Brian Foley looks to oppose Caesar Trunzo for Senate seat
May 23, 2008
Brookhaven Supervisor Brian Foley yesterday announced he will seek to run against GOP State Senate veteran Caesar Trunzo - but first he will have to fight off two other Democratic contenders.
Foley, 50, is hoping to challenge the 36-year Republican veteran in a bid to take control of the State Senate.
Hours after Foley disclosed his intention to run and minutes before the party convention began, Suffolk Democratic chairman Richard Schaffer huddled for 20 minutes with Foley and two other contenders - Jimmy Dahroug, who works for the Suffolk Probation Department, and Legis. Ricardo Montano (D-Central Islip). Afterward, Schaffer told the convention the party would print petitions for all three candidates and let them fight it out in a Sept. 8 primary.
Later, Foley said he hoped to “have reason prevail” and avoid a primary.
Dahroug said he had no plans to drop out. “I’ve raised over $100,000 and will spend every penny of it. I would have preferred to spend it on Caesar,” said Dahroug, who has twice lost to Trunzo.
Montano, who finished last in the Senate primary two years ago, criticized Foley’s last-minute move. “What does he think this is, a coronation?” he said ahead of the convention.
Should Foley prevail in the primary, the race for the Third Senate District seat will be the marquee local political race for all of Long Island as Senate Republicans try to hang on to a majority they’ve held for decades.
Reacting to Foley’s decision, Trunzo said at the GOP party convention last night, “We’ll have to see what happens.”
Other Republicans, however, lambasted Foley’s sudden move. “He’s been a failure as town supervisor and he’ll be a failure as candidate for Senate,” said Jesse Garcia, Brookhaven GOP chair.
Foley dismissed the comments as the “sniping of a compromised political leader.” He called the race “a dream opportunity” and vowed to “bring a new level of energy” to representing the district.
Observers, however, expect a multimillion-dollar battle between two unbeaten incumbents - Foley, the second-generation scion of a prominent political family, and Trunzo, who turned 82 this month - in a district that straddles the Brookhaven and Islip border.
“Caesar Trunzo has been in office for decades, brought millions of dollar into the district and helped many residents over the years,” said Philip Nolan, Islip’s Democratic supervisor. But Foley “will make this the toughest race Caesar has faced in a long time - maybe ever.”
Source: Newsday
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