National Democrats are targeting every House Republican in New York.
Every one, that is, except for Rep. Peter King (R-Nassau).
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) and Rep. Steve Israel (D-Suffolk), the DCCC Northeast coordinator, made clear at a February event discussing Democratic prospects that finding a challenger for King was not high on their radar. This follows 2006, when Democrats heavily promoted King’s then opponent, Nassau County Legislator Dave Mejias, who came up short in the race.
Mejias, widely viewed as the top choice for Democrats, has decided instead to challenge State Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-Nassau).
With growing Democratic enrollment across Long Island, King’s seat would be a natural extension of Democratic gains in town and county races across the Island.
But Israel insisted that the lack of an opponent for King was not due to a shortage of effort by the DCCC.
Israel said the group had identified two different candidates for the seat: Babylon Town Supervisor Steve Bellone and Suffolk County Legislator Lou D’Amaro. Both traveled to meet with DCCC officials in Washington before declining to make the race.
“Both of them would have been strong competitors, but both decided to not make the race,” Israel said.
Bellone could not be reached for comment, but Israel explained that Bellone’s wife recently had a baby which would have precluded him from making the time commitment necessary to make the race.
D’Amaro said he decided to pass on the King challenge because he has only been a county legislator for three years and has been busy focusing on county issues. As the head of the county legislature’s Ways and Means Committee, fiscal issues have been dominating his agenda, D’Amaro said.
D’Amaro does not think that the Democrats will be able to defeat King this year. He noted that the eight-term congressman is well known in the district and has been raising money for the 2008 contest since the day after he won re-election in 2006. As of the end of last year, King had raised over $600,000 and has about half of that money on hand.
“The national party will be more concerned with retaining the seats they won and the open seats,” D’Amaro said. “Given the strength of Peter King in fundraising and enrollment, I can’t imagine this would not be a priority for the national party.”
Israel disagrees and believes the King seat will be winnable for a Democrat, if and when a candidate emerges.
“The Democratic tide is strong right now,” Israel said. “A candidate with funding, message and organization can win.”
King, for his part, said he has been anticipating a strong Democratic opponent after the Mejias challenge from two years ago. Mejias was heavily promoted by local and national Democrats in his race and viewed by many as having a strong chance to win.
But on election day in 2006, as Democrats around the country triumphed, King won re-election by 12 points.
King said he has been continuing to be visible in his district and has not put too much thought into why Democrats currently lack an opponent for him.
“When the news is going well for you, I try not to analyze it that much,” King said.
With a potential Democratic takeover of the State Senate on the horizon, the redistricting of the state’s congressional seats after the 2010 census takes on more importance. With New York projected to lose between one or two seats, along with the potential for all Democratic control of the redistricting process, some have speculated that Democrats may spare King tough challenges this year and in 2010, then redraw his district after the next census to be a Democratic one in time for the 2012 election.
King acknowledged these possibilities.
“I’d much rather have a Republican Senate,” he said, “when it comes to redistricting.”