The Democrats are still reeling from their Senate loss in Massachusetts, and the question for Staten Island's Congressman Mike McMahon is: can he hold on to his seat in the 2010 elections?McMahon rode into office during the presidential election of 2008. It didn't hurt that he was vying for the seat of the scandal-plagued Vito Fossella and to top it off his main rival, Frank Powers, died of a heart attack during the campaign.
McMahon won handily with 61 percent, in the only district in New York City that voted for John McCain. But the political winds are changing, to say the least.
McMahon faces a fresh crop of Republican candidates, and a growing storm from the activist Staten Island Tea Party.
Staten Island Republicans have backed former FBI agent and Gulf War veteran Michael Grimm as a potential nominee. The first-time candidate has the sacred blessing of former borough president/ SI kingmaker Guy Molinari. During his coming out ceremony at the Hilton Garden Inn, Grimm came out swinging in, trying to appease the Tea Party crowd.
"The only thing we can trust is that (McMahon) will be a faithful vote for the Pelosi liberal regime," said Grimm.
Coming from the Brooklyn side of the district (which includes a few influential neighborhoods) is another Mike: Michael Allegretti. Allegretti made the convenient move over the Verrazano to Rosebank and has been endorsed by the Islandwide Republican Club -- which has about 100 members. The Brooklyn transplant was a bit more guarded in his statements about the current congressman, stressing smaller government and fiscal conservatism -- stuff the 13th district can get behind.
So it’s looking to be a race of the "three Mikes," as the Brooklyn Eagle has called it. It will be interesting to see which Republican candidate can grab the attention of the Island: the more dignified, perhaps milquetoast approach of Allegretti, or the partisan backbiting Tea Party enthusiast Grimm. Only time, and enormous campaign contributions, can sorts these things out.
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