Jockeying to replace Paterson

BY ERROL A. COCKFIELD JR. | NEWSDAY ALBANY BUREAU CHIEF

February 10, 2006

New York state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is seen after a fundraiser at the Glen Oaks Country Club in Old Westbury. (Newsday / Karen Wiles Stabile / February 15, 2006)

ALBANY - Not many people have wanted to lead the Democratic minority in the State Senate. Republicans control power so tightly that members from the other side are relegated to gadflies.

But after Senate Minority Leader David Paterson became state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's gubernatorial running mate last month, Paterson's would-be successors have been talking up their ambitions and prodding Paterson to relinquish his position early.

"This is the hottest conversation there has ever been about succession in the Senate minority," Paterson, a Harlem Democrat, said.

With Democrats predicting they could pick up additional seats this November and take the majority in 2008, the race to be leader of a yet-to-be-won Senate majority has essentially begun. And some Democrats believe that Spitzer, who is the Democratic front-runner for governor, may already be influencing the jockeying - a charge about which his campaign spokesman, Ryan Toohey, would not comment.

Spitzer's closest legislative ally, state Sen. Carl Andrews (D-Brooklyn), the conference's whip, said he has had discussions with members who have urged him to seek the post.

Other possible contenders include Neil Breslin, of Delmar; Martin Connor, a Brooklyn lawmaker who was once leader; Martin Malave Dilan, also of Brooklyn; Ruth Hassell-Thompson, of Westchester; and Eric Schneiderman, a Manhattan Democrat who is deputy minority leader. Another lawmaker, Malcolm Smith, of St. Albans, said he was uninterested.

When asked if he is interested in the job, Andrews, who is running to replace Rep. Major Owens (D-Brooklyn), did not rule out the possibility. "I am honored that my name has been mentioned but at this point I'm a candidate for Congress," he said.

But some of Andrews' colleagues are not buying the line that he is uninterested in the job. Andrews, who directed Spitzer's field operations when the attorney general ran for office in 1998, is in a competitive congressional race and the prospect of leading a Democrat-controlled Senate comes with extensive perks, influence and patronage.

"Becoming the leader without a fight versus running a very competitive congressional race, that's not even a choice," said state Sen. Kevin Parker, another Brooklyn Democrat.

Paterson said the attorney general told him he will not get involved in the selection of a leader, but even Paterson noted Andrews has an edge if he is interested. "Having a long-standing relationship with the person who could be governor is not going to hurt," Paterson said.

Democrats are emboldened this year because Republicans are not unified behind a single candidate in the governor's or other statewide positions.

The parties in Albany usually choose their leaders after elections, but some Democrats believe Paterson may have to step down if the duties of running for lieutenant governor infringe on his leadership duties. Paterson has said he plans to remain leader until year's end.

"It could get really problematic when you hit June and the campaign season starts to pick up," Connor said.

Republicans now control the Senate by 35 to 26 and Democrats hope to pick up one or two additional seats in November.Some Democrats say Paterson could champion the cause of taking the majority along with his campaigning.

"Paterson can act as a representative for the Senate and a candidate for lieutenant governor," Breslin said.

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