Kings County Politics reports that Brooklyn Democratic Party leader Frank Seddio announced support for State Assembly Member Brian Kavanagh to be the Democratic candidate for the New York State Senate seat vacated by the resignation of Daniel Squadron. That now vacant seat will be filled after a special election to be held on November 7, coinciding with the regular election for mayor and other citywide offices. It is not known now if Kavanagh will face a Republican opponent, or any other candidate.
Kavanagh’s candidacy has drawn support from incumbent Democrats, including Governor Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio, Borough President Adams, and State Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon, whose district includes Brooklyn Heights. Your correspondent saw Ms. Simon yesterday at the Montague Street “Sunday Social”. She said that she and other local Democrats had advocated naming as the candidate in the special election someone who would agree to serve out Squadron’s unexpired term but not be a candidate in the primary election to select the Democratic candidate in the next general election, and thereby would not have the advantage of incumbency. Nevertheless, she said, she was happy with the choice of Kavanagh, who has experience as a state legislator and is in accord with her progressive beliefs.
Nevertheless, the selection of Kavanagh has drawn strong opposition from some Democrats. As also reported by Kings County Politics, the New Kings Democrats have protested the selection of Kavanagh as undemocratic, given that he decisively lost (72-28) a vote by the New York County (Manhattan) Democratic Committee, to Lower Manhattan District Leader Paul Newell.
