Obviously, now there are three. The real candidates for this seat, Katz and Yassky, are joined by Carrion. The rest aren’t real candidates at this point (Boyland is living in the past; Brennan can’t raise any money; inherent anti-Semitism sinks Simcha; Liu can’t break away from his deep-pockets/non-voter Asian base; and Weprin, well…yawn…). That leaves us with three candidates, representing three boroughs. One woman, two men. One Latino, two Jews. All can raise considerable money, with Katz as the clear front-runner in this arena. After all, at the last filing, she and Carrion filed with virtually the same amount. The difference being, he was raising from a borough-wide seat and running at the time for mayor, and she was raising from a City Council seat running for comptroller. In other words, Carrion should have been easily out-raising Katz, yet he didn’t. Why not? I suppose his waffling hurt some, as it did Yassky. The main other reason: no fire in the belly. A little pro/con handicapping, if I may (in alphabetical order): Carrion’s Pro’s: Only Latino in the race; Presumed backing of Ramirez/Rivera Bronx machine; Affable. Carrion’s Con’s: Doesn’t come across as ambitious. Recent fundraising scandals (Runnin' Scared: Yankee Stadium Gets a Walkway, a Bronx Pol Gets a Big Donation, You Get a Fat Bill by Graham Rayman, Village Voice 11/27/07 http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0748,rayman,78487,2.html) and (Fishy smell coming from Bronx food firm by Juan Gonzalez, NY Daily News 11/07/07 http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/11/07/2007-11-07_fishy_smell_coming_from_bronx_food_firm.html); Bronx-based opposition after cleaning house of Community Board members who voted against him on Yankee Stadium. Katz’s Pro’s: She’s the labor candidate, as she’s backed by a number of unions already (no other Comptroller candidates have any union endorsements). As chair of the Land Use Committee will likely have most, if not all, of the powerful construction unions in support, as well as the strong anti-Wal-Mart unions contingent; Easily out-raises any of her opponents; Strong support of the development community, NYC’s eight-hundred pound gorilla; Likeable; Attractive; Smart; Sole woman in an eight way race; Will possibly have the backing of the powerful Queens County Democratic Committee. Katz’s Con’s: Inherent sexism of her being the sole woman in an eight way race; NIMBYists will have problems her development community support; One of four Jewish candidates. Yassky’s Pro’s: Very smart; Can raise decent money (even if most of it is transferred over from old campaign accounts. Yassky’s Con’s: Unlikable; Outsider in his own borough; One of four Brooklyn candidates; One of four Jewish candidates; Little or no institutional support. Cozy relationship with Forrest City Ratner hurts him in his base area; Being the only white candidate in last year’s race for Brooklyn’s 11th CD hurts in the African-American Community. Of course, none of this is carved in stone. Should Liu break out of his Asian base, or the Boyland name magically begin to stand for something good again, this may all change.