Living  around the 40th Council District the buzz is up on the race already.  The candidate I keep hearing is favored to win is Zenobia McNally. I think she ran against Yvette last year.

The lack of party labels notwithstanding, the SI Republicans could have trouble and the seat in the 51st could go to a well-funded, organized Democrat.

I expect everyone and the grocery store owner to run.

Some people think that Vincent Ignizio will run in the 51st because he can't get anything done as a Republican Assemblyman. If so, he'll be tough to beat.

If Vincent runs he has a good shot. As for the 40th I agree with Anonymous about McNally.

Given that the Clarkes (Una and Yvette) will not support her, Zenobia Mcnally's chances of winning are really slim. Lately the names of Joel Toney and Jennifer Joseph keep popping up as persons the Clarkes are interested in supporting, since it seems that roy hastick isn't going to run. It's still early, but look for movement in this race after thanksgiving.

Well I heard some other names popping up too. The Clarkes have a lot of options. The two you name I doubt. The second name is an unknown. There is a third option I will not spill yet. I will drop it after Thanksgiving as well. How about your boy Ken Evans for Diane Gordon's seat when she goes to jail?

Can we focus on my 51st race please.... Is Brooklyn that important??????

In a special election its anybody game. Some of the comments are clearly skewed toward a candidate or against for obvious reasons.  No one a joke in this race.  Just an impartial comment.

From one mud slinging-blood bath to another we go from the 11th CD race to this 40th and people still are throwing this bad comments. Just focus on the facts.

The question is not if Ignizio will run for the vacated Lanza Council seat; its who will replace him in the State Assembly after he wins said council seat.  Won't Vinny face terrm limits as a Councilmember--why leave an opened ended job in Albany? 

Hanina Sperlin of Crown Heights will be running. While he supported Carl Andrews for Congress until one day before the primary when he switched his support to Yvette (like he really controls any votes?), he wants to become the hasidic spoiler. He owns a house in the district, but does not live there. He won't even get Jewish support, but he has nothing to lose. And nothing to gain. 

Anthony Licuadello former Mayor's Community Assitance quit so he could run, he is in no matter what Vinny does

All of the 40th are not carribean. It is very diverse. White, some pakistani, and tons of others. In this race getting all to vote will get you a win. not this carribean vote thing only. So if your Trini or not it does not matter. as for Rock running..... Maybe in 2009. He and Chris can sit this one out.

Political student, Mcnally is no joke. She is a threat to Clarke.

In 1998 I ran for the NYS Assembly in Brooklyn's 42nd district, I lost the primary by coming in last in a 3-way race. I was fortunate enough to be given the Liberal Party's line for the general election. I was not a member of that party but I won their endorsement when I interviewed better than the incumbent and the other challenger. I lost that election also, coming in 2nd in a 3-way race. In the same aforementioned primary, I also ran for District Leader /male, of the Democrats. I did well coming in second and losing by about 600 votes in a three-way race. Then two years later (2000) I ran for the leadership again, ganering roughly 2300 votes (42%) and losing the race by about 900 votes. This was my best performance to date. I should have won that race, but I cannot going into the reasons I lost here. Since then I have not been on the ballot. I was knocked off on technicalities on two subsequent attempts at leaderships in the 58th AD (2002) and the 42nd AD (2004). You can run for leadership out of your regular district/ up to election day, and that attempt was done to help a boro-wide judicial challenge (Margarita Torres/2002). I have moved out of Brooklyn since, and is back in Queens, even though most of my political activism and most of my community work is done in Brooklyn (moreso than in the other boroughs). Presently, I have no intention of running for any office, even though I have been approached ( sometimes badgered/ lol). I am getting a lot of feelers recently , by serious political people willing to genuinely support me this time around. I have promised some folks to take a hard look at running for the 42nd AD again, and I have been given until Labor Day next year to decide and then move back to Brooklyn. If I decide to do that , I will announce that I am running before the end of September next year. I will say the chances of doing this are under 25%, since I am not as enthused about running for public office as I was ten years ago. I do political consulting on a part time basis and I do have a few permanent clients that I advise. Right now, that's fine with me; but then we will see come September next year. Thanks for the sentiments though. I hope this clarifies things for many of you out there.

Smart move Rock. Keep consulting and blogging. Let some of the younger generation run for office. Primarily people under 50 should get a chance. Not trying to knock the old folks but you can understand that concept. Most of our officials have been in office since the 80's and its time to start taking steps forward. I am not saying this because you are not qualified its time for fresh faces.

Well your right McNally is a serious threat. She is the front runner right now. It would be great for the area if the Clarkes endorsed her and we bring Central Brooklyn together. Everyone else in this race will be playing catch up.

Because I said that I am not interested in running right now, it doesn't mean that I will never run for office again. Just too keep you guys straight here/ lol. I am more qualified and more experienced than most people who run these days. And that's a fact.

That is just it. The Clarke's and 1199 will pick her successor. Whomever the Clarke's back, be assured that 1199 has given them the go ahead to do so and will provide the necessary finances and do a serious GOTV operation to pull their members.

Zenobia McNally no matter what is one of the front runners. Then the Yvette pick if its not Zenobia if the pick makes sense. After that everyone else are just side shows

I disagree with the notion that "everyone else are just sideshows", JESSE HAMILTON is a very good candidate here.

Jesse unendorsed Yassky for being a carpetbagger and moving in the district to run. He lives outside the district and is doing the same thing.   Wow!!!

Maybe your beef should be with the lawmakers who made up these rules no? Jesse didn't devise the rule that allows him to run from outside the district in a special election. BTW, did you vote for Hilary Clinton when she became Senator from New York? Also, when he represented the district on the School board , Jesse Hamilton represented many parts of this district. Plus he ran in an overlapping district and now reps as a leader many EDs from this council district. he is no carperbagger in the real sense of the word, and you know this. He is a life long resident of Brooklyn as far as I know. Change the rules, or let the voters decide, and i am sure they will.

I guess that goes for the other 15 candidates living outside the district as well. or is the to impartial to say??????

Stop the back and forth. All of you live with at least on of the candidates. McNally is unknown , Hamilton isn't this, the other one is not that. Stop the attacks. Its way too early and not needed down the line either.

We have to get out there and make it happen for her so that she can win. She will be good at city council. She will benefit the constituents from a professional and a personal leve which is something Yvette never did for her constituents.

Zenobia McNally for City council

Zenobia McNally for City Council 2007

 Ambassador Joel Toney announces his
>candidacy
>                                     for New York City Council 40th
>District Special Election
>
>   Former United Nations Ambassador, Joel Toney, has formally announced his
>candidacy for the New York City Council 40th District Special Election,
>which will be held on February 20 th 2007.
>
>   Joel Toney is a long time member of Community Board 14, an influential
>member of the Caribbean-American community and a leader in Brooklyn . He
>has been a passionate advocate for the people of the neighborhoods of the
>40th District. Over the past fifteen years, he has worked with Council
>Members, Una Clarke and Yvette Clarke, to resolve many issues for the
>people of the 40 th District. As a City Councilmember, Joel Toney will
>continue his excellent representation for the people of the 40th District.
>
>   As a former Ambassador to the United Nations, Joel Toney knows how to
>build consensus and coalitions. He will bring the diverse communities of
>the 40 th District together for the benefit of all. He will therefore reach
>out to the African-American, Caribbean , Haitian, Jewish, Spanish,
>Pakistani, Bangladeshi and other communities in the District.
>
>   Elaborating on the reason for his candidacy, Toney observed "I have been
>a leader in this community. I am from the District and have been working
>for the people of this community on Community Board 14 for fifteen years. I
>live here in the District. I know every neighborhood in the District and
>understand their issues. I have a record of achievements as a community
>leader. The totality of my record demonstrates that I am uniquely
>positioned and qualified to hold this office. And I am confident that once
>the electorate has an opportunity to examine my record, my accomplishments
>as a community leader and my agenda for the District, they will express
>overwhelming support for my candidacy through their vote."
>
>   "I have a cadre of community leaders and residents who support my
>candidacy. They know that I am a seventeen-year resident of the District,
>in Ditmas Park . They know my record in this community, of my abilities as
>a leader and of my unswerving commitment to the people of this District.
>They know that I am not an imported candidate who does not live in the 40
>th District. It is with the benefit of this knowledge that they have
>endorsed my candidacy.   I therefore invite the entire leadership of our
>community and the residents of the 40th District to unite around my
>candidacy. In so doing, we can collectively continue the process of
>developing our community and empowering our people," said Ambassador Toney.
>
>   He added "I am also running for this seat because I share a common
>vision for the development of the 40 th Council District - A vision that
>encompasses development and empowerment. I intend to mobilize a broad
>coalition of community leaders, organizations and City, State and Federal
>officials, to help achieve this vision. Together, we will work to complete
>the policy initiatives and projects in the District that have been
>earmarked for funding. These include: the Kings County Hospital
>redevelopment, the establishment of the Bio-Tec Center and the Caribbean
>American Trade Center ."
>
>   Toney stressed that he will consolidate Clarke's work at City Hall and
>will form partnerships within the Council to find solutions for the
>pressing issues of education, healthcare, immigration, affordable housing,
>crime and public safety, business ownership and economic development, job
>creation, as well as address problems affecting our youth, seniors, women
>and children. "As a community, we've got to come together and work closely
>to transform the 40 th District into a better place for all of its
>residents. I am particularly concerned about the increase in violent crime
>and shootings in our community and will, in a substantial way, address this
>challenge to public safety," the former diplomat declared.
>
>   Toney, who is well known in the Caribbean-American community is
>supported by a large number of influential leaders and organizations. He
>served in the United States Army in Germany before establishing a career in
>Corporate America. He holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Management
>and an MBA in Marketing from Long Island University, as well as a
>post-graduate diploma in Diplomacy from Georgetown University.
>
>   Toney interrupted his corporate career from 1981 to 1984 to serve his
>native St. Vincent and the Grenadines as Ambassador to the United Nations.
>At the conclusion of his tenure as Ambassador, he was appointed United
>Nations Economic Affairs Officer for Trade - for Latin America and the
>Caribbean.
>
>   At the conclusion of his diplomatic tenure, Ambassador Toney continued
>his community service through activism and advocacy for the   communities
>in Brooklyn, particularly Flatbush, East Flatbush, Victorian Flatbush,
>Crown Heights, Midwood and Kensington. During the last twenty-five years,
>he has served on Community Boards 5 and 14. He has been serving
>continuously on Community Board 14, and is Co-Chair of the Environment
>Committee. In this capacity, he helped oversee the redevelopment of all
>playgrounds and parks, especially the Parade Grounds. Toney also partnered
>with former City Councilmember, Una Clarke, to spearhead the creation of
>the Flatbush Caton Vendor's Mart.
>
>   "Over the years I have been a strong, effective leader. I have formed
>strategic alliances and partnerships. I have mobilized resources and
>transformed concepts and plans into tangible actions that have had a
>positive impact on the lives of ordinary citizens. It is this quality of
>leadership and passion for community service that I bring to this race, and
>will take to the City Council," Toney said with confidence.
>
>   The candidate noted that his passion for community involvement inspired
>him to agree to serve as an executive for a number of community
>organizations including: the Ditmas Park West Neighborhood Association, the
>Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACCI) the Autumn
>Avenue Block Association, the 75 th Precinct Community Council, as well as
>a volunteer for Prospect Park's "You Gotta Have Park" fundraising
>initiative. In recognition of his exceptional service, the Flatbush
>Development Corporation, in 2002, bestowed upon him its "Neighborhood
>Service Award" for outstanding service to the Flatbush community.
>
>   Toney has pledged to extend this outstanding service to the entire 40 th
>District, declaring " It is my humble belief that my diverse expertise,
>experience, stellar public service record and ability to get things done,
>qualify me to be the next Councilmember from the 40 th District. "I will
>take up the mantle of leadership and guide our community to development and
>prosperity. Support for my candidacy is an investment in the development
>and future of our community. I am confident that we can rekindle the spirit
>of community and work together to make the 40 th District a better place
>for our children and the generations to come," said Ambassador Toney.
>
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