There has never been a better time to run against a Republican.
National polls show President Bush's approval ratings in the toilet. Between the war in Iraq, lobbying scandals and the second-most powerful man in the free world shooting his friend in the face on a hunting trip, America seems ready to send the GOP packing in this year's mid-term elections.
No one would seem more vulnerable in such a climate than Staten Island/Bay Ridge Republican Vito Fossella, the only Republican congressman in the entire city and the most conservative House member in the state.
In a district where Democrats outnumber Republicans three to two, Fossella never veers from the company line when it comes to voting with the President's agenda.
He is fiercely pro-life, a staunch opponent of equal rights for gays and lesbians (despite the fact that his sister, Victoria, is openly gay and in a committed relationship with children), has an atrocious rating from the ACLU on civil rights issues and has yet to say anything even remotely critical of the war in Iraq, though GOP colleagues have expressed concerns over the war.
Fossella was an energetic advocate of the President's plans to reshape Social Security, though members on both sides of the aisle voiced serious concerns with the plan and the general public gave it little support locally. And he has been a high-profile defender of the President-approved warrantless wiretap program, while other Republican representatives have expressed major doubts regarding the merits of spying on American citizens without a court-issued warrant.
In fact, Fossella embraces his strong ties to the White House whenever he can.
Vice President Dick Cheney has headlined his fundraisers in the past, and Fossella's break with the administration on the Dubai Ports deal was notable since it represented the first public break between the congressman and the president anyone could remember.
But when it came to finding an opponent for Fossella, the Democratic cupboard was apparently bare. Two big names, Staten Island City Councilman Michael McMahon and his Brooklyn colleague Vincent Gentile, both balked at the opportunity to challenge the Republican incumbent. McMahon was reportedly worried that a loss to Fossella could hurt his chances to become borough president in 2009, while Gentile currently faces a scandal over the alleged sexual harassment of a male staffer. Democrats nominated Stephen Harrison, an unknown Brooklyn lawyer, to serve as the sacrificial lamb for 2006.
Enter Bill de Blasio. Reports swirled this week that the Brooklyn Council Member, and finalist for the speaker's job that eventually went to Christine Quinn, is eyeing a run against Fossella. De Blasio, a former aide to Sen. Hillary Clinton, is a prolific fundraiser and has a big enough name to put in a more-than credible challenge to incumbent Fossella. He is no pushover, and national Democrats are excited about the opportunity to bounce Fossella from his seat.
“He offers a clear alternative to Fossella's rubber stamp record of both the president and the Republican Congress,” said Jennifer Psaki, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Clearly, New Yorkers are looking for change, and I think he's someone who can offer that.” Psaki added that de Blasio has not committed to anything yet, but that the DCCC was “very excited” about his potential run.
Fossella, whose office did not return repeated calls for comment, has expressed little concern publicly over a de Blasio candidacy, with aides noting his strong record on homeland security and his popularity in the district as reasons for serious candidates to shy away. When President Bush won Staten Island in 2004, Fossella beat him by 13 points.
Even those partial to de Blasio, who also did not return calls for comment, wonder if he would have the chops to take out Fossella, noting that he has his own unique set of problems. He might be too liberal for the moderate-to-conservative district. He doesn't actually live in the district, anyway (only state residency is required to run for Congress). The heart of the district is Staten Island; de Blasio's a Brook-lynite. Some say he's too chummy with the city's union machine. He has a reputation of being a wholly owned subsidiary of the Clinton family.
“I wonder if he plans on living with Bill and Hillary,” joked one top-level City Council staff member, who asked to remain anonymous. “He is their political stepchild. He certainly knows how to play the game, but I'm not actually sure if he could take out Vito.”
The tide might be turning against Fossella, but he still remains an electoral juggernaut.
De Blasio has not yet raised any money, and Staten Island Democrats are angry with the DCCC for trying to push a candidate on them so late in the game without even consulting local leadership. And Harrison has not committed to backing out of the race if de Blasio enters it, which could force de Blasio to focus his resources on a primary opponent rather than getting an early start attacking Fossella's record.
