This was the Ultimate Battle against Goliath, and Goliath lost!
We the Pro-Choice community and Choice Matters took on Astorino’s anti-choice machine and won! We have maintained a pro-choice majority on the Westchester County Board of Legislators, although we did sadly lose an important ally in District #3, John Nonna.
As the Capital Tonight reported, Election Night was “Not A Good Night For Rob Astorino”
Right-to-Life, anti-birth control anti-sex education County Executive Rob Astorino vested heavily in this election even though his name was not on the ballot.He handpicked the candidates to target Democratic pro-choice incumbents.Astorino recruited his political consultant Bill O’Reilly to manage the campaign of his handpicked, rubber stamp, predominantly anti-choice candidates.Then Astorino found the big money for his campaign. He knew he wouldn’t find those anti-choice dollars in Westchester so he headed to Albany.According to The Wall Street Journal, the NYS GOP–the same anti-choice extremists who back the likes of Senator Skelos–invested in excess of $100,000 in Westchester County’s 2011 County legislature races.
Why? Apparently Astorino is considered a rising star and a possible challenger to Governor Cuomo in 2014. (GOP Viewing Westchester as a Big Test, 11/8/2011)
The results are not yet official but here is the expected outcome for our pro-choice incumbents targeted by anti-choice extremist Rob Astorino:Peter Harckham, CLD #2Â YES!!!John Nonna, CLD #3 Â Sadly no.Mike Kaplowitz, CLD #4Â Â YES!!!Bill Ryan, CLD #5Â Â Â YES!!!
Judy Myers, CLD #7Â YES!!!
Plus 2 Open Seats that We Won
that were previously held by pro-choice legislators:
Catherine Borgia, CLD #9Â YES!!!
Virginia Perez, CLD #17Â YES!!!
These legislators are 100% pro-choice.
They protect our women, children, and families.
They understand the importance of our clinics, childcare, and health centers.
It looks like both of Choice Matters’ two endorsed pro-choice Supreme Court candidates for the 9th Judicial District, Robert DiBella and Paul Marx, won!!!
Sadly, fantastic pro-choice challenger John Fitzpatrick, in #10, almost succeeded in defeating an incumbent who even in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the woman opposes abortion. (According to the Right to Life Committee, the incumbent also supports passing a law to ban gay marriage.) Unfortunately, it appears at this time that Fitzpatrick is behind by 39 votes. Also candidates in the open seat in District #6, Dan Brakewood, and the challenger in District #1, Mike Kane, were unable to come out on top of the anti-choice opposition.
NOTE: It is our job to make sure they have powerful pro-choice support next time!* When the Pro-Choice Community Votes, We Win *