Mix together two cigar smokers, George Greco and myself, and two community oriented columnists from our local newspaper the Wave , Beverly Baxter and Stuart Mirsky, add in plenty of friends and neighbors and you get the winning recipe for the Rockaway Republicans, a group that formed back in March 2004 to re-establish a Republican presence in our neighborhood and support the re-election of then-President George W. Bush.

On our club's web site, www.rockawayrepublicans.com (see history - 1/7/05 "Leadership Blues"), we tell the the story of our up-hill battle to win support and recognition for a Republican rebirth in Rockaway, a struggle that, surprisingly, we often had to wage even within our own party! Without going into details, we ultimately came to see that we needed to replace the then-existing Republican District Leaders with people who had fresh ideas and energy and to elect County Committee members to represent Rockaway who actually lived in Rockaway!

We met young Eric Ulrich back in the summer of 2004. He soon became president of a small, officially recognized Republican club in South Ozone Park and rapidly became an ally and friend in our club's quest for its own official recognition. Eric initially ran an unsuccessful campaign to unseat our past District Leaders and, despite his loss back then, refused to give up, reminding us that he had time on his side. And so he did. When the next election cycle for choosing District Leaders rolled round, Eric turned to us to find him a running mate as he renewed his quest to win the leadership of the 23rd Assembly District. We met with club member Jane Deacy and encouraged her to run with him. The rest is history.

At the last debate in the recent race for City Council, Councilman Ulrich's opponent was asked for the single word he could think of to summarize Eric's candidacy. He responded with two: Jane Deacy! Nothing could have been clearer.

When you link a great candidate, who understands and cares about local issues and has the skills needed to run and win political campaigns, to a highly visible and proactive District Leader, add in a little luck in terms of timing, and plenty of careful planning, you get the kind of positive results we've just seen in this election!

Many thanks to the voters in our 32nd Council District who picked substance over party line this year. We can all take a moment to reflect on this victory and feel good about the fact that we've re-elected City Councilman Eric Ulrich to a full four year term in his own right.

In the process we've learned a thing or two about politics, too. Hopefully, the larger Republican Party has also learned a few things from Eric's stylish and well run campaign! With Eric representing us and Jane leading in the 23rd AD we now have a winning combination, one we can plan on taking forward as we continue to rebuild and restore political choice in our communities once more.

Tom Lynch Pres. Rockaway Republicans

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Edmund Burke
written by Quickjustice , November 04, 2009

My congratulations to the Rockaway Republicans on their ascent! From the beginning, you guys have been fighters. It's unfortunate that the GOP establishment was your first opponent. I have no criticism of Jane Deacy. I understand that she's a standup gal who doesn't indulge in backstabbing and similar political blood sport.

As for Eric Ulrich, in my mind, he's a placeholder. He's certainly ambitious, but, as Edmund Burke would say, ambition without principle can carry you only so far. My advice: replace him with a pro-small business councilman as soon as possible.

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written by Daniel Peterson , November 04, 2009

QJ, I hope to get time to write up something soon. I will make my initial comments here though.

There were a few disappointments. While I kind of knew Ashok Chandra was not going to win, I was hoping for more votes and being over 40%. When all the votes are counted, we'll look at the strategy employed and hopefully have a better game plan for 2013.

I noticed the past two election cycles that CD-43 was trending Democrat. Pat Russo ran twice and did worse the second time. Now, Capanao ran and got an even lower percentage of the vote. It's worrisome because this is the GOP Brooklyn District. I hope Bob continues being a part of Bay Ridge and hope he gives it a second try in 2013.

My biggest disappointment is in Ognibene. Republicans should've retaken Middle Village. There is no excuse to lose a district held by Ognibene, Gallagher & Como consecutively and then lose it this year. It's a shame Como didn't try to retake it. I'm sure there were reasons to give this seat back to Ognibene, but if he wasn't out and about everday pushing for getting elected, he should not have been the candidate.

But with those three disappointments, the Republican Party can hold its head up on its three victories last night.

CD-19 was Dan Halloran's to lose. He stood pat and got the victory we expected. All those nay-sayers asking that he remove himself from campaigning proved they were fools.

CD-32 was a re-election bid for Eric Ulrich. I've met Eric like once or twice. I've heard he's a bright ambitious young man who has a lot going for him. I've also heard he's teemed up with the "wrong" crowd in the GOP and sold himself out to Bloomberg. The end story here is, he won by 3 to 2 in votes. Now, he doesn't have to worry about another election for four years. If he sold himself out to Bloomberg to get re-elected, well it worked. Now, if he is the true conservative he says he is, he has every right to legislate as a conservative. He can prove himself as a conservative for four years, build up his stature more in the district and seek re-election on solid footing. Those in the GOP who disagreed with him and those Eric disagreed with in Queens, should make up, shake hands, the battle is over. We have to work as one party again if we are to continue winning elections.

Lastly, I have to say, CD-20 makes me extremely happy. This was the district Raquel Okyay ran as a Conservative alone in 2005. She got 14% of the vote on Column D. Tom Long was ecstatic that she toppled the 5% threshold for Conservatives. This was something that must've made the Queens GOP & CP join forces together and select a candidate that could win and build a concensus with voters. Peter Koo proved he was the man for the job. Koo will be the next Flushing Councilman and I am happy for him and all those that worked on his campaign.

Lastly, I have to say, these three wins in Queens. It's time folks. It's time to build the party again. It's time for the district clubs and the county organziation to reach out to these elected officials for promoting voter registration drives. Its' time to stick together, along with Oddo & Ignizio, to be a stronger Republican Minority and stand on conservative princioples. Our voice has gotten louder. Let's put the liberal council and the liberal citywide office holders that they are on notice.

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written by Jay Golub , November 04, 2009

"When all the votes are counted, we'll look at the strategy employed and hopefully have a better game plan for 2013."

Ashok was running against one of the more reasonable incumbent councilmembers - Dan Garodnick and he was running within an incumbent tsunami. District 4, where he ran, is comprised of Bloomberg's home territory - the 73rd A.D. That single Assembly District turned out the highest total number of votes for the Mayor in the City AND the highest percentage of voters pulling the lever in the Mayor's favor anywhere in NYC (23,000 to 4,400 or 82% of the vote)

As we all know that Bloomberg has no coat-tails to run on for Republicans, the strong support for Bloomberg and the conservative Republican apathy that follows it significantly hurt Ashok's numbers.

Yet Danny, if took a few minutes to look at the numbers, only one Republican candidate who didn't win got more votes on the Republican line than Ashok (bob capano's 8,900). Peter Koo actually won his race in District 20 with just a few hundred votes more than Ashok got yesterday.

For a first-time candidate who had to face a primary and an incumbent who DID NOT even vote for the term-limit extension, Ashok's results are excellent. He and his team should be proud of the effort.

Of course I'm biased, as I worked on the campaign, but I will say that the one thing we noticeably lacked was the massive volunteer activity that was present in all the Queens County GOP victories.

Scores of people - directed to be there by the Queens GOP and local Queens GOP clubs - were out giving their time and effort to Dan Halloran, Peter Koo and Eric Ulrich. In the end, that is usually the difference in these winnable races and was completely absent in District 4. Most everyone who was out on the street was brought there by the campaign itself.

Although I'm sure there were things Ashok didn't do that could be done the next go-round, the "Game Plan" wasn't the problem, Danny. If we want to win this race in 2013, people like yourself should focus on the Clubs they run, as well as the Party organization in NY County, and work to develop a core of people who will dedicate themselves to a Republican victory on the East Side. Until that happens, candidates - even as good as Ashok - are fighting a relatively lonely, uphill battle...

I will let Bob Capano and his people explain their loss in Brooklyn as I wasn't intimately involved in that race, but as far as Ognibene is concerned his loss can be attributed to him deciding not to run a campaign. Tom never got out of his chair for this race and his organization in the 28th A.D., run now by Bart Haggerty and company, clearly didn't know how to get him to the finish line successfully.

Tom is looking for another job anyway, there was little or no fire in his belly for this race. I'm sure he, like most of the sell-outs who opposed Chairman Ragusa, are waiting for phone calls from Bloomberg for jobs. If history serves as a good example, he'll unfortunately be waiting a long, long time...

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written by Jay Golub , November 04, 2009

BTW, related to the thread, I didn't think Ulrich could do it. I was proven wrong and I must publicly congratulate not only Eric and his campaign team, but Tom, the Rockaway Club and the party leaders of Southern Queens on a job well done.

Now let's hope after all the nonsense we've all had to experience over the last five months that we can all come together as a Party, build on the gains achieved and make the future of the Queens GOP bright...

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written by Daniel Peterson , November 04, 2009

Jay, I agree that Manhattan needs to do a greater job in getting people working together. This is something the county organization will need to do if it wishes to win again. Hopefully 2010, there will be a game plan where everyone can come together for the Senate and Assembly races here. Manhattan is the most transient borough especially among young people. One minute, someone gets involved in my club or another, the next they move out of their apartmnet and are no longer available to devote time. Queens and the outerboroughs are a bit different.

We each have to tackle different elements here and I will be talking to as many people as possible to find out a game plan that can improve focused and aggressive efforts for us in the future.

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Truce
written by Quickjustice , November 05, 2009

To be clear, I celebrate the victory of Eric Ulrich as that of the Rockaway Republicans. They've earned it! I would do the same for any candidate put forth by the Rockaway Republicans. And as long as Ulrich is fighting for the hard-working and middle class people of his district, and avoiding baseless insults of his friends, I'll say nothing further against him.

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Looking Ahead
written by swmirsky , November 05, 2009

I'll be glad if we can all close ranks and finally come together now that the internecine feuds have subsided and we have some real wins under our belts. We should be glad we've got them, of course, and much praise goes to Eric who, though he succeeded with the support of his friends in Rockaway did not do so merely because of them. Eric proved to be a good candidate, articulate and energetic and able to connect with people on the stump and on the street. He's also savvy and remarkably knowledgeable about what it takes to build and run a campaign on the ground and in building alliances with others who are, perhaps, bigger and more solidly positioned than he is a this early stage in his career.

Eric is ambitious, true, but that is a good thing because it drives him to do a better job for his constituents and in order to make a name for himself. But we in Queens cannot rest on our laurels because today's laurels are rapidly frittered away. We must look forward to building a solid, unified Queens GOP that has room in it for all of us. We need to stop the backbiting and jealous preservation of our distinct ideologies. There's only one way like minded folks can accomplish big things in a democracy like ours. We have to find and build enough common ground so that we can stand together.

Let's kill the litmus test mentality and make room for everyone who believes in smaller, more fiscally prudent government, bureaucratic accountability and free market solutions to the problems that lie ahead of us. Let's bring the Ulrich faction in south Queens together with the Haggertys and the folks in central and north Queens to rebuild and improve the political organization all of us desperately want to see again. With the Democrats still in the ascendant nationally and still dominant here in our backyard, THIS IS NO TIME TO REST ON OUR LAURELS.

What is County going to do in the next six months to make us stronger? I think the ball is clearly in their court. Phil and Vince and those who stand with you, we need to hear from you. Let's pull together and build on the first real gains we've made in years. The alternative is to watch it all dribble away again!

SWM

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written by Daniel Peterson , November 05, 2009

Stu, who is running Eric's Republican Club right now?
I remember your district having two main clubs. Yours in the Rockaway and Eric's in Ozone Park. If we are planning on increasing voter registration to our party and showing that the GOP should be home to those living in the area, both clubs from both ends of the district should be working in tandem to build.

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written by Jay Golub , November 05, 2009

"Let's kill the litmus test mentality and make room for everyone who believes in smaller, more fiscally prudent government, bureaucratic accountability and free market solutions to the problems that lie ahead of us."

Interesting thought, Stu, but isn't that a Litmus test? Don't get me wrong, it's one that I believe in and one that should be the guiding light of the GOP, but it is a "test" none-the-less to expect Republicans to stand for fiscally prudent government.

The wedge in all of this is our Mayor who has been anything BUT fiscally prudent. The real test for our Republican Councilmembers is when he goes to pass his next budget and there are billions in tax increases, billions in new spending on over-generous union contracts and costly expansions in the social welfare bureacracy.

It will be then that we will see what type of people we've elected...

"Let's bring the Ulrich faction in south Queens together with the Haggertys and the folks in central and north Queens to rebuild and improve the political organization all of us desperately want to see again."

For my part, Stu, I'm ready willing and able to bury the hatchet - pardon the often used phrase... - and would truly like to see all of us come together. It would be great for everyone to rally around the successes of the Queens GOP leadership and, from what I can see on our side, the leadership seems very interested in peace.

I just wonder whether or not the Haggerty's can control themselves and I guess only time will tell...

"What is County going to do in the next six months to make us stronger? I think the ball is clearly in their court."

I would think that they just hit an ace, Stu. The ball is boucing on the other side of the court right now. I think it would be more accurate to say that County is waiting for the other side to laub one back to keep the rally going.

Let's just hope they don't take the ball and go home...

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It's Time, Already!
written by swmirsky , November 05, 2009

Dan:

Eric's club, The Angelo Gracie Republican Club in Ozone Park was once a rump organization on the margins of activity in the 23rd but Eric and the late Arlene Fiamano worked to build it up and it's more robust these days. The current president is Bernie Solow I believe. More, Eric and Jane have built another Republican club in Howard Beach and that's become pretty active, too. So we now have three robust clubs in the three main areas of the 23rd.

Jay:

Not a litmus test because it would not be used as an exclusionary principle. After all, even people who agree on such general principles may differ on what they actually constitute in practice. In human organizations (and I don't know any other kinds -- well maybe ant hills and bee hives and wolf packs and deer herds, etc.) we come together around general principles and, once having found points of commonality, we make it our task to work together and often overlook differences. Those who can't do that either end up in diminishing groups or blow larger groups apart. It's time we figured out how not to do that!

We're always busy burying the bloody hatchet. Better never to have taken it out against our own in the first place but now we really need to figure out how to put it away. I suggest, for starters, that County invite outsiders like the Haggertys inside, even though they lost the last reorg election. (I was unable to come because you guys arranged it for Saturday but if I could have I would have spoken up for an end to the bickering. Phil and company should make the first room and open up the exec. committee to the other side. Let's form one unified Queens GOP. Maybe then we can get somewhere from here!

If County leadership continues to sit on its hands because they won the last reorg. it'll only be a matter of time until the next big fight which only saps our already limited strength and scares newcomers off. Give the Haggertys a place at the table. Make the first move for god's sake and stop this silliness! Why should we be at each others' throats every damned year? What the hell is wrong with people? We may have won something this year but we can't hold that momentum if we don't do something to take it to the next level.

County needs to pick up the phone and talk to Bart and, yes, to Eric and Jane and Tom. We can make the GOP stronger throughout the boro and even citywide if we can only learn to stop snarling at each other over scraps.

SWM

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Error Correction
written by swmirsky , November 05, 2009

In my haste above I mistyped. I should have written:

"Phil and company should make the first MOVE and open up the exec. committee to the other side. Let's form one unified Queens GOP. Maybe then we can get somewhere from here!"

Sorry about that!

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written by Jay Golub , November 06, 2009

"If County leadership continues to sit on its hands because they won the last reorg."

You call last week's success story "continuing to sit on its hands?" Are you crazy, Stu?

Not one other borough produced a victory - Queens County just got THREE. How do you call that "sitting on its hands?"

Meanwhile, the Haggerty's ran one of our most respected players' campaign into the ground. Ognibene deserved better - even if he caucused with the wrong side during the re-org. Too bad he didn't have "County's people," who you say are "sitting on their hands" helping him out like they did in the 19th and 20th. Maybe Tom would have won instead of losing by 20 points.

Regarding executive committee positions, I can't see the benefit in offering them any as they don't show up to County events or meetings anyway.

For instance, where were the Haggerty's and their supporters on GOP nite, which was attended by about 200 active Republicans in Queens, along with elected officials, Candidates like Rick Lazio, local media and all the local candidates in our county?

Do you know where they were Stu? If not, find the answer to that question and ask yourself what the benefit would be in offering them a role at County.

"Give the Haggertys a place at the table."

Stu, they already have many seats at the table - Seems you are asking County to give them a booster seat, something they do not need to be a positive part of what is going on in Queens.

In any event, for what it's worth, I'm more than ready to embrace the other side and plan on doing so aggressively from here forward. I agree with you that with unity, we can expand on our gains this year and work to win back a senate seat or two - along with a number of assembly seats that are clearly winnable. We also need to expand our number of local GOP clubs - something I plan on getting very involved in personally and something that Phil Ragusa and Vince Tabone have been spearheading for more than a year now.

With these words being said, let them be the last said in this vain. I hope to see you in the Rockaways soon...

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written by Daniel Peterson , November 06, 2009

I think with wins in 3 of 4 council districts in Queens, we should start moving forward.

A few things to take note.

1. Phil Ragusa is the Queens county chairman. Everyone, including Bart & John, Ognibene, Ulrich, Stu & Stu & Tom & Pete, Jay and whomever, should ACCEPT & RESPECT that fact for the next two years.
2. Stu informs us that in Eric's council district, there are now three Republican clubs representing different neighborhoods of his district. This is a great story and I hope the power of an elected Ulrich continues to fuel these organizations into growing and developing. I hope Dan and Peter help build existing clubs and help create new ones in their respective districts so Padavan and other candidates have a stronger base.
3. Stop with the power struggle. Politics is unfortunately about power instead of representing the people. Make your power local and be a powerful part of a greater whole. If you prove yourself, then down the road you may be in a bigger postiion of power, however in the end, it's about party and principle and not about you.

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written by Jay Golub , November 06, 2009

"Stop with the power struggle."

I'm all for moving forward, Danny, but if you're waiting for this to occur, you're blogging in the wrong business. Politics without power-struggle is like breathing without air...

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written by Daniel Peterson , November 06, 2009

true jay, but when their is technically no power to gain until the 2011 leadership elections, then 2010 should be a unified front.

After 2010, then the power struggle can return if it so chooses.

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NO MORE!!!
written by swmirsky , November 06, 2009

Stop, stop, stop Jay! NO MORE RECRIMINATIONS PLEASE! We must move past these years of hard feelings and turf wars or we will continue to be fragmented and weak. I don't understand why this is so damned hard to get!

Look, Eric and company don't need to reach out. They have won an important seat and the visibility and perqs that come with that for the next four years. I'm sure they're more than happy to respond to overtures from central Queens but they don't have to. I'm sure that all sides have been guilty over the years of pettiness and undue anger. But WE HAVE TO GET PAST THAT. There isn't really so much power laying around for Queens Republicans that it's worth squabbling about.

Let's pull together, form a serious united front with an eye toward the future and move forward. If we stand pat and don't learn from all the past blunders and self-inflicted wounds the Democrats will continue to have nothing from our side to worry about for another generation.

Ulrich and the Haggertys should be brought into the main GOP fold in a grand coalition. Stop standing on bloody ceremony. Stop clinging to the perqs of limited power and get real. Bloomberg is likely to be gone in four years and the Dems are hungry to retake City Hall. We need to build a good candidate bench at the citywide level as well as in the various districts. Four years looks like it's a long way off -- but it ain't!

SWM

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written by Jay Golub , November 06, 2009

"Stop, stop, stop Jay! NO MORE RECRIMINATIONS PLEASE!"

You're a great writer, Stu, but your reading comprehension leaves much to be desired. I just got done saying to you I'm done. I'm just letting you know what is still going on...

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written by Daniel Peterson , November 06, 2009

I got an idea. Maybe it's far fetched.

Let's not speak on behalf of Eric, Phil, Bart or John or Tom or whomever. They can all speak and they can all choose to take the steps they wish to take.

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Making Peace
written by swmirsky , November 06, 2009

It's not speaking on anyone's behalf, Dan, to argue for peace and reconciliation! This is a community problem and, as such, it involves all of us in this community!

As to Jay's comment about how I read his recent remarks, note that while saying he's all for "burying the hatchet" he is still wielding it when he adds things like:

"Meanwhile, the Haggerty's ran one of our most respected players' campaign into the ground."

"Regarding executive committee positions, I can't see the benefit in offering them any as they don't show up to County events or meetings anyway."

". . . where were the Haggerty's and their supporters on GOP nite . . . ?"

" . . . they already have many seats at the table - Seems you are asking County to give them a booster seat. . ."

For the record, my reference to "sitting on their hands" was a reference to the apparent reluctance of County leadership to take the first step in reconciliation, NOT to whether or not County supported some candidates, by the way.

Anyway, I don't think a lot is gained by saying on the one hand 'I want to bury the hatchet' and on the other continuing to brandish it aloft in the same post. We won't get peace by just saying we'd like to have it. We need positive actions. A grand coalition of all the forces in County would be a good way to start.

I hope that is the kind of message that is getting back to County. I know it's hard to swallow one's pride and all but really, what have we got to fight over in Queens as of now but a few council seats, nobly won, yes, but with very limited power! What we need is more candidates and more ideas and more of a ground game and more unity. With these things we can have real credibility again and othe Bloombergs won't be able to come along and buy us for a pittance.

SWM

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written by Jay Golub , November 06, 2009

"What we need is more candidates and more ideas and more of a ground game and more unity. With these things we can have real credibility again and othe Bloombergs won't be able to come along and buy us for a pittance."

And without continuing the line of conversation you dislike, Mr. Mirsky, I will just say on the above point we are in full agreement.

Here's to a new unified future...

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written by Jay Golub , December 11, 2009

Wow, QJ. I barely took a month before your prediction came true...

"As for Eric Ulrich, in my mind, he's a placeholder. He's certainly ambitious, but, as Edmund Burke would say, ambition without principle can carry you only so far. My advice: replace him with a pro-small business councilman as soon as possible."

...certainly this so-called "Paid Sick Time Act" is not business friendly and certainly, with his sponsorship of this legislation, the disconnect between ambition and principle should be more in question than ever before...

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