David Storobin (Photo: Facebook)
Special election candidate David Storobin, who already has the Republican and Conservative lines in his campaign to replace former State Senator Carl Kruger, will likely be unsuccessful in his efforts to be on a third “School Choice Party” line, a Democratic source told Politicker.
The Democrat explained that 2,387 valid signatures were needed for an independent ballot line in this State Senate district — an awkward number as it’s calculated from the number of votes the district cast in the last gubernatorial election. Apparently Mr. Storobin fell several hundred signatures short of this goal.
Mr. Storobin’s bid to be on the School Choice line will still be successful if his signatures remain unchallenged, but the Democratic source suggested strongly that they will be challenged, additionally arguing that the lack of signatures shows a lack of organization for the aspiring State Senator.
“We wanted David Storobin’s name to appear with the School Choice emblem on the ballot so that the voters would know where David stands on that issue. We wouldn’t expect a whole lot of votes on the School Choice on the line, but it would be information for the voters,” School Choice Party Chair Gary Popkin said in an interview.
Third party lines are mostly symbolic, but they can provide a signal of support for voters looking at the ballot. The School Choice Party’s platform, advocating for financial support for parents with children in private school, is particularly salient in districts like this this one, as many Jewish families enroll their children in yeshivas.
Mr. Storobin’s Democratic opponent, Councilman Lew Fidler, is unlikely to personally contest Mr. Storobin’s signatures, but Mr. Popkin placed the blame on the candidate should they be challenged. “I don’t know what Lew Fidler would accomplish by throwing them off the ballot … unless he doesn’t want the voters to know where David stands on school choice.”
The State Senate seat both candidates are vying to win opened up when Carl Kruger pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges and resigned. In addition to the Democratic Party’s line on the ballot, Councilman Fidler has already obtained the Independence Party’s backing.
The election will take place on March 20th.
Update: Councilman Fidler’s campaign manager Kalman Yeger sends over his response:
“How sad that Mr. Storobin is so uncomfortable with being associated with Albany Republicans that he would try to fraudulently manipulate the ballot with a manufactured ballot line. Brooklyn voters know that Councilman Fidler stands with them, and are again wondering exactly who David Storobin is. Will Mr. Storobin’s next move be to scrub his Republican enrollment as he has done with his erratic internet rants?”
Follow Colin Campbell on Twitter or via RSS. ccampbell@observer.com
Kalman,
You mean like how Fidler is running away, at least publicly, from the anti-capitalist, anti-private sector Working Families Party?
Why did Fidler not run on the WFP Line? We know they will be helping him out before the election and on Election Day.
Why is Fidler ashamed of running on the WFP line?
Let’s disect Fidler’s response:
1. If Fidler is so comfortable with the Democratic Party, why did Fidler accept the Independence line?
2. If Fidler supports School Choice, why does he call the School Choice Party “manufactured”?
3. How can Fidler stand with voters when Fidler opposes school choice?
4. Does Fidler want to scrub his Democratic enrollment in a district that votes 2-1 Republican?
Kalman, how do you make a leap that being on the School Choice Party line is making David “uncomfortable with Albany Republicans”? The only ones thoroughout the country that are known for maniuplating ballots in every major metro area is your party, not the Republicans or Conservatives, but the Democrat. so who is manipulating here? next, manufactured ballot line, sorry Kalman, but all lines are manufactured. thats how lines are created, similar to the house you live in and the car you drive. this party, like all othera, is registered at the state level as a real party. Small and one issue only, but a REAL party nontheless. If Brooklyn voters knew that Fidler stood with him, why was his opening press conference in Manhattan, is it because he feels more comfortable with the Democrat Progressives that control that island? not the consservative districts that make up his SENTORIAL district? While you are wondering who David Storoibin is, he is out telling people that your progressive, socialist, anti family, anti school choice, anti small business, anti lowering taxes, anti everything moral and decent that his senatorial district holds dear is wrong for our communities and that his ideals are our ideals. he is for school choice, your boss is beholden to his bosses, the uft, and will never back school choice and repealing the blaine act. he has never met a tax he didnt like.
as for scrubbing enrollment, how come Lew didnt get the backing of the Workers Family Party, you know the ones who are socialist, anti busiiness, and occupy wall street defenders! talk about scrubbing!!