Charlie Rangel (Photo: Getty)

Octogenarian Congressman Charlie Rangel staved off a vigorous primary challenge from State Sen. Adriano Espaillat last year, but he has yet to gear up his operations for what could be another tough re-election fight. According to his latest filings, Mr. Rangel spent more than he raised and has negative $4,800 cash on hand and $36,000 in debts and obligations.

Furthermore, Mr. Rangel only received a handful of individual contributions, oddly all from Puerto Rico-based donors, which, along with some political committee cash, amounted to just $34,000. Meanwhile, Mr. Rangel spent about $44,000, including $28,000, to his attorney Jay Goldberg.

Politicker reached out to Mr. Rangel's office to ask if this might be taken as a sign that Mr. Rangel is contemplating retirement. Hannah Kim, Mr. Rangel's spokeswoman, said Mr. Rangel was simply focused on his official duties.

"The Congressman has been just reelected and the 113th Congress started only four months ago. He has been extremely busy holding numerous events in the newly-drawn district," Ms. Kim said in a statement. "He is also focused on working to reform the tax code as well as helping to enact sensible legislation on immigration, guns and a balanced budget that will create jobs, strengthen the economy, and ensure that we keep moving our country in the right direction."

Mr. Espaillat, who has not signaled his own electoral intentions, raised only $2,000 during the same period. However, he reported having a little more than $67,000 cash on hand. Additionally, former Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV, who has said he would run if Mr. Rangel doesn't seek re-election, raised about $45,000.

(Photo: Facebook)

Mark Levine, a Democratic district leader campaigning for the seat held by outgoing Councilman Robert Jackson, is flexing his political muscles even as attention in the race has shifted to the racially-charged epithets used against him and his supporters. Indeed, this morning Mr. Levine announced he has received the formal endorsements of three notable elected officials on the northern side of Manhattan: Congressman Jerry Nadler, State Senator Adriano Espaillat and Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito.

"In a district as diverse as the 7th, it is critical that we elect a leader with a proven track record of bringing people together--a leader like Mark Levine," Mr. Espaillat said in the statement. "From speaking fluent Spanish, to founding a diverse Democratic club, to fighting tirelessly for progressive causes, Mark has the skills and experience to be a great council member for ALL residents of this district."

Mr. Espaillat touting Mr. Levine's diversity credentials is no accident of course; the district he's campaigning for is only about 24 percent white in the latest redistricting rendition, although that's subject to change in the final draft. Further highlighting the demographic issues, one of the candidates in the crowded field of contenders, Thomas Lopez-Pierre, has taken to writing controversial missives attacking Mr. Levine's "White/Jewish" candidacy and calling his supporters names like "Uncle Tom."

While the endorsements don't come as a massive surprise--Mr. Espaillat and Mr. Levine are close allies, after all--they reflect a growing base of establishment support for Mr. Levine. Past endorsers include Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez and Assemblyman Denny Farrell.

View today's full list of statements below:

"Now more than ever, the progressive movement needs activists like Mark who combine a passion for social justice with the skills and experience to make real change.” said Congressman Jerrold "Jerry" Nadler. “He is exactly the kind of leader I want as a partner in government."

State Senator Adriano Espaillat said, "In a district as diverse as the 7th, it is critical that we elect a leader with a proven track record of bringing people together--a leader like Mark Levine. From speaking fluent Spanish, to founding a diverse Democratic club, to fighting tirelessly for progressive causes, Mark has the skills and experience to be a great council member for ALL residents of this district."

New York City Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito said, "Whether the issue is affordable housing, education, or economic justice, Mark is a proven fighter who knows how to get results. I know he would be an incredibly effective council member and I look forward to serving with him."

Reacting to the endorsements Mark D. Levine said, “I am honored to have the backing of these three outstanding public servants,” adding, “I look forward to working with them as a team to advance progressive values and improve the lives of the families of the 7th District."

(Photo: Getty)

The race for Manhattan Borough President this year continued to heat up today, with former community board chairwoman Julie Menin rolling up endorsements from State Senator Adriano Espaillat and two other officials in his political orbit, Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez and Assemblywoman Gabriela Rosa. The current borough president, Scott Stringer, is leaving his post to run citywide for comptroller, and a competitive field of contenders has formed to replace him.

The backing is notable as of the four candidates in the running, none are Latino or hail from the Washington Heights turf represented by the three endorsers. Ms. Menin is from Lower Manhattan and her two announced rivals, East Side Councilwoman Jessica Lappin and Uptown Councilman Robert Jackson, have different political bases. Upper West Side Councilwoman Gale Brewer has previously indicated she would join the field, but has yet to launch her bid.

For what it's worth, Mr. Espaillat, who narrowly lost a primary to veteran Congressman Charlie Rangel last summer, has also had some electoral success since. He easily won reelection against a Rangel-backed challenge from Assemblyman Guillermo Linares, and the Espaillat-backed candidate for Mr. Linares' seat, Ms. Rosa, successfully won on the same day.

View Mr. Espaillat's, Ms. Rosa's, and Mr. Rodriguez's statements supporting Ms. Menin below:

Mr. Espaillat: “Julie Menin is a champion of affordable housing and good jobs for all New Yorkers. As Manhattan borough president, she will fight for working families living uptown, downtown, East Side and West Side. I am proud to support her. She is the best choice for Manhattan.”

Ms. Rosa: “I am supporting Julie Menin for Manhattan Borough President because of her proven commitment to great public schools for every child in our city. As chair of her community board, she successfully fought for three, much-needed new public schools for her neighborhood. When she is elected, she will do the same for all of us.”

Mr. Rodriguez: “Julie Menin has been a strong advocate for small businesses – especially immigrant-owned small businesses – helping them cut red tape and assisting them with government resources and insurance problems. She will be a great Manhattan Borough President."

Ruben Diaz Sr. (Photo: nysenate.gov)

State Senator Ruben Diaz sent a special New Year's-themed edition of his regular "What You Should Know" email newsletters this morning. In his year-end missive, Mr. Diaz took a series of shots at the State Senate with backhanded "political wishes" for the new IDC/GOP leadership coalition, "Uncle Tom" State Senator Malcolm Smith and State Senator Adriano Espaillat. 

Most of Mr. Diaz's "wishes" for next year involve the new leadership in the State Senate. He expressed his hope State Senator John Sampson, who just lost his position as leader of the Democrats in the chamber, will "find better and more faithful friends." Mr. Diaz also wished for the new Democratic leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, to "buy a back-stabbing-proof vest."

The leadership coalition between the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference and the State Senate Republicans has been sharply criticized for lacking any minority members besides IDC State Senator Malcolm Smith. In his New Year's list, Mr. Diaz echoed this criticism when he wished for Mr. Smith "to find another minority to join him in order for him not to be the only Uncle Tom in the house." He also predicted the IDC's expectation the Senate Republicans will back a "progressive agenda" will prove wrong and wished for the dissident Democrats to have "a parachute to allow them to make their landing easy and soft" when the GOP pulls back their support.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has argued it is his job to remain above the fray in the various State Senate leadership disputes. However, Mr. Diaz, like some other Democrats, clearly thinks the Democratic governor should have done more to fight the coalition and support a Democratic majority in the Senate. One of his New Year's wishes was for Gov. Cuomo "to be honest enough to admit that he has been the creator of the mess in the New York State Senate."

As usual, Mr. Diaz's missive also included a reference to his closest former colleagues in the State Senate: Carl Kruger, Hiram Monserrate and Pedro Espada. Mr. Diaz is the last remaining member of these "Four Amigos" still in the Senate. Mr. Kruger received a seven-year prison sentence after a bribery case in April. Mr. Monserrate was expelled from the State Senate in 2010 after being convicted of slashing his girlfriend with broken glass and was sentenced to two years in prison on an unrelated corruption charge earlier this month. Mr. Espada pleaded guilty to corruption charges in October and is now facing up to a decade in prison. After this tough year for the "Amigos," Mr. Diaz said he hopes they can "get together in 2013 while they are away and write a book" giving the IDC instructions on how to deal with the Senate Republicans.

Along with weighing in on the Senate leadership situation, Mr. Diaz's list included a slam directed at State Senator Adriano Espaillat, who unsuccessfully ran for Congressman Charlie Rangel's seat in the House of Representatives this year. Mr. Diaz said Mr. Espaillat should "get a big handkerchief to wipe away his saliva" in 2013 because Mr. Rangel "will be there for many years more" and former Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV is "warming up in the bullpen."

Read Mr. Diaz's full year-end top ten list below.

This year on December 31st, when I bend my knees in church and make my New Year's resolutions, you should know that I will be making the following political wishes for some people:

1. For Senator John Sampson, to find better and more faithful friends.

2. For reporters Bob Kappstatter, from the Bronx Times and Jim Odato from the Times Union, to learn how to be impartial and objective journalists.

3. For Senator Jeff Klein and his Gang of Four, to find a parachute to allow them to make their landing easy and soft when Senator Dean Skelos and the Republicans - fearing the Conservative Party - reject their support for a progressive agenda, leaving the Gang of Four out in the cold.

4. For Senator Malcolm Smith, to find another minority to join him in order for him not to be the only Uncle Tom in the house.

5. For Assemblyman-Elect Luis Sepulveda, to take it a little bit easier with a little more patience and wait for his time, because it will come.

6. For my three friends, Carl Kruger, Pedro Espada, and Hiram Monserrate, to try to get together in 2013 while they are away and write a book instructing Jeff Klein and the Gang of Four how to deal with Dean Skelos and what to expect from him.

7. To Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, to buy a back-stabbing proof vest.

8.  For Senator Adriano Espaillat, to get a big handkerchief to wipe away his saliva because Charlie Rangel will be there for many years more - and aside from that, Adam Clayton Powell is warming up in the bullpen.

9. For Governor Andrew Cuomo, to be honest enough to admit that he has been the creator of the mess in the New York State Senate.

10. As for myself, should these nine other wishes come true, that I will be able to take a break and keep my mouth shut.

This is Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Phone bank desks set up for the telethon. (Photo: Adriano Espaillat/Twitter)

Northern Manhattan, the highest point of the island, largely escaped the kind of devastation Hurricane Sandy caused elsewhere in the five boroughs, however residents and politicians from the area are pitching in with a storm relief telethon this afternoon that will be broadcast on La Mega radio station and at least three Spanish-language cable television outlets. The telethon includes planned appearances by the New York Yankees' star second baseman Robinson Cano, several of the likely 2013 mayoral candidates and a slew of area politicos.

"Although Upper Manhattan has been spared by the storm, we recognize our responsibility to help fellow New Yorkers," State Senator Adriano Espaillat, who organized the event, said in a statement. "The Uptown Cares Telethon will directly help raise funds for victims on Staten Island and around the City."

Proceeds from the telethon, which is airing from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. today, will got to hurricane relief efforts in Staten Island and other parts of the city that were hard-hit by the storm. The donations will be administered by the not-for-profit Hispanic Federation Inc.

In addition to Mr. Espaillat, Harlem Congressman Charlie Rangel, Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, Assemblymen Herman "Denny" Farrell and Guillermo Linares, Assemblywoman-elect Gabriela Rosa and Democratic District Leader Mark Levine. The event is bringing together a group of politicians that found themselves at odds after the hard-fought congressional primary between Mr. Espaillat and Mr. Rangel last June.

To dial in to the telethon call 1-800-776-4096.

(photo: uskidsmags.com)

State Senator Adriano Espaillat would really prefer if Mitt Romney would stop beating immigrant communities with a stick so that candy will come out, figuratively, of course. Thus, on the eve of the second debate between Mr. Romney and the incumbent, President Barack Obama, Mr. Espaillat gathered with Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez and immigration advocates to "call out" Mr. Romney and push him into changing his tune on immigration.

"Mitt Romney has committed to the most extreme, xenophobic positions on immigration, including the promise that he will veto the Dream Act," Mr. Espaillat said in a statement to explain his protest, which took place in front of Hofstra University where tomorrow's debate will be held. "When he comes to New York, a state that prides itself on our immigrants; a state where we passed in-state tuition for undocumented students; and a state where we value diversity, Mitt Romney should explain his hypocrisy on immigration and why he’s used immigrants as a piñata to appeal to extremists in his party.”

This is not the first time Mr. Espaillat has used an especially colorful metaphor to refer to Mr. Romney. Previously, the state senator said Mr. Romney twisted himself into "a xenophobic pretzel" during the Republican primary season when more conservative positions were electorally advantageous.

(Photo: Jon Reznick)

State Senator Adriano Espaillat declared victory against his challenger Guillermo Linares tonight, fending off  spirited campaign that a reignited rivalries both old and new. The officially reported numbers currently have Mr. Espaillat ahead by a 2-1 margin with many outstanding precincts, indicating that his internal numbers are likely accurate as to who the ultimate victor will be.

Notably, when Mr. Espaillat challenged veteran Congressman Charlie Rangel in the Democratic primary earlier this year, Mr. Linares backed the incumbent even as the local Dominican-American community rallied behind Mr. Espaillat's bid. During the campaign, Mr. Linares announced his intentions for Mr. Espaillat's seat and held true to that promise even after the state senator said he would run for reelection.

Mr. Rangel and some of the county establishment came out strong for Mr. Linares in this race, holding a press conference condemning a controversial Espaillat campaign mailer in the strongest terms possible days before voters headed to the polls. However, a number of forces rallied on Mr. Espaillat's behalf, including 2013 mayoral contenders Scott Stringer, Bill Thompson and Bill de Blasio, all of whom were at his victory party tonight.

Additionally, Mr. Linares' daughter Mayra ran for his old assembly seat this cycle. At the moment, she's trailing the Espaillat-backed candidacy of Gabriela Rosa.

Charlie Rangel giving his passionate speech earlier today.

Last week, State Senator Adriano Espaillat's campaign circulated a tough mailer against his primary opponent, Assemblyman Guillermo Linares, in which they accused Mr. Linares of "betraying" the community by backing Rep. Charlie Rangel over Mr. Espaillat's bid to become the country's first Dominican-American congressman earlier this year and for taking campaign contributions from special interests.

Mr. Rangel, a backer of Mr. Linares' bid, is angry about the mailer. Really angry. So angry, he says, that he was motivated, in the spirit of the anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, to condemn the controversial campaign literature in question. To that end, Mr. Rangel held a press conference where he gave a ten minute speech expressing his outrage.

Waving a copy of the mailer and standing before a crowd holding up flags from various countries, Mr. Rangel was uncharacteristically fiery but characteristically loquacious.

Mr. Rangel's remarks were clearly far too epic to edit. As such, we present a full transcript below.

"This is not a very good day for me. Most of you know the country is sharing the pain that we all felt on 9/11. I was so pleased to hear that Senator Espaillat has suspended his campaign today in memory of the lives that were lost and the attack that was made against our great city and against our great country and indeed the civilized world. And that's what makes this so-called 'press conference' so painful, because of what this country means to all of us. The liberty that we enjoyed, people all over the world can't even dream about the concept, and one of the things that makes us different from most people is that when the flag goes up, when we're talking about coming together with the unity that we had with 9/11, all of my political life, especially the days that I spent in the Congress, it has been with the concept of tranquility that people who have differences worked those differences out.

"For people to take a look at one's religion and their color and their language and their background, and to say that that should make a difference -- let's face it, I'm honest, I'm no new kid on the block. Everyone should want to see someone who looks like them and have their culture achieve the highest stations that we have in this country. Don't let me lie to you and tell you I don't feel a sense of pride with President Obama. As many differences as I may have with this president, I do feel a sense of pride for me, and my children, and my grandchildren! So the whole concept that one shouldn't take this into consideration, you leave that to those people that want to give a sermon on the mound.

"But I want to be realistic with you. But in this great country, to call a patriot a 'traitor'? To call someone who ventured to this country in order to make not only his life better, but to make America better? Who plays by the rules? Who comes here to improve the quality of education and he himself says he needed a little education? Who worked hard? Who gained political respect, not just by the public officials and the mayor, but by the people outside of his community? Doctor Linares' biggest asset was bringing people together no matter what their background was! To call this man a 'traitor' disappoints me beyond belief.

"Now, let me make it clear, when I drafted this press release, it had a whole lot of anger in it. When I finished it, it was a whole lot of reaching out. I could not believe that the senator was aware that this filth was being circulated. So I changed everything and said, 'Let him join with us today to reject whoever thought that they could put a wedge between our communities based on one's background.'

"But last night, I got a chance to watch a rerun of New York 1. And the question was asked, 'Is it true that you sent out this piece of literature condemning this man as a traitor because he supported me?' And I expected to hear a whole lot of political mumbling and rejection and 'someone did this but I don't know who.' But instead of doing that, instead of rebutting the fact that this came out of his political club, instead of rejecting  having his fingerprints on it and sending it out, he starting talking about public officials who had endorsed him. He started talking about Bill de Blasio and going to the Justice Department and Billy Thompson for endorsing him. Let me tell you something senator, you can mention all of the names you want, whether it's Cuomo, de Blasio or Thompson, I know them well enough to know they reject this and they reject the idea of this type of filth going out there. 

"We should never reach the point in this great country that political decisions are going to make you condemned as a traitor. Where you and your family and your community where you're raising your kids and your grand kids, and the label's going to be on you that you're a traitor. Traitor has a painful, painful label. This is not calling you a 'disappointment,' this is not saying, 'I disagree with you.' If you're a patriot, this means something to you. This is a stigma that no person has a right, just because they come from the same country before they reach this great country, when you get to this great country it means you put this filth behind you if you had it when you got here.

"And so I want these cameras to take a look at America. It stands behind me. It doesn't say Catholic, Protestant, Jew or Gentile. It doesn't say Latino, non-Latino. And the day will come that we don't want to have a Catholic called a traitor because they voted for a Protestant over a Catholic. Or a Jew is called a traitor because they voted for a Gentile over a Jewish member.  Or a black is called a traitor because they endorsed a non-black for a job.

"Pride is one thing, attacking someone in this manner is something else. And so it's not too late to say we make mistakes. We all make mistakes. This was more than a mistake. This was more than a mistake. It allows people to believe that you can go to a Jewish person and say, 'Yes I know our candidate's a bum, but you should vote for him anyway because he's Jewish.' Can you imagine? Or a Catholic could say it. Or a Muslim could say it! Or a Mormon could say it! 

"God forbid all of this pain and poison is not out of our country, but we're trying like hell to get rid of it. We're trying like hell to get rid of it. And so I don't think there's much more for me to say. I think this crowd, this multi-color, multicultural crowd speaks for itself, speaks for our country, speaks for our beloved congressional district here and the Bronx, it speaks for our country, it speaks for those who died for our country, and I don't see how the hell I can add anything to it."

Mr. Rangel declined to take much in the way of additional questions after delivering his lengthy statement.

A map of New York City's State Senate districts.

It's Election Day in New York next Thursday! But instead of a titanic battle between ideologies--your Mitt Romneys vs. Barack Obamas, if you will--the options on the ballot will be little-noticed state legislative contests between candidates of the same party, often with few policy differences.

However, that doesn't mean that there aren't some exciting races happening. From "Who Gets Arrested for Raping a Grandmother?" to “Assemblywoman Caught Up in Sex Scandal with Two Young Men,” there's been no shortage of nasty drama and mud slinging as voters head to the polls.

Here's a breakdown of who's running and why it might matter who wins. The list below focuses on Democratic races because the few Republican primaries in this staunchly blue city tend to have clear favorites or are taking place in such Democratic territory that the victor is reasonably likely to be irrelevant.

So, without further ado...

Category #1: The End of the Rainbow

Four Republicans crossed the aisle to help pass gay marriage in New York last year, and three of them are running for re-election this year, Senators Mark Grisanti, Steve Saland and Roy McDonald, are all facing primary challengers that have come out on the opposite side of the marriage issue.

Advocates on both sides of the debate have invested heavily in these races, and regardless of the outcome, the results are sure to help set a national narrative about what happens to Republicans who support gay marriage. Can otherwise conservative lawmakers survive the backlash, or will their unorthodoxies topple their political careers? As state legislatures across this country consider passing gay marriage themselves, these three races could impact the discussion.

And with campaign literature like this, these races won't be short on fireworks.

Category #2: Indictment Excitement

There are a number of elected officials running for re-election with various criminal allegations hanging over their heads. If the more ethically challenged ones win and are eventually convicted of abusing their offices, the results of these races might send a depressing message about the state of the electorate. (They have all maintained their innocence.)

State Senator Shirley Huntley, who was arrested a couple weeks ago on charges that she used member items to line the pockets of her friends and family, is facing a very strong primary challenge from Councilman James Sanders. Even before Ms. Huntley's legal troubles, Mr. Sanders was mounting a credible primary challenge, as his base in Far Rockaway was drawn into her southeastern Queens district in this year's redistricting process. Mr. Sanders has also picked up support from a number of unions and the influential Rev. Floyd Flake, making this race seem like it's his to lose at this point.

Assemblyman William Boyland Jr. currently stands accused of one of the more hilarious acts of alleged official impropriety in recent memory -- taking bribes to pay for his legal bills he ran up in a separate bribery case. It's not clear if Mr. Boyland intends to fight the federal charges again or accept a plea deal, but the indictment--with wiretap evidence--seems pretty damning. Damning enough that he'd have a much harder re-election bid ahead of him if it weren't for the fact that he's facing eight (!) challengers who will split the anti-Boyland vote. With such a large field, it's difficult to get a clear read on this Brownsville and Ocean Hill-based district, but activist Tony Herbert and campaign operative Anthony Jones seems to be running some of the stronger non-Boyland campaigns.

Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera is being investigated by a small army of agencies on whether she may have illegally provided jobs to her boyfriends and used a nonprofit's funds for personal and political purposes. She faces a field of three opponents, but businessman Mark Gjonaj is running the most serious campaign of the bunch, with over $200,000 in his war chest and substantial investments in advertising and field operations. Ms. Rivera won't go down without a fight, however, and the Bronx Democratic establishment is pulling out all the stops to ensure she pulls out a victory. Will she be able to survive the barrage of bad headlines that have dogged her for the last few weeks and make it through Election Day?

Category #3: Rage Against the Machine

While Ms. Rivera's race features a classic establishment vs. insurgent dynamic, it's hardly the only one. Candidates across every borough except Staten Island are running against the folks who are currently in charge. Nowhere is this dynamic more pronounced than Brooklyn, where scandal-scarred Kings County Democratic boss Vito Lopez is still ostensibly in control and has yet to formally relinquish power. If anti-County candidates succeed, it will weaken the organizations' ability to convince mayoral contenders and other candidates they are still top dogs in this city.

District Leader Lincoln Restler is considered a rising star in Democratic politics, but before he can continue rising, he's going to have to win a tough reelection battle. Mr. Restler, a prominent critic of Mr. Lopez, would be cruising to reelection but for the fact his opponent, Chris Olechowski, is destined to receive the majority of the ballots in vote-heavy Hasidic Williamsburg. It seems like all the winds are blowing in Mr. Restler's favor, but given the bloc of votes against him, this will be a race that plenty of political observers will be following Thursday night.

Senator Martin Dilan may or may not be vulnerable, but given his close alliance with Mr. Lopez and the fact that his senate district overlaps with Mr. Lopez's assembly seat, his reelection race will serve as a test for the machine in Brooklyn's new political world. While Mr. Dilan would appear to have the edge, attorney Jason Otaño is mounting a vigorous campaign. If Mr. Otaño can make a strong showing, he could be a strong candidate in the future, at the very least.

Open Seat to replace outgoing Assemblywoman Grace Meng: A crowded field of candidates is vying to replace Ms. Meng--who left the her diverse seat based in Asian-majority Flushing to pursue a congressional campaign. The County's Democratic Party has backed Ron Kim, a former government aide and political operative, but his electoral prospects are far from clear. Ms. Meng has stayed out of the race and a number of other hopefuls, notably former City Council candidate Yen Chou, are in Mr. Kim's way. The other entrants in this unpredictable race are; Ethel Chen, Myungsuk Lee and Martha Flores-Vasquez.

Open seat to replace outgoing Assemblyman Rory Lancman: Mr. Lancman lost to Ms. Meng in her congressional race's Democratic primary and isn't pursuing reelection. His seat, like Ms. Meng's, is an Asian-majority district in northeastern Queens, but the field couldn't be more different as it features just two non-Asian candidates: community board chairman Jerry Iannece and former assembly chief of staff Nily Rozic. Queens Democrats are pushing hard for Mr. Iannece, and he would seem to be favored as a result. However, Ms. Rozic has picked up a number of notable endorsements, including The New York Times and various unions, creating a genuine horse race between the two.

State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, who's also running for reelection in a Queens district that has been reconfigured to be Asian-majority, shouldn't really be that vulnerable without any major blunders in office and a reliably Democratic voting record. However, she only won 45 percent of the vote  in 2010 against two challengers. With a district that now includes new areas, she's facing a rematch against one of her 2010 foes, John Messer. Mr. Messer, a businessman and attorney, has his placed his personal wealth in the campaign too, to the tune of $500,000. Ms. Stavisky, with close ties to her senate colleagues and Queens County, has been doing plenty of her own fundraising and running an aggressive campaign, however.

Open seat to replace outgoing Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries: Mr. Jeffries is on his way to become Brooklyn's next congressman and he's leaving a vacant Fort Greene and Clinton Hill-based district behind him. Three contenders are hoping to replace him; Walter Mosley, Ola Alabi and Martine Guerrier. Mr. Mosley has the support of Mr. Jeffries, who has a strong base in the district, but Ms. Alabi has been racking up endorsements and doesn't appear to be someone who can be easily counted out. Ms. Guerrier recently earned the endorsement of The Times and could potentially make an electoral mark of her own come Election Day.

Open seat: Pretty much everyone and their mother has endorsed community board chairman Brad Hoylman to replace retiring Senator Tom Duane in his Midtown-based district, but businessman Tommy Greco is hoping he can make a dent with the help of the storied McManus Club. It wold be a pretty surprising upset for Mr. Greco to pull off a victory, however.
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Category #4: Demographic Pressures

Like it or not, voting patterns often correspond with with ethnicity and political candidates often seek to take advantage of this fact. Some incumbents hold on year after year in districts that don't exactly look like them, while others have seen their districts change beneath their feet since they were first elected. Sometimes it all comes down to the political talents of the incumbents, while in other cases, there just might not be a path to victory anymore.

Assemblyman Steve Cymbrowitz is facing a challenge from Ben Akselrod in a race that could demonstrate electoral power of southeastern Brooklyn's Russian-speaking community. Mr. Akselrod, who started off with a strong campaign, stumbled a bit lately when he release a campaign mailer that referred to crime going up in the "negrohood," a mistake that generated local and national coverage. Whoever wins will be one of the more vulnerable Democratic candidates in the city, as the district's Russian and Orthodox Jews communities are increasingly trending conservative at the ballot box.

In a race that will test demographic realities to their very limit, veteran Assemblywoman Rhoda Jacobs is hoping she can be successfully reelected again in a district that is only 15% white. She is facing a serious challenge from District Leader Rodneyse Bichotte, who is of Caribbean descent. Ms. Jacobs, a high-ranking member of the State Assembly, is hoping for high turnout in the district's observant Jewish community.

Assemblyman Mike Miller is running for reelection in a district that contains Woodhaven and is plurality Latino. He faces off against Etienne David Adorno, who seems to be mounting a spirited campaign. If Mr. Miller's fundraising were just a tad stronger, this might not be a race to watch, but his campaign war chest is fairly weak for an incumbent.
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Category #5: Odds & Ends

There are some races to keep your thumb on that might not fit into an overarching narrative, but could still be well-worth watching for various reasons. More details below.

State Senator Adriano Espaillat, who narrowly lost a campaign against veteran Rep. Charlie Rangel earlier this year, is now running for reelection and facing a Rangel-backed challenger in Guillermo Linares. Mr. Linares, who's been endorsed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and The New York Times, hasn't been holding his own in fundraising, but Mr. Espaillat has been spending lots of money and would appear to have the edge in this Washington Heights and West Side-based district. Mr. Espaillat is a leading contender for Mr. Rangel's seat in 2014, but his political career could be nipped in the bud if Mr. Linares is able to pull off an upset.

Open seat: With Mr. Linares' challenge to Mr. Espaillat, there's a new vacant Assembly district on the northern tip of Manhattan, and several contenders, including Mr. Linares' daughter Mayra Linares, are hoping to replace him. The other candidates include Assembly aide Gabriela Rosa and former candidate Ruben Vargas. Ms. Rosa, who is backed by Mr. Espaillat, and Ms. Linares, who is obviously being supported by her father, would appear to be the frontrunners. How much Mr. Espaillat and Mr. Linares can impact this race is unknown, however, as both may be focused on their own rivalry.

Councilman Charles Barron has made headlines in recent years with provocative campaigns for governor and congress, both of which he lost badly. However, Mr. Barron is not ready to exit stage right just yet. Insiders believe Mr, Barron and his wife, Assemblywoman Inez Barron, may intend to switch offices  and keep their respective seats in the family when he is term-limited in 2013. First, Ms. Barron will have to succeed in her own re-election bid against Chris Banks.

Moshe and Avraham Tischler, brothers who are 20 and 21 years old respectively, are challenging incumbent Assemblyman Dov Hikind and frontrunner State Senate candidate Simcha Felder for two overlapping Brooklyn seats. While neither is especially likely to win, should they post strong showings, it could be taken as a sign of weakness for the two establishment pols they're opposing, as well as the Orthodox Jewish political establishment at-large. Mr. Hikind doesn't have a GOP opponent but Mr. Felder is running against incumbent Republican Senator David Storobin, and he'll need Democrats on his side in the general election.

Assemblywoman Barbara Clark's ethical issues aren't quite enough to land her in the "Indictment Excitement" category, but attorney Clyde Vanel is running an active campaign and is hoping that voter dissatisfaction could lead to an upset in her eastern Queens district.
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Veteran Assemblyman Nick Perry shouldn't necessarily be vulnerable, but his opponent, attorney and community board chairman Terry Hinds, has a relatively strong profile.
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Well, there you have it. For those who really want to get into the weeds, there are also a number of competitive court races across the city. Otherwise, this list should be more than enough to keep you busy on Election Day. Politicker, of course, will be up late into the night following the results.

(Photo: NY1.com)

Despite the long rivalry between the two men, it's been a fairly quiet campaign between State Senator Adriano Espaillat and his challenger, Assemblyman Guillermo Linares thus far. However, two days before voters head to the polls, both candidates are finally delivering the exciting race political reporters had hoped for all along. In a debate on Inside City Hall last night, the atmosphere remained subdued through the first half, but after both candidates got a chance to question one another, the rhetoric became more charged with accusations flying back-and-forth.

"I took the lead to mobilize the livery [cab] industry over legislation that sought to legalize them over 7 million where yellows don't go," Mr. Linares said of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposal to legalize street hails of livery cabs in the outer boroughs and northern Manhattan. "My question to you is, understanding how that this industry is the heart and soul of our community, how was it that you were opposing, from the very beginning to the very end, this legislation when it was so very critical for our community?"

"Totally disingenuous, he was not the leader of this bill," Mr. Espaillat responded, arguing that he did, in fact, vote for the bill and that Mr. Linares' campaign was funded by special interests who actually opposed the bill. “I wasn't in the pockets of the insurance brokers who are donating to his campaign."

"You have received over $50,000 from the landlord lobby, and you have received thousands of dollars from irreputable car wash dealers that are paying their employees under the minimum wage," Mr. Espaillat began when it was his turn to ask a question. “I have a very simple question for you assembly member, will you give that money back?"

Mr. Linares methodically answered that his positions aren't dictated by his donors and urged viewers to take a look at his record. But it might have been the host, Josh Robin, who asked the toughest question about a controversial mailer Mr. Espaillat sent out accusing Mr. Linares of betraying the Latino community by supporting Rep. Charlie Rangel's congressional campaign instead of Mr. Espaillat's bid to be the country's first Dominican-American congressman earlier this year.

"This flier that you just shown was his last mailing to the voters in the district and it is highly charged and divisive in nature, and I consider it below you senator to be relying on something like this and I will say it is shameful also," Mr. Linares contended. "This is heavily charged and divisive and it is not the type of campaign we are to be having, pitting one community against another."

"Guillermo Linares has adhered to backroom politics," Mr. Espaillat shot back in the final moments of the discussion, pointing to Mr. Linares running his daughter for his assembly seat while he campaigns for the State Senate. "Extending his seat as if though it were a bloodline to his daughter. That is outrageous!"

The fireworks will continue later this morning too. Mr. Linares is holding a press conference with Mr. Rangel to vocally condemn the campaign mailer, the first such media event of Mr. Linares' campaign. (For his part, Mr. Espaillat declared he's suspending campaign activities to honor the fallen of 9/11).