Teachout will run in 19th District; Gipson prepares to challenge Serino
By Kevin E. Foley
Zephyr Teachout (campaign photo)
Zepyher Teachout, the Fordham Law School professor whose effective primary campaign against Governor Cuomo last year earned her high praise in progressive circles, has declared her candidacy for Congress in the 19th district, which begins north of Poughkeepsie. This is a significant development locally in the 18th district with Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney exchanging endorsements with endorsing Teachout last week. The Teachout blessing bolsters Maloney’s cred with the left wing of the party. [See comments section.]
Maloney also sent a strong message to potential opposition campaign contributors with the announcement he had $2 million on hand for his campaign. Some will make an issue of his donors, but potential big donors for others will take note.
The several Republicans running against Maloney may find themselves having to choose among the remaining presidential candidates if, as many observers expect, that race continues into the New York April 19 presidential primary. Picking a losing candidate might be held against participants in the June congressional primary.
Terry Gipson
Former Democratic State Senator Terry Gipson is gearing up for a run for the seat he lost after one term to Republican State Senator Sue Serino. The district includes Philipstown and Beacon and runs well up into Dutchess County. Serino is from Hyde Park. Gipson is from Rhinebeck.
The Republicans hold a narrow majority in the Senate and both political parties consider the district winnable. So we can expect the campaigns will be funded handsomely from within and without the district. If the last race was any indication, it will be a long, hard-fought, at times ugly, encounter.
There was no cross endorsement. While Maloney endorsed Zephyr Teachout, she most certainly did not endorse Maloney back. That is incorrect reporting. You may confirm that with Zephyr Teachout’s campaign as well as with every other media outlet reporting on this.
Will you confirm Diana’s statement and issue a correction?
Although the Teachout campaign has not responded to our inquiries to clarify, it does not appear she has officially endorsed Maloney in his bid for re-election to his 18th district seat. We have corrected this in our report. However, following Maloney’s endorsement, Teachout tweeted on her campaign’s account: “Huge news: today Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney endorsed me. Hudson Valley power! Imagine the infrastructure projects we could work on.”
On Jan. 25, Zephyr Teachout announced her bid for Chris Gibson’s seat in New York’s 19th Congressional District. Ten days later, Sean Patrick Maloney introduced and endorsed Teachout at a campaign event in New Paltz.
According to Hudson Valley Press Online, at that event Teachout said: “It’s an honor to be endorsed by a strong progressive leader like Rep. Maloney and have his support in my campaign for Congress. It’s exciting to have so much momentum early in the race. I’m running to fight for what our communities need — like more infrastructure investment — and stand up for people whose voices are drowned out and shut out. We’ve had an amazing first 10 days, with hundreds of new volunteers and over 3,000 new small-dollar donations, and Congressman Maloney’s support is a great end to a great beginning.”
It would be remarkably cynical of Teachout to fail to cross-endorse, and given her public personality, which so many people have come to know and love, that certainly doesn’t seem like something she would do.
Isn’t it the usual etiquette for the folks who are in office to endorse the new candidates, rather than the other way around?