As race winds down, Gentile, Donovan make last-minute push for votes

Candidates crisscross congressional district

May 4, 2015 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Daniel Donovan (photo left) stopped in Dyker Heights over the weekend as the race against Vincent Gentile (photo right) headed into the final stretch. Donovan photo courtesy of Donovan campaign. Gentile photo by Paula Katinas

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As the campaign for the Southwest Brooklyn-Staten Island congressional seat entered its final day before Tuesday’s special election, Republican Daniel Donovan and Democrat Vincent Gentile were crisscrossing the district, meeting voters and making a last-minute pitch for votes.

Donovan, who is the Staten Island district attorney, started his day on Monday in his native borough, riding the Staten Island Railway and greeting voters at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal before coming to the Brooklyn end of the district, where he table-hopped and shook voters’ hands at the Vegas Diner in Bensonhurst. He then went door-to-door on 76th Street in Dyker Heights to talk to residents.

Gentile — a city councilmember representing Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and parts of Bensonhurst — began his campaign day bright and early, saying hello to voters at the R train station on 95th Street in Bay Ridge at 7:30 a.m. Gentile also visited the Saint Anselm Senior Citizens Center in Bay Ridge before heading over to Staten Island, where he was scheduled to greet voters at a supermarket and make a campaign stop at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.

Both men garnered high-profile endorsements in the final days of the campaign.

On Sunday, Donovan was endorsed by the Staten Island Advance, the influential newspaper covering that borough. He had earlier been endorsed by the New York Daily News and the New York Post.

“As special elections for vacant offices often do, the one on Tuesday has prompted two high-quality candidates to throw their hats into the ring. Both are outstanding public officials and outstanding people, and whichever one winds up being sworn into office is sure to serve the 11th Congressional District well. But, like the voters, we must choose; for the newspaper serving this borough, the choice is easy: Daniel Donovan, the Republican candidate and currently the Richmond County District Attorney,” the Advance endorsement read.

Gentile was endorsed late last week by the state’s top Democrat, Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“Vinnie Gentile has fought for the hardworking people of New York his entire career. He is a steadfast advocate for first responders and he is committed to growing our economy by cutting taxes, creating jobs and supporting small businesses. I endorse Vinnie for Congress because the people of the 11th District deserve a fighter who will always put people first,” Cuomo said in a statement.

“I am proud to have the support of Gov. Cuomo, who is a national leader on issues like gun control, job creation, and making government work for all,” Gentile said. “Through his leadership, New York has come back from the economic downturn to be more fiscally sound than ever. The governor and I share a vision for a New York where every person has the same opportunities to succeed.”

Donovan, Gentile and Green Party candidate James Lane are all running in the special election on May 5 to succeed former Congressman Michael Grimm, a Republican who represented the 11th Congressional District for four years until he resigned from office on Jan. 5 after pleading guilty to tax fraud.

Gentile is facing an uphill battle for the seat, according to most political observers, who point out that the district map is dominated by Staten Island. Donovan, the Staten Island district attorney, is a well known figure in that borough.

A vast majority of the district’s voters, approximately three-quarters, live on Staten Island. The district crosses the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to take in parts of Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst but Brooklyn makes up only about a quarter of the congressional district.

Donovan, however, said he isn’t taking anything for granted. “My biggest concern is that people don’t realize the election’s tomorrow,” he told the Brooklyn Eagle on Monday as he went door-to-door on 76th Street. “I don’t want a situation where on Wednesday, I hear people say, ‘I would have voted for you, but I thought the election was this November.’”

Special elections usually generate a low turnout of voters, meaning that conventional wisdom sometimes gets tossed aside and there is a surprising result when the polls close.

Taking no chances, Donovan said he has 300 volunteers ready to get out the vote on Tuesday.

If he wins, Donovan vowed to provide full representation and services to Brooklyn constituents and said the borough will not be treated like a step-sister to Staten Island.

“We’re going to have a real presence here,” he told the Eagle, adding that if he wins, he will open a district office on this side of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

The May 5 special election also includes a vote for the 43rd Assembly District (Crown Heights/Prospect Lefferts Gardens/East Flatbush). The candidates are Menachem M. Raitport (Republican), Diana C. Richardson (Working Families Party),Shirley M. Patterson ( Independence Party) and Geoffrey A. Davis (Love Yourself Party).

The special election is Tuesday, May 5. The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.