As candidates for public office wind their way through various organizations' endorsement screenings, they are often requested to fill out questionnaires detailing their specific stands on a given group's most important issues.

However, one Democratic club, New Kings Democrats, recently took things a bit further and presented candidates with surveys designed to showcase their creativity and wit, including questions on which actor or actress would play them in a movie and what items they'd want if stranded on a desert island.

Here are some of our favorite answers, courtesy of the New Kings Democrats and the candidates for public advocate:

If they were making a bio-pic about you, what would it be called and who would play you?

State Senator Dan Squadron:

"On a Clear Day, You can Maybe See a Few Feet In Front of You: The Albany Experience," starring Clive Owen. Narrated by Werner Herzog.

City Councilwoman Letitia James:

"Fierce" and Queen Latifah

Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani:

Reshma Shetty in "A Woman Who Doesn't Wait in Line"

If you were shipwrecked, what three items would you want to land onshore with you?

Mr. Squadron:

A helicopter. A pilot. Dark rum.

Ms. James:

Water, a good book and my Blackberry. Of course I'd have my lip balm for good measure.

Ms. Saujani:

Kindle, my dog Stanley, Bollywood tunes

Assembly candidate Jason Otaño:

Machete, Axe, Fishing pole

What song is currently playing in your head?

Mr. Squadron:

A mash-up of "No Surrender" and "Sure Shot"

Ms. James:

John Legend, "Tonight Best You Ever Had"

Ms. Saujani:

Alicia Keys, "Girl on Fire"

Mr. Otaño: "

Stuck in the Middle with You"--clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right. here I am stuck in the middle with you.

(Photos: Getty/NYC Council)

Senator Squadron rallying for LICH. (Photo: Facebook)

State Sen. Dan Squadron's campaign for public advocate continued to hum along today as he announced six endorsements from Albany's lower legislative chamber: Assemblymembers Deborah Glick, Brian Kavanagh, Micah Kellner, Dan Quart, Joan Millman and Nily Rozic.

The first four represent Manhattan districts stretching from the Upper East Side down into lower Manhattan, while Ms. Millman--like Mr. Squadron--represents a slice of Brownstone Brooklyn. Ms. Rozic hails from northeastern Queens. For what it's worth, Mr. Kellner, an avid fan of Mr. Squadron's, had signaled his likely intentions some time ago.

In statements, the various endorsers declared their support for Mr. Squadron based on a wide range of issues, including pedestrian and cyclist safety, the fight to save Long Island College Hospital, gay rights and gun control legislation, among others.

"In his tenure as a State Senator, Daniel has proven to be a strong advocate for tenant rights, a partner in our fight to save LICH, and has worked to improve access to our waterfront," Ms. Millman said, for example. "He not only talks about these issues, he has written legislation to correct problems which improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers."

Previously Mr. Squadron has rolled out a number of his fellow state senators as he battles against Councilwoman Letitia James, 2010 congressional candidate Reshma Saujani, teacher Cathy Guerriero and Sidique Wai in this year's Democratic primary. Ms. James in particular has racked up plenty of significant endorsements of her own, including unions, council members and, as of last night, the Three Parks Independent Democrats, a prominent Upper West Side club.

View Mr. Squadron's full announcement below:

NEW YORK -- Today, six Democratic Assemblymembers from across the city endorsed Daniel Squadron for Public Advocate in 2013, including Assemblymembers Deborah Glick (D-Manhattan), Brian Kavanagh (D-Manhattan), Micah Kellner (D-Manhattan), Joan Millman (D-Brooklyn), Dan Quart (D-Manhattan), and Nily Rozic (D-Queens).

Today's announcement follows the endorsements of a broad coalition of State Senators -- Joseph Addabbo (Queens), Martin Malave Dilan (Brooklyn), Michael Gianaris (Queens), Brad Hoylman (Manhattan), Gustavo Rivera (Bronx), and Jose M. Serrano (Manhattan/Bronx).

In January, Squadron was also endorsed by both former Public Advocates, Mark Green and Betsy Gotbaum.

The Assemblymembers underscored Squadron's record of delivering results and fighting for reform, and his vision for the Public Advocate as key in engaging and supporting communities often left behind in local government and ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to opportunity.

"Daniel is a fighter for each and every New Yorker. I've worked with Daniel to support Hudson River Park and protect affordable housing, and I know that he's a true voice for critical progressive reforms, a tireless LGBT ally, and a strong leader who knows how to deliver results. That's why Daniel's the best choice to become our next Public Advocate," said Glick.

"I've been proud to partner with Daniel on countless issues in the community and in Albany, from pedestrian and cyclist safety to a sustainable and strong public housing system. Daniel is a determined, hard-working, and thoughtful reformer, and he doesn't stop fighting until he gets things done. That's why I'm standing with Daniel for Public Advocate," said Kavanagh.

"Daniel is a tireless advocate for the rights of each and every New Yorker, and a reformer who knows how to get things done. He has an incomparable ability to build consensus and achieve real successes, and I know that he'll be a fighter for the East Side and for every single New Yorker. That's why I'm supporting Daniel as our next Public Advocate," said Kellner.

"In his tenure as a State Senator, Daniel has proven to be a strong advocate for tenant rights, a partner in our fight to save LICH, and has worked to improve access to our waterfront. He not only talks about these issues, he has written legislation to correct problems which improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers," said Millman.

"Whether we're talking about his leadership on ethics reform, gun control, and affordable housing, or his tireless advocacy for better transit and more open space, Daniel's been a dynamic and effective Senator. That progressive leadership is exactly what New York City wants and needs in our next Public Advocate -- and Daniel is the best choice for the job," said Quart.

"I've seen Daniel's effectiveness first-hand in his district and in Albany -- and I know he's exactly what our city needs at this critical moment. From education and healthcare, to vital government reform and pay equity for women, Daniel is already an advocate for each and every New Yorker. I'm very proud to support him as our next Public Advocate," said Rozic.

"I'm humbled and honored to have the support of these dynamic leaders as I build my campaign for Public Advocate. Communities across our city need a fighter who will stand up for them and deliver results. Together, we will work to ensure that each and every New Yorker has the opportunity to make a life here," said Squadron.

As of the last filing, Squadron had already raised $2.15 million in direct contributions and expected public matching funds, with nearly $2 million in contributions and matching funds to spend on the race ahead of the Democratic primary. He has built a broad base of grassroots support, with nearly 2000 individual contributors, of whom 70% contributed less than $250. Over 250 New Yorkers have hosted house parties and fundraisers for Squadron. Squadron has never accepted contributions from corporations or special interest PACs.

Senator Squadron (Photo: NYS Senate)

Democratic State Sen. Daniel Squadron called on his Democratic colleague, State Sen. Malcolm Smith, to resign after he was arrested this morning and accused of orchestrating bribery scheme to land himself in the Republican mayoral primary.

"The charges outlined in today's complaint are simply shocking," Mr. Squadron, who's also a candidate for public advocate this year, said in a statement earlier today. "This is something that belongs in 'House of Cards,' not an election to decide who will run our city or any part of our government. Regardless of the outcome of the criminal charges filed against Senator Smith, he has lost the public trust -- and he should resign."

Mr. Smith, already stripped of his leadership position in breakaway Independent Democratic Conference that governs the State Senate along with the Republican caucus, was charged along with Republican Councilman Dan Halloran, Queens Republican Party Executive Vice President Vince Tabone and Bronx Republican County Chair Jay Savino, in a wide-reaching bribery scheme. Their alleged aim was to allow Mr. Smith, a Democrat, into the Republican mayoral primary. Mr. Squadron appears to be the first elected official to call for Mr. Smith's resignation.

As a side note, Mr. Squadron was not the only politico to compare Mr. Smith's alleged illegalities to House of Cards, the ongoing television show involving a plethora of Washington intrigue.

"Malcolm Smith's career and plotting remind me of 'House of Cards,'" Slate reporter David Weigel tweeted today. "if 'House of Cards' was about a moron."

Mr. Smith has maintained his innocence.

(Photo: Getty)

When it comes to replacing outgoing Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand doesn't have a favorite, but that doesn't mean she lacks any political love to share around. Accordingly, Ms. Gillibrand is set to appear at fundraisers for all three of the leading Democratic candidates for the position: Councilwoman Tish James, former congressional candidate Reshma Saujani and State Senator Dan Squadron. The fundraisers for Ms. James and Ms. Saujani had already been rolled out, while Mr. Squadron's campaign announced their own event earlier this afternoon.

"One of my favorite weekend activities with my wife and 20-month-old son is having dim sum in Chinatown," Mr. Squadron wrote in an email to his supporters. "So I'm excited to invite you to join us for 'Dim Sum for Daniel' on Sunday, January 6th – with special guest U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand....I hope you will join Senator Gillibrand on January 6th for some dim sum and a fun Sunday afternoon. If you have kids, please bring them along – I’m bringing mine!"

Ms. Gillibrand will not be endorsing in this race, however. After Ms. James' event was released, her spokesman explained she has "a number of friends actively considering the race and thinks they each would do a fantastic job as the Public Advocate.”

Other candidates in the race include education activist Noah Gotbaum and professor Catherine Guerriero.

View Mr. Squadron's invite below:

Dear friend,

One of my favorite weekend activities with my wife and 20-month-old son is having dim sum in Chinatown. So I'm excited to invite you to join us for "Dim Sum for Daniel" on Sunday, January 6th – with special guest U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

I am so pleased that Senator Gillibrand has agreed to be part of this event in support of my Public Advocate campaign committee. Senator Gillibrand, a mother of two, has been a champion of New York families. From the food access and product safety that will keep our kids healthy, to the broader education and economic policies that help strengthen our middle class, I'm proud to call her my Senator – especially as a young parent myself.

As I look toward running for Public Advocate, I'm focused on ensuring that every voice is heard in city government and finding ways to organize people to make a difference on the issues and causes they care about. This includes policies that will help people stay in New York and care for their families. Programs I've fought for, like expanded middle class child care and Nurse Family Partnership, will go a long way toward strengthening New York's families.

I hope you will join Senator Gillibrand on January 6th for some dim sum and a fun Sunday afternoon. If you have kids, please bring them along – I’m bringing mine!

Please RSVP here.

Thanks,

Daniel

Dan Squadron last night, reportedly bowling a strike. (photo: @pristind)

At a Brooklyn Bowl fundraiser last night, State Senator Dan Squadron may have very well picked up his first endorsement from an elected official in his unannounced campaign for the Public Advocate's Office: Assemblyman Micah Kellner. Bill de Blasio, the current inhabitant of that office, is widely expect to mount a campaign for mayor, leaving a vacancy behind him, and Mr. Kellner is openly backing him to fill that position.

"I am definitely urging him and encouraging him and trying to draft him to run for Public Advocate," Mr. Kellner said, offering to head efforts to round up votes for Mr. Squadron on the Upper East Side. "We're going to have a new mayor in 2014, and probably a new public advocate and we need somebody who's smart enough to stand with the mayor when he or she is right, and we need someone who is strong enough to stand up to the mayor when he or she is wrong."

"He is so smart and savvy in being able to build consensus and actually achieve real successes," he said, adding that the residents of his district will benefit if Mr. Squadron is successful in his efforts -- along with Mr. de Blasio's -- to get fireworks on the East River for future Fourth of Julys.

Two other candidates have been raising money and campaigning for Mr. de Blasio's job so far: Councilwoman Tish James and former deputy public advocate Reshma Saujani. Interestingly, Ms. Saujani is most notable for her high-profile, unsuccessful congressional campaign against Upper East Side Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, but Mr. Kellner wasn't especially enthused with her candidacy.

"I have not heard from her campaign," he said. "After spending $1.5 million dollars, to barely be a blip on the screen for congress, I'm not sure if she's a strong candidate."

In the Brooklyn part of his district, Mr. Squadron is known as a rival of Brooklyn Democratic boss Assemblyman Vito Lopez.  And although Mr. Kellner endorsed Mr. Lopez's candidate for congress in that same area this year, he'll certainly be on a different page than him in the public advocate's race next year.

"I like Vito, Vito's been very generous in his advice to me," Mr. Kellner said of the situation. "I have to look at the individual candidate, look at the race, look at the field of candidates. ... I try and support the person who I think is going to be the best candidate."

Reshma Saujani (Photo: Facebook)

Reshma Saujani, a former aide to Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, has formally registered a campaign committee that would allow her to campaign for Mr. de Blasio's own position in 2013. Mr. de Blasio is expected to run for mayor, leaving the citywide position vacant for aspiring politicians.

Although the committee doesn't specify exactly what office she is seeking, it's been widely reported she's most interested in the Public Advocate's Office.

Registering a campaign allows a prospective candidate to raise and spend money, something Ms. Saujani has proven herself quite adept at doing in the past.

Ms. Saujani is most well known for a congressional bid against veteran Upper East Side Rep. Carolyn Maloney. In that campaign, Ms. Saujani raised over a million dollars, which still wasn't enough to avoid defeat by a wide margin.

If Ms. Saujani does formally enter the race for Public Advocate, she will be facing off against Councilwoman Tish James and possibly State Senator Dan Squadron.

Councilwoman James (Photo: Facebook)

Councilwoman Tish James looks to be firmly moving her campaign for the Public Advocate's office forward. A reader forwarded a fundraising invitation directly stating her intentions to run for the seat in 2013.

"As I prepare to campaign for the anticipated vacancy in the Public Advocate's Office, I am excited by the prospect of expanding my service to the people of our great City -- but I need your help," the letter reads.

Ms. James goes out to tout her record and suggest readers visit her new website, www.LetitiaJames2013.com. The website further extols her accomplishments in areas stretching from cultural arts to budgetary matters.

Currently, Ms. James is the only candidate aggressively campaigning for the seat though State Senator Dan Squadron and former Congressional candidate Reshma Saujani are considered to be potential rivals. Current Public Advocate Bill de Blasio is expected to run for mayor, leaving the seat open behind him.

View the first page of the fundraising invitation below:

Jerrod Nadler, Daniel Squadron, and some friends. (Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty)

The political fallout around the Occupy Wall Street eviction last night continues to rage as congressman Jerrod Nadler and state senator Daniel Squadron--both of whom represent the downtown area that includes Zuccotti Park--released a joint statement criticizing Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

“The City’s actions to shut down OWS last night raise a number of serious civil liberties questions that must be answered,” Mr. Nadler and Mr. Squadron said in a statement. “Moving forward, how will the City respect the protesters’ rights to speech and assembly?  Why was press access limited, and why were some reporters’ credentials confiscated?  How will reported incidents of excessive force used by the police be addressed?”

Local electeds like Mr. Nadler, Mr. Squadron, and Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer have been in perhaps the tightest bind of any politician since the occupation of Zuccotti Park began. While, like many New York Democrats, they have expressed support for the protest and sympathy with its aims, their constituents’ annoyances over the litter, noise, and preponderance of homeless people at the park have forced them to strike a delicate balancing act between First Amendment and quality-of-life rights.

Mr. Nadler and Mr. Squadron were among the politicians who formulated a Good Neighbor Policy for the protesters, and recently wrote to Mr. Bloomberg to ask that the NYPD be stricter in enforcing laws around the park. Conversely, they were among the elected officials leading the fight against what Mr. Nadler called the NYPD's "little riot" of brutality and the attempted eviction of OWS last month.

“We agree that Zuccotti Park must be open and accessible to everyone – OWS, the public, law enforcement and first responders – and that it is critical to protect the health and safety of protesters and the community,” they added. “We have also been urging the City to have a zero tolerance policy on noise and sanitation violations, and to make the results of its enforcement public. But we must balance the core First Amendment rights of protesters and the other legitimate issues that have been raised.”

The lawmakers--Jerry Nadler on the federal level, Shelly Silver and Daniel Squadron in Albany, and Margaret Chin, the local City Councilmember-- say they give their "full support for the protesters’ First Amendment rights to speak and to assemble in Zuccotti Park. We sympathize with the movement’s message and we feel it is important that their voices be heard."

But still, they note that right now the city seems to allow the protesters greater license than anyone else would have.

"Therefore, we are asking that the city enforce laws prohibiting the excessive noise from drumming, which has disturbed neighbors day and night, as well as those prohibiting public urination on our streets, buildings and sidewalks," they write.

A spokesperson for Ms. Chin said that this didn't necessarily mean that the lawmakers were calling for the NYPD to arrest those who break the laws, but rather to write tickets and to be more of a presence down there.

Democratic lawmakers who represent Lower Manhattan are in a spot as tricky as any pols, perhaps in the country.  Although they have largely expressed sympathy for the protesters' message, it is also a constituent concern for them of the type it is for no other elected official.

Full letter from the lawmakers is below:

11 1 OWS Mayor DowntownElecteds

"I stand strong with the LGBT community because they are a part of me and I am a part of them," said James.

James -- a two-term Council member who recently opened a 2013 campaign committee for an unspecified office -- went on to invoke her race and religion as reasons for her support of the LGBT community.

"To treat someone different is wrong, is immoral, and for me, it is really unChristian-like," she said. "And for me to be a Christian is to accept you as you are."

Also at the event were Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and City Comptroller John Liu, both likely candidates for mayor in 2013, along with Senator Gillibrand and representatives of various elected officials.

Here's video of James' remarks, and a transcript.

City Councilwoman Letitia James:

"A lot of African-Americans have asked me 'why do you support gay marriage? Why did you come out early on? Why do you stand strong with the LGBT community?'

"And I stand strong with the LGBT community because they are a part of me and I am a part of them. I stand with them because no one should be treated differently, no matter your race or sexual orientation or your gender. And that we are all a part of one human family. And that to treat someone different is wrong, is immoral, and for me, it is really unChristian-like. And for me to be a Christian is to accept you as you are and to accept me at the place that you are and to accept you as equal.

"And so I stand with you always. I stand with you in demanding that the federal government also give you full rights. I stand with you when you marry. I stand with you when you adopt. I stand with you when you live next to me. I stand with you with all of your rights because I want all of my rights. And I stand with you today, and that's why I am here today."