Special Election Today in Bronx, Soon in NY-23

By Roy Edroso Tue., Jun. 2 2009 at 11:51 AM

Categories: Albany, Borough Presidents, Elections, Featured, Politics, Transitions

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Whoops, turn around for a second and there's another special election. Today the vacated assembly seats of newly elected Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and his appointee to Deputy Beep, Aurelia Greene, are up for a vote. New York and the Bronx being what they are, no one expects Diaz Jr.'s and Greene's handpicked successors -- Marcus Crespo and Vanessa L. Gibson -- to have any trouble with their Republican opposition. We don't know anything about these guys besides their bios, and that Crespo seems to think this balloon-heading video is funny, which in our view disqualifies him from high office.

Looks like we'll get another off-season race in New York's 23rd District as Republican Congressman John McHugh (pictured, right) has been nominated by President Obama to serve as Secretary of the Army. (The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza speculates that, as census losses may obviate his district in a few years, McHugh may have been "looking for a graceful exit.") "Not a GOP loss," claims twitterer tourpro, but Obama carried that district in 2008. The Albany Project expects Democratic state senator Darrel Aubertine -- who's popular with farmers in his constituency -- to compete for the seat against Republican senators Joe Griffo and Elizabeth Little.

Interestingly, McHugh is a signatory to the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act, which would "ensure governors and state legislatures pre-approve the transfer or release of [Guantanamo] detainees into their respective states." "I want to be clear," said McHugh on that occasion. "Nothing in this legislation precludes the closing of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba." Photo via McHugh's House site.

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