of the votes are counted, Kaminsky is still up. If so, it's a bit of good news.