Minor fireworks, few collisions during the debate
Rivals in GOP primary maintain good manners and agree on many
issues
Friday, September 08, 2006
By TOM WROBLESKI
Fireworks?
Some.
A televised slime war?
Hardly.
Those watching and listening to the Advance-sponsored GOP state
Senate debate last night in the Hilton Garden Inn, Bloomfield, may have
been surprised by how much City Councilman Andrew Lanza (R-South Shore)
and attorney Robert Helbock agreed on many issues.
The two will meet in a Republican Party primary on Tuesday in their
race to replace state Sen. John Marchi (R-Staten Island).
The two sparred over Lanza's spotty attendance record at Council
committee hearings. And they bickered about how much influence NASCAR
lobbyists had over Marchi transportation legislation that Helbock says
he drafted.
But on nearly every core Republican issue, Helbock and Lanza spoke as
one.
Both men believe Republican John Faso will be governor come Jan. 1,
despite Democrat Eliot Spitzer's overwhelming lead in the polls.
Both disagree with the decision to sell the morning-after pill over
the counter to women 18 years and older. Each opposes gay marriage. They
believe that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld should stay in the saddle
at the Pentagon, and that the United States should refrain from setting
a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq.
The agreement extended even to non-political matters.
Both men said the last book they'd read was a bedtime story to their
children.
Both said chocolate was their favorite guilty pleasure.
But they did differ on one issue crucial to Island voters.
Helbock said Goodfella's has the best pizza here.
Lanza said the best pizza belongs to his mom.
The lack of clear distinctions could hurt Helbock.
Lanza already enjoys an advantage in the race because of his name
recognition and the fact that many of his voters live in the Marchi
district; supporters may not have heard much reason to peel away from
him.
HEAD-SCRATCHING TIME
Head-scratching moment of the night? When Helbock, who wants to
introduce similar steps here, said that state legislation had improved
traffic flow on the Long Island Expressway (LIE). The groans were
audible from audience members who've no doubt sat bumper-to-bumper on
the LIE.
FENDING OFF CHARGES
It also surprised some that Lanza, who's fending off charges about
his attendance record, showed up almost exactly at the debate's official
7:30 p.m. kickoff time (or a few precious minutes late, by some
estimates).
Most candidates arrive well in advance of start time for these kinds
of events.
Campaign manager Trace Anderson said there was no time-management
issue for Lanza, who arrived at the hotel with Rep. Vito Fossella
(R-Brooklyn/Staten Island) and Assemblyman Vincent Ignizio (R-South
Shore).
It started pretty much on time, said Anderson.
SHARE OF MENTIONS
Borough President James Molinaro, a Helbock supporter, got his share
of mentions last night.
Lanza believes that Molinaro's well-known venom for the councilman is
the driving force behind Helbock's bid.
Helbock said last night his campaign isn't driven by any one person
but me.
How did Molinaro feel about being the center of attention?
It's a shame, isn't it? he said after the event.
Tom Wrobleski may be reached at wrobleski@siadvance.com. Read his
polit.bureau blog at http://www.silive.com/newslogs/politics/
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