New York's 99th assembly district

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New York State Assembly, District 99 is located in the southern part of the State of New York in the USA. District 99 is north of New York City and is composed of parts of Dutchess, Putnam, and Westchester Counties. It is encompassed by New York's 40th state senate district and New York's 19th congressional district.

District 99 is currently represented by Republican Greg Ball, who was sworn in with the rest of the New York State Assembly on January 4, 2007.

Contents

[edit] Components: Past and Present

2001-present:

Dutchess
Town of Pawling, village of Pawling, hamlet of Holmes
Putnam
Town of Carmel, halmets of Mahopac, Mahopac Falls
Town of Patterson, hamlets of Putnam Lake, Towners
Town of Southeast, village of Brewster, hamlets of Dykemans, Peach Lake, Tilly Foster
Westchester
Town of North Salem, hamlets of Croton Falls, Purdys
Town of Somers, hamlets of Amawalk, Baldwin Place, Granite Springs, Heritage Hills, Lincolndale, , Shenorock
Town of Yorktown, hamlets of Crompond, Croton Heights, Huntersville, Jefferson Valley, Kitchawan, Mohegan Lake, Shrub Oak, Yorktown Heights

1983-2001

Parts of Dutchess, and Putnam

1913-1983:

All of Putnam
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] Representatives

Representative Party Years Note
D. Mallory Stephens Republican 1926 - 1952 resigned
Willis Stephens Sr. Republican 1952 - 1982 resigned
George Pataki Republican 1982 - 1985 elected to State Senate
Vincent Leibell Republican 1985 - 1994 elected to State Senate
Willis Stephens Jr. Republican 1994 - 2007 defeated in 2006 primary
Greg Ball Republican 2007 -

[edit] 2008 election

While no challenger has officially filed to take on the district's freshman incumbent legislator, several names have emerged in the media as potential challengers contemplating a bid.

[edit] Republican candidate

Main article: Greg Ball

On March 17, 2008, Ball announced that he would be a candidate for reelection during an event at an Irish restaurant in Yorktown Heights, flanked by new Westchester GOP Chairman Douglas Colety, Putnam GOP Chairman Anthony Scannapieco, Jr., and Westchester County Executive candidate Rob Astorino.[1][2] Ball highlighted the fact that his campaign had received the most money and more contributions from individual donors then any other incumbent minority Assemblyman in the last quarter of 2007.[3] In a speech to supporters, Ball stated that "I'm a maverick Republican. I came into this business from outside the political machine. That makes me a target for Albany insiders."[4]

[edit] Candidates

Main article: John Degnan

John Degnan, former Mayor of the village of Brewster, New York, stated he was in the race in May of 2008, and was ceremonially endorsed by a local committee led by former Assemblyman Willis Stephens, whom Ball had ousted in 2006.[5][6] Degnan had run as a Democrat for the role of Town supervisor of Southeast, New York in 2007, but was defeated in a close three-way race which saw Ball support one of Degnan's opponents.[7][8][9]

Immigration will be an issue once again in the race for the 99th Assembly district, since while Mayor, Degnan invited the Guatemalan consulate to the village to offers its mobile ID card service to distribute identification cards to illegal aliens, and considered putting up a hiring site for Brewster's day laborers, although the site did not materialize because he could not find a proper site.[5][10][11][12] The work station project was protested by local residents and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.[13][14] After Assemblyman Ball announced his Immigration and Nationality Act Section 287(g) program initiative to allow local law enforcement officers to work as ICE agents and file immigration violation charges, Degnan announced that the village of Brewster would be one of the first communities in the state to participate.[15]

The Republican Assembly Campaign Committee, which rarely involves itself in primary races, issued a press release on Degnan's candidacy, stating that "If it weren’t so transparent, John Degnan’s attempt to try and run in a Republican Primary after having just run with the Democrat Party would be laughable. In fact, it is laughable. On the bedrock, time-tested Republican principles – cutting taxes, opposing driver’s licenses for illegal aliens, controlling wasteful spending, toughening penalties against criminals – Greg Ball has delivered. RACC will be fully supporting Greg Ball, the true Republican, as he campaigns and wins re-election by delivering a positive message of real change and real reform to the voters of the 99th Assembly District."[16][17]

[edit] Former candidates

Main article: Mike Kaplowitz

Although no challenger has officially filed to run against the freshman incumbent Greg Ball, there had been speculation in the media that County Legislator Mike Kaplowitz, who failed in a 2006 bid for State Senate, will be challenging Ball. In April of 2008, Kaplowitz ruled out challenging Ball.[18] 2006 challenger Ken Harper is also said to be mulling a second run at the office.[19]

[edit] 2006 election

The 2006 New York State Assembly election for New York's 99th District matched conservative Republican Greg Ball and Democrat Ken Harper against the Conservative and Independence Party incumbent Will Stephens. The Democratic Party of New York had targeted the seat as a potential pickup after the incumbent was defeated by a wide margin in the primary by a strong, well-funded challenger.

On September 12, 2006, in the Republican Primary for New York's 99th District, Ball defeated Stephens in a landslide with 70.4% (5,165 votes) to 29.6% (2,176 votes) for Stephens, the lowest vote total for any incumbent running for reelection to the State Assembly that day.[20]

Despite Willis Stephens name remaining on the ballot, Ball went on to win a plurality of votes in the general election on November 6, 2006. His upset victory earned him the title of "Newsmaker of the Year" from one local publication and he also shared a front-page cover The Journal News with fellow upset winer John Hall the day after election day.[21]

[edit] The Republican primary

The primary campaign was a bitter one, with Ball railing against the 'machine politics' of Willis Stephens and Putnam County. The Ball campaign out raised Stephens by a significant margin, giving him a visible presence in local newspapers and television outlets. According to the last filings prior to the primary, Stephens had $13,198.38 on-hand, while Ball had $86,117.03 of the money he has raised remaining. Stephens drew criticism for not returning campaign contributions from the Victory Fund-a political action committee that took contributions from indicted trash magnate James Galante.

On September 12, 2006, in the Republican Primary for New York's 99th Assembly District, challenger Greg Ball, defeated the incumbent Willis Stephens, by a mammoth margin: 71% for Ball, 29% for Stephens. Stephens claimed he had been the victim of a negative campaign, citing mailings that were distributed calling him a 'country-club liberal' and hilighting his close relationship with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.[22] However, Stephens himself drew criticism when he refused to repudiate a letter about challenger Greg Ball which falsely claimed Mr. Ball had received a dishonorable discharge from the United States Air Force.[23] Ball did not dispute that he ran hard for his seat, knocking on 10,000 doors prior to the primary.[24]

[edit] General election

[edit] Republican candidate

Main article: Gregory R. Ball

Greg Ball, a retired Air Force Captain and Vice President of Exceed International Development Corporation, scored a major upset when he defeated the incumbent Stephens in the September 12th primary by nearly a three to one margin.

The Ball campaign picked up steam since Stephen's wayward email referring to his constituents as 'idiots', and another letter purported to be sent by the Stephens campaign which claimed that Captain Ball received a dishonorable discharge, which was discredited when a copy of Captain Ball’s DD-214 showed he had received an honorable discharge. Stephens insisted neither he, his staff nor anyone associated with his campaign had knowledge of the letter and his involvement was never proven.

[edit] Democratic candidate

Ken Harper, the Chairman of the Putnam County Democratic Committee, ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination. He is known for writing frequent letters to the editor in local newspapers.[25] Harper had failed in six previous bids for public office including Putnam County Executive in 1998 and 2002, Putnam County Legislator in 2003, Patterson Town Supervisor in 1997 and 1999, and Paterson Town Councilman in 2005.[26] Although in other years, the previous incumbent had been challenged by only token opposition, this would be the first that the seat would be competitive in over a decade. Harper received funding of over $250,000 to Ball’s from the New York State Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee (DACC) for the campaign.[27] However, he was unable to prevail.

Harper criticized his opponent after he pointed out to The Journal News that a League of Women Voters brochure inaccurately listed Harper was a college graduate.[28] Ball said a note that appeared after Harper's name, stating that the Democrat graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1982 with a bachelor's in English, was false. Both a university spokesman and Harper confirmed that fact, stating that Harper attended the institution, but that there was no record of him having received a degree.[29] Harper stated he never misrepresented himself as a college graduate and was not responsible for the content of the panthlet.

[edit] Third-party candidates

Main article: Willis Stephens

Six-term incumbent Will Stephens II, 48, ran for re-election in the Republican Primary in September 2006 for the seat once held by his father and grandfather. After losing the Republican Primary, due to New York's electoral fusion system, the Assemblyman had vowed to remain in the race on the Conservative and Independence lines. Ultimately, Stephens decided to withdraw from the race altogether, instead taking a nomination for Supreme Court Justice in Queens, in order to allow Ball ballot access on the Independence and Conservative lines.[30] Although Stephens attempted to have his named removed from the ballot, Harper, the Democratic nominee, sued the State Board of Elections claiming that Stephens had filed a certificate declining his nomination eight days too late.[31] The New York Court of Appeals eventually ruled that Stephens name should remain on the ballot.[32]

[edit] Electoral history

State Assembly – 99th district, 2006 – General Election[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Greg Ball 20,956 50.8% Republican hold
Democratic Ken Harper 17,155 41.4%
Independence, Conservative Willis Stephens, Jr. (I) 3,228 7.8%
State Assembly, 99th district, 2006 – Primary Election[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Greg Ball 5165 70.4% Challenger pickup
Republican Willis Stephens, Jr. (I) 2176 29.6%
State Assembly – 99th district, 2004 – General Election[35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Willis Stephens, Jr. (I) 26,626 100% Republican hold
State Assembly – 99th district, 2002 – General Election[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Willis Stephens 26,310 91.7% Republican hold
Right to Life Frank X. Lloyd 1,372 4.7%
Working Families Elizabeth S. Felber 1,027 3.6%
State Assembly – 99th district, 2000 – General Election[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Patrick R. Manning 36,062 73.0% Republican hold
Democratic Maurice Salem 13,342 27.0%
State Assembly – 99th district, 1998 – General Election[38]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Patrick R. Manning 26,758 71.9% Republican hold
Democratic Dana L. Robideau 10,504 28.1%

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ "St. Patrick's Day Brunch". Ball for Assembly. Retrieved on March 16, 2008.
  2. ^ "Ball launches re-election". Tara Rosenblum, Anchor. Evening edition. News 12 Networks Westchester. N12WC. 2008-03-16.
  3. ^ "A1887. New Yorkers on the Ball". New York Board of Elections. January 2008.
  4. ^ "Top stories: Westchester assemblyman kicks off election campaign". News 12 Networks. March 16, 2008.
  5. ^ a b Rojas, Marcela. "State Assemblyman gets a challenger". The Journal News. May 8, 2008.
  6. ^ Ferris, Marc. "Politics Meets Development in Putnam". New York Times. April 18, 2004.
  7. ^ Rojas, Marcela. "Odd alliance shifts landscape in Southeast politics". The Journal News. September 2, 2007.
  8. ^ Rojas, Marcela. "Private eye raises ire of voters in Southeast". The Journal News. November 16, 2007.
  9. ^ Rojas, Marcela. "Court blocks ballot count in Southeast supervisor race". The Journal News. November 14, 2007.
  10. ^ Gross, Eric. "Retired federal agent opposes issuing ID cards to illegal aliens". Putnam County Courier. August 10, 2007.
  11. ^ O'Connor, Anahad. "In Brewster, a Backlash Against Day Laborers". New York Times. February 5, 2006.
  12. ^ Applebome, Peter. "When an Election Becomes a Forum on Immigration". New York Times. November 11, 2007.
  13. ^ Risinit, Mike. "Just say no". The Journal News. June 26, 2007.
  14. ^ Howard, Brian. "Rally in Brewster protests planned day laborer hiring site". The Journal News. July 2, 2007.
  15. ^ McCune, Marianne. "Brewster Plans to Enforce Immigration Laws". WYNC. September 14, 2007.
  16. ^ "RACC’S GOT GREG BALL’S BACK". New York State Republican Assembly Campaign Committee. May 19, 2008.
  17. ^ Risinit, Michael. "Ball has a friend in RACC". The Journal News. May 19, 2008.
  18. ^ Risinit, Mike. "Kaplowitz says no". Journal News. April 10, 2008.
  19. ^ Couch, Janet. "Pawling and Dover Democrats celebrate Hall's victory and the holidays". Pawling News-Chronicle. December 22, 2006.
  20. ^ "Primary 2006", NY1 News, September 2006. 
  21. ^ "Gregory Ball: Newsmaker of the Year". North County News. December 30, 2006.
  22. ^ Risinit, Mike. "Strange bedfellows". The Journal News. August 10, 2006.
  23. ^ "Ball Defeats incumbent Stephens for GOP Line in Assembly Race", The Journal News, September 2006. 
  24. ^ Confessore, Nicholas. "Scolding Peers, Legislator Draws Notice". New York Times. February 10, 2007.
  25. ^ Leiter, Maria Theodore. "Ken Harper Announces Candidacy for County Executive". Putnam County News and Recorder. July 24, 2002.
  26. ^ "Past Election Results ". Putnam County Board of Elections. Retrieved April 18, 2008.
  27. ^ "Query: DACC expenditures 2006", New York State Board of Elections. 
  28. ^ "Candidate Actually Admits Attending Penn". October 25, 2006. Retrieved on February 24, 2008.
  29. ^ "Assembly candidates spar over college credentials", The Journal News, October 25, 2006. 
  30. ^ "99th Assembly District Race - Now the Fun", Newscopy.org, September 14, 2006. 
  31. ^ Risinit, Mike. "Stephens stays off ballot". The Journal News. October 27, 2006.
  32. ^ "HARPER v. NY STATE BD. OF ELECTIONS, 34 A.D.3d 919 (3d Dept 2006) No. 501448". New York Appellate Division Reports. November 2, 2006.
  33. ^ "NYS Board of Elections - Assembly - Vote - Nov. 7, 2006". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved on February 22, 2008.
  34. ^ "September 12, 2006 Primary Vote Assembly Districts". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved on February 22, 2008.
  35. ^ "NYS Board of Elections - Assembly - Vote - Nov. 7, 2004". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved on February 22, 2008.
  36. ^ "NYS Board of Elections - Assembly - Vote - Nov. 7, 2002". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved on February 22, 2008.
  37. ^ "NYS Board of Elections - Assembly - Vote - Nov. 7, 2000". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved on February 22, 2008.
  38. ^ "NYS Board of Elections - Assembly - Vote - Nov. 7, 2000". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved on February 22, 2008.

[edit] External links