High-Profile Help in the the Manhattan Surrogate's Court Race
Tomorrow, a few more Democratic clubs in Manhattan will hold endorsement meetings on a bunch of local races, including the quiet, but incredibly competitive, Surrogate’s Court race in Manhattan.
How competitive is that race? Judging by the hired guns the candidates have, very. (Especially since most folks haven’t even heard of it).
Milton Tingling has two important figures on his campaign: Kevin Wardally of Bill Lynch Associates, and Chung Seto, a Hillary Clinton fund-raiser and former executive director of the state Democratic Party. Tingling already earned an endorsement victory by a landslide when the county Democratic organization met earlier this month, giving him crucial institutional support.
John Reddy, an experienced judge closely associated with the current surrogate, Renee Roth, has Joe Reubens and The Parkside Group working on his campaign. The firm helped elect Manhattan Surrogate Kristen Booth Glen and in Rockland County, they helped Robert Berliner unseat an incumbent surrogate judge.
Nora Anderson, a reform-minded candidate (with neat campaign literature), has consultant Michael Oliva, who successfully managed two other Surrogate's Court candidates, as well as campaigns for judicial candidates in other courts.
- Poll
- Obama (D)
- McCain(R)
- Spread
- RCP Average
- 48.3
- 42.8
- Obama +5.5
- Candidate
- Favorable
- Unfavorable
- Spread
- Obama
- 61.2
- 32.5
- +28.7
- McCain
- 55.7
- 37.3
- +18.4
John Reddy is not "an experienced judge", but, like Nora Anderson, he is an experienced T&E attorney. It should be interesting to see what happens when these two inside baseball T&E candidates (Reddy and Anderson) square off. It is interesting to read that Anderson is allegedly "reform minded" when she is a super-connected attorney that will owe her pals (who will need to dump a ton of cash in her campaign) big time. Calling her reform minded in the Surrogates Court context may be a good slogan, but that is all it is.
Judge Milton Tingling is only a little better, but only because his political supporters will only be seeking the plumb fiduciary appointments. This means that they will have little interest in influencing actual cases. Reddy's and Anderson's main support actually practice in Surrogates Court.
I guess we can stay tuned and see what happens in a race that can mean a lot, but means so little in terms of public consideration and attention.
Yeah, I too am not too sure that "reform-minded" is an apt description for Nora. She doesn't actually know much about the Surrogate's Court--either that or she knowingly says things that aren't true or accurate when she's on the stump. As for Tingling...*cough* patronage *cough*
And, County support isn't "crucial."
And, County support isn't "crucial."
A few things...
Nora Anderson has litigated in Surrogate's Court more than any other attorney in the State. She has an over 90 percent success rate. She was Chief Clerk under Roth and Preminger, and she has Preminger's endorsement.
If that's not experienced what the heck is?
As for the county endorsement, Anonymous is right, it's a hindrance rather than a help. They've lost the past two Surrogate's races, and the vote was a sham. The leaders were being nice to an outgoing Denny. That's why Tingling has the least clubs.
As for Reddy...he deals with unknowns...he's not a litigant. Hold your coughs. He doles out patronage more than anyone. Hello, he works for the Public Administrator.
Tingling and Reddy might dole out patronage should they take the bench but most likely it would be to members of the New York trusts and estates bar.
Anderson might be a practicing T&E attorney but most of her career has been spent in Brooklyn with a Brooklyn firm. Is it any wonder those who ate at the Brooklyn patronage trough might be seeking ways to consume in New York county now that there is an opportunity? Last I checked there were two Surrogates in Brooklyn who successfully ran without party support and whom might not be so inclined to dole out any favors to the party regulars that rebuffed them.
In terms of outsider status, Tingling, for all his party support, is actually a "outsider" in the insider-baseball world of Surrogate's court. Anderson not only has the support of Preminger and Ross, but is of counsel to SRPC, one of the primary beneficiaries under Surrogate Feinberg and look how well that ended up for THAT Surrogate. Talk about the ultimate "insider" cloaked in the robe of "reform" for the sake of convenience. Reddy is used to doling in his capacity as counsel to the Public Administrator so it will be business as usual should he take the seat.
It will all come down to how much money each candidate can raise for the long haul. Both Reddy and Anderson have very deep pockets. Tingling might have to get the party to show more support than simple endorsements.
Tingling and Reddy might dole out patronage should they take the bench but most likely it would be to members of the New York trusts and estates bar.
Anderson might be a practicing T&E attorney but most of her career has been spent in Brooklyn with a Brooklyn firm. Is it any wonder those who ate at the Brooklyn patronage trough might be seeking ways to consume in New York county now that there is an opportunity? Last I checked there were two Surrogates in Brooklyn who successfully ran without party support and whom might not be so inclined to dole out any favors to the party regulars that rebuffed them.
In terms of outsider status, Tingling, for all his party support, is actually a "outsider" in the insider-baseball world of Surrogate's court. Anderson not only has the support of Preminger and Ross, but is of counsel to SRPC, one of the primary beneficiaries under Surrogate Feinberg and look how well that ended up for THAT Surrogate. Talk about the ultimate "insider" cloaked in the robe of "reform" for the sake of convenience. Reddy is used to doling in his capacity as counsel to the Public Administrator so it will be business as usual should he take the seat.
It will all come down to how much money each candidate can raise for the long haul. Both Reddy and Anderson have very deep pockets. Tingling might have to get the party to show more support than simple endorsements.