POLITICAL ARENA

Engel v. Mele

Nov. 2 is just weeks away and nothing is set in stone, so lawmakers used to sitting back this time of year are now stumping instead.

In the race for the 17th Congressional District, Anthony Mele, a Tea Party-backed Republican candidate could turn out to be a real contender for Rep. Eliot Engel’s seat. The editorial board of the Journal News was interviewing the two on Tuesday, and Mr. Mele is making his rounds in Riverdale. 

Mr. Mele will speak to and take questions from seniors at the Methodist Home for Nursing & Rehabilitation on Manhattan College Parkway on Friday, Oct. 22.

“We think he’s doing very well. We’re quite surprised at the interest,” John Brown, a campaign volunteer, said.

While there have been no polls in the race, he said, “I can only go by my gut feeling,” adding “We feel an upset in the making.”

For his part, Mr. Engel is taking nothing for granted, according to spokesman Joe O’Brien.

“The long road of political elections is littered with bodies that say ‘oh no, we’ve got this one locked up,’” he said.

He cited a candidate’s night in Woodlawn last week as one of the contender’s recent campaign events, but said Mr. Engel has not hit the train stations yet.

Dinowitz v. McLaughlin

After reading last week’s column, contender for Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz’s seat, Joe McLaughlin, stopped by The Press to chat.

He defended his stance on the Croton Water Filtration Plant, calling it a “NIMBY” thing, and saying that now, “it looks better.”

While he criticized Mr. Dinowitz for his opposition to the project in last week’s paper, he responded to questions about his own involvement by saying he was not living in the neighborhood at the time and, therefore, did not take any public stance.
But in response to a question about what, if any, community action he has taken on any issue, he said, simply, that he hasn’t.

“I haven’t been involved,” he said. But, he said, for all the people who attend community board meetings and the like, “I volunteered to go and represent them.”