Nassau GOP Throws In Towel In County Exec Race

Ed Mangano (Who?) Slated To Get Lost In Party's Fading Shadow

Its Memorial Day.

We've marched in the parade, laid the wreath, saluted the flag. The B-B-Q is heating up. Now what can we do?

Wait. We've got an idea. Let's talk politics. Local politics (as in, "all politics is local").

Its official, Nassau County's "party of no" has chosen longtime Nassau Legislator Edward Mangano, little known outside of his district, to chase down Tom Suozzi in this fall's race for County Executive.

You mean to tell us Greg Peterson is busy?

"They've pretty much conceded the County Exec spot," said a Republican insider, speaking to this blogger on condition of anonymity. [What? You mean the GOP migh recriminate against their own for telling it like it is?]

And you thought the gauntlet would fall at Kate Murray's feet.

No way.

Even Murray, whose well known (by name, at least) in Nassau, and extremely popular (for reasons known only to God) in Hempstead Town, would have a tough time defeating the more popular Tom Suozzi. Why, even calling Tom a mysoginist wouldn't have helped her cause.

Anyway, sources close to the GOP Committee tell us that Murray was needed to run for re-election as Supervisor in Hempstead Town, the very last bastion of Republican control on Long Island (and perhaps on earth), where Democratic enrollment, and a mood of "enough already", threatens the very fiber of the eons-old Republican cloth coat.

So that leaves the GOP without a formidable opponent to take on Tom Suozzi, who, barring a disaster the likes of which took down Eliot Spitzer, is likely to waltz into a third term without having to break much of a sweat.

Used to be that the Dems had no one to run in Nassau County. For the most part, they still don't. But the GOP?

Well, the good old days are no more.

Its Ed Mangano's turn at bat (sort of like pinch-hitting for the pitcher with, er, another pitcher). This year's poster boy for an all but lost cause.

Mangano, who has sat on the Nassau County Legislature since its inception in 1996 [you remember -- back in the day when Ed and his GOP cohorts were rubber-stamping Tom Gulotta's budgets] will be taking his heftiest swings at Suozzi's policies and record.

In fact, Mangano vows to "save Nassau" from policies that have increased taxes, spending, and fees. [Gee, Ed. How do you save Nassau from yourself?]

There'll be high brows and low blows, to be sure. In the end, though, look for mighty Mangano -- a heck of a nice guy, by all accounts -- to strike out.

You're taking one for the party, Ed. Yes, the party.

On the national scene, that would be the party of Rush Limbaugh, Dick Cheney, and Sarah Palin. Locally, its the party of Peter "deport the Muslims" King, Peter "full of" Schmitt, and, oh yeah, smiling Kate Murray.

Strange bedfellows, indeed!

And what happens when Ed Mangano, who will give up his seat on the NC Legislature to run for County Exec, is trounced by Tom Suozzi? Well, there's always the Oyster Bay Town Council.

As for the race for Town of Hempstead Supervisor (where many of us are still hoping to see Kate Murray go far-- as in far, far away), another County Legislator, Dave Denenberg, appears to be considering the challenge.

Can this David topple the GOP Goliath that has resided in Hempstead Town Hall for more than 100 years?

We can only hope. [Actually, we'll all have to do much more than merely hope should Dave decide to run against the GOP's fortress Hempstead, the equivalent of Darth Vader's Death Star.]

One thing's for sure, though. With temprement skewed against all things Republican, and Dems outnumbering Republicans on the rolls in GOP strongholds like Garden City, of all places, not even Hempstead Town Hall is safe!