Lanza wins Senate fight by 446 votes
It's now a 3-way race with Helbock on Conservative line and
Democrat Titone
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
By TOM WROBLESKI
ADVANCE POLITICAL EDITOR
City Councilman Andrew Lanza beat attorney Robert Helbock last night
in a hard-fought Republican state Senate primary that many said was
closer than expected.
With 100 percent of the precincts reporting in the 24th Senatorial
District, Lanza (R-South Shore) had 3,539 votes, or 53 percent, to
Helbock's 3,093, or 47 percent, according to The ASSOCIATED PRESS.
"One down, one to go," Lanza told a jubilant crowd of family members,
GOP elected officials and other supporters at the Excelsior Grand, New
Dorp.
In other borough races, Anthony Xanthakis easily bested Joseph
Cammarata in a GOP primary in the 60th state Assembly District, while
Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) emerged victorious in an
Independence Party congressional primary against party vice chair Anita
Lerman.
Democrat Kim Dollard defeated Republican Ralph Porzio in a
boroughwide Independence Civil Court contest, while the outcome of an
Independence write-in effort by Xanthakis against Democratic Assembly
candidate Janele Hyer-Spencer was undetermined.
Following a trend around the city, turnout was particularly low on
the Island, according to the borough Board of Elections. Official
numbers weren't available last night.
Lanza's victory sets up a three-way general election campaign that
again will pit him against Helbock, who remains on the Conservative
Party line, and Democrat Matthew Titone. The men are vying to replace
retiring state Sen. John Marchi (R-Staten Island).
"The best days are ahead," said Lanza, who is also the Independence
nominee. "Staten Island is on the right track, and we're going to keep
it that way."
HELBOCK HANGS IN
Speaking to supporters at the Staten Island Hotel, Graniteville,
Helbock congratulated Lanza and pledged to stay in the race as a
Conservative.
"There's still a battle to be fought," he said.
Helbock ran strong in his home base on the North Shore, but also
showed surprising strength in the Mid-Island, Republicans said.
Lanza supporters said the low turnout had the campaign concerned
until results from Lanza's traditionally late-voting South Shore
stronghold came in.
"Our concrete voters weren't coming out," said a supporter, of the
early results.
Helbock was pleased to see a close vote but declined to speculate on
what that could mean come November.
Others said that while Helbock may be "buoyed" by the result, Albany
Republicans surely would pour money into Lanza's coffers in order to
keep the seat in Republican hands.
The campaign turned on NASCAR issues and on Lanza's spotty attendance
record in the Council.
Despite the charges of vitriol in the campaign, Helbock said his
criticisms of Lanza were "based upon factual information placed
previously into the public domain."
"I don't have any regrets," Helbock told the Advance.
Lanza said he'd put his "personal feelings in the background."
"You put the people first," he said.
While Marchi is currently enjoying a lengthy vacation in Italy,
Helbock said he wasn't disappointed that he hadn't had the veteran
senator by his side in the days leading up to the vote.
"I had to run this race on my own two feet," said Helbock. "I'm sure
his endorsement was one of the reasons I did so strongly, but this was a
race between myself and Andy Lanza, not between Marchi and Andy Lanza."
MOLINARO ENCOURAGED
Borough President James Molinaro, executive vice chairman of the
state Conservative Party and a key Helbock supporter, said his party
would be backing Helbock "110 percent" in the general election.
"We ran against every elected Republican official on Staten Island,"
said Molinaro. "We ran against the [GOP's] Senate financing, and we came
awfully close. I'm disappointed but pleasantly surprised."
Though defeated, Helbock had cake with his supporters to celebrate
his 44th birthday last night.
Democrats said the results improved Titone's chances in the fall.
"It's going to be a dogfight all the way to November," said state
Sen. Diane Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn).
"The best scenario for us is a very competitive race between Helbock
and Lanza with a serious split in the Republican/Conservative voting
base," she said. "That gives us the opportunity to run right up the
center. We have more Democrats in the district than they have
Republicans and Conservatives."
"What you have here is a lot of people who will remain loyal to Bob
Helbock," said Assemblyman John Lavelle (D-North Shore), the borough
Democratic chairman. "I don't think Andrew Lanza should be happy about
these results."
"I didn't have any expectations," said Lanza. "Primaries are
frequently very close races."
Lavelle said the outcome was also "a shot across the bow" of
Fossella, the de facto head of the GOP, by his fellow Republicans.
"Although this is an Andrew Lanza race, people in politics look at it
as a Vito Fossella race," Lavelle said.
"A win is a win," said Fossella. "I think it's a very convincing
win."
XANTHAKIS WINS BIG
Xanthakis scored 1,302 votes, or 62 percent, to Cammarata's 798, or
38 percent.
"We worked hard, day in and day out," Xanthakis said. "It is so
satisfying."
Xanthakis and Ms. Hyer-Spencer are looking to replace Assemblyman
Matthew Mirones (R-East Shore/Brooklyn), who is retiring.
Of his Independence victory, Fossella said, "I've tried to always
maintain my sense of pride in representing the people of Staten Island
and Brooklyn, being an independent fighter for them, and I'm glad that
message resonated with Independence primary voters."
Fossella had 230 votes, or 60 percent, to Ms. Lerman's 151 votes, or
40 percent.
In the Civil Court race for the Independence nod, it was Ms. Dollard
with 151 votes, or 58 percent, and Porzio with 108 votes, or 42 percent.
It was a smooth day at Island polls, with five voting machine-related
snags quickly rectified, said Anthony Andriulli, deputy chief clerk of
the borough Board of Elections.
--Advance Albany Bureau reporter Rob Hart and Advance staff writer
Tevah Platt contributed to this report.
Tom Wrobleski may be reached at wrobleski@siadvance.com. Read his
polit.bureau blog at http://www.silive.com/newslogs/politics/
Island results
Republican State Senate Andrew J. Lanza 3,539 - 53% Robert J. Helbock
3,093 - 47%
Assembly District 60 Anthony C. Xanthakis 1,302 - 62% Joseph F.
Cammarata 798 - 38%
Independence Congress Vito Fossella 230 - 60% Anita Lerman 151 - 40%
Civil Court Kim Dollard 151 -- 58% Ralph J. Porzio 108 -- 42%
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