News

-A A +A

Gaughran Video Calls For New Gun Control Measures

Aug
15
2018

Democratic state Senate candidate Jim Gaughran this week released a video called for new gun control measures in New York while recognizing the six-month anniversary of a school shooting in Florida.

Democrats, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, have pushed the narrowly divided Republican-led Senate to pass a bill that would curtail gun possession for those deemed to be a risk to themselves or others.

Gaughran knocked Republicans for not holding a vote on the bill.

“That’s simply outrageous,” he said in the video. “When parents send their kids to school in the morning and kiss them goodbye, they should never have to worry they should not be coming home because of senseless gun violence.”

The state Senate did agree to a...| read more ››

Democrats say ‘no thanks’ to de Blasio PAC money

Aug
13
2018

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to help his fellow Democrats take back the New York Senate. To close the gap, he’s launched a federal leadership political action committee, and he wants to raise money to spend in competitive races around the state.

There’s just one problem. Almost nobody wants his help.

Story Continued Below

A majority of the 15 Democratic state Senate candidates running in competitive districts who POLITICO surveyed said they wouldn’t accept the mayor’s aid even if offered. The would-be senators are distancing themselves from the unpopular mayor, who faces criticism from upstate for being a tax-and-spend liberal and complaints from some in New York City that he’s not liberal enough and has been too friendly...| read more ››

Democrat James Gaughran gets backing of construction unions for Senate

Aug
12
2018

The New York State Building and Construction Trade Council has endorsed Democratic state Senate candidate James Gaughran over Sen. Carl Marcellino (R-Syosset), reversing the group’s backing from 2016.

The trade council announced its backing of Gaughran and four other Democratic Senate candidates, including Sen. John Brooks and Anna Kaplan on Long Island, last week.

Gaughran, the Suffolk Water Authority chairman who ran unsuccessfully in 2016, said, "The fact that the NYS Building & Construction Trades Council endorsed my opponent last election demonstrates that my campaign clearly has momentum and will win in November.”

Scott Reif, GOP senate spokesman, said Marcellino “has a sterling record of advancing good-paying, safe construction jobs on Long Island and throughout the state, and he looks...| read more ››

NYSUT throws endorsements behind Senate Dems

Aug
11
2018

The Democratic challengers who received NYSUT’s support are in districts that range from solidly Republican (Flanagan’s opponent got their blessing) to a toss up (Jim Gaughran was supported on Long Island instead of Education Committee Chair Carl Marcellino, who NYSUT backed in 2016).| read more ››

Building & Construction Trades Back 5 Dems In Key Senate Races

Aug
9
2018

The New York Building & Construction Trades Council on Thursday backed five Democratic candidates running in key races on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley.

The union is backing Democrats James Gaughran over Sen. Carl Marcellino, Anna Kaplan over Sen. Elaine Phillips, James Skoufis over Tom Basile and Karen Smythe, who is running to unseat Sen. Sue Serino.

Sen. John Brooks, who is running for a second term in what has traditionally been a Republican-held seat, was also endorsed by the union.

“Our statewide membership has prioritized legislation that defines ‘public work’ and ensures safe, good-paying construction jobs on projects that are publicly subsidized,” said Jim Cahill, President of the Council. “We are confident that these candidates share our...| read more ››

State Legislative Ratings Part 22: New York Senate

Aug
5
2018

5th District: Carl Marcellino

Republican incumbent Carl Marcellino survived 2016 by the skin of his teeth, winning re-election by a point in this Oyster Bay/Glen Cove seat. The man who gave him that run for his money, James Gaughran, is back for another swing. With the national environment worse for the GOP in 2018 than it was in 2016, Marcellino could be in even more trouble than he was last time around. Will this be the year he gets toppled? It’s unclear, but Democrats have a great shot.| read more ››

Carpenters’ Union Makes Endorsements

Aug
1
2018

The union also is backing Pat Kane and Karines Reyes for the state Assembly. The labor group also endorsed Democrats Jim Gaughran and Monica Martinez running closely watched races for the state Senate on Long Island.| read more ››

Teachers switch allegiance in Senate rematch

Aug
1
2018

In a major shift of allegiance from their campaign two years ago, the 600,000 member New York State United teachers (NYSUT), the parent union of the state’s public school teachers union has endorsed democrat James gaughran in his rematch challenge against State Senator Carl Marcellino. (R-Syosset)

In 2016 Senator Marcellino, who is Chairman of the powerful State Senate Education Committee, held off Mr. Gaughran in a close race in which Mr. Marcellino received the NYSUT endorsement. NYSUT announced its endorsement of Mr. gaughran last week. Mr. Gaughran’s wife, Carol and her mother are both former teachers.

“After every single Senate Republican and several Democrats turned their backs on New York teachers and public school students at the...| read more ››

Abuse victim advocate backs Democratic senate candidates

Jul
30
2018

Activist Gary Greenberg is betting on a Democratic controlled state Senate to provide aid to child victims of sexual abuse.

Legislation that would expand the statute of limitations for the criminal prosecution of certain sexual offenses and create a look back period for civil lawsuits has passed the state Assembly, but stalled in the Republican-controlled state Senate. Greenberg had been working with Senate Republicans to enact a potential compromise, although it also failed to make it through the chamber’s committee process.

“I was shocked and disappointed Sen. [Catharine] Young’s bill was not let out of [the] Rules committee despite the [Republicans] having the votes to do so,” Greenberg said. “I unequivocally support [Senate Democratic Conference Leader] Andrea Stewart-Cousins as new...| read more ››

Gaughran doubles Marcellino’s fundraising

Jul
16
2018

Suffolk County Water Authority Chairman Jim Gaughran has outraised state Sen. Carl Marcellino in advance of their rematch on Long Island, new campaign finance disclosure reports show.

Marcellino, a Republican who has represented northern portions of Suffolk and Nassau since 1995, brought in $73,000 worth of contributions. He spent $26,000 and has $111,000 in the bank.

Democrat Gaughran raised $166,000, more than double Marcellino's total. His large donors included the New York State United Teachers ($11,000), which has stayed neutral in the district in the past but endorsed him last week.

Gaughran spent $37,000 and has $129,000 remaining.

Marcellino defeated Gaughran in 2016 with 50.6 percent of the vote after a recount. That year, he and his supporters slightly outspent...| read more ››

Pages