Republican Anthony Como's razor-thin unofficial victory over Democrat Elizabeth Crowley in Tuesday's special election to replace ex-City Councilman Dennis Gallagher reaffirmed a political trend that could impact a high-stakes state Senate showdown this fall.
The nonpartisan special election was watched closely on the state level because of the big-money Senate race this fall between Republican incumbent Serfin Maltese and City Councilman Joseph Addabbo - a race that could decide who wields power in the upper house.
Republicans have held Gallagher's 30th Council District seat in western Queens for almost two decades, despite a Democratic voter enrollment edge greater than 2-to-1.
The statewide significance lies in the fact the 30th Council District forms the northern half of the 15th Senate District, where Maltese has won 10 straight terms in spite of a similar Democratic enrollment advantage.
Though Como's apparent triumph won't be official until next week when the absentee ballots have been counted and the final tabulation certified, Maltese was giddy.
"That is a good sign for my future election," Maltese crowed. He pointed out that Como beat out Crowley - 2,352 votes to 2,282 - even though Republican Tom Ognibene, who represented the area on the Council from 1991 to 2001, garnered 2,031 votes.
Maltese said that by appealing to Democrats and Conservatives, not just Republicans, Como was able to hold off an all-out organizing effort by the Democratic Party, which is led by Crowley's cousin, Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Queens).
That effort included Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) going door-to-door for Crowley. Addabbo told the Daily News he was "not surprised" Maltese would play up Como's unofficial victory.
"We all have to remember that it could be apples and oranges," Addabbo said. He noted that the nonpartisan special election - a free-for-all between four candidates running without party labels - is different from the normal partisan general election.
"We all can't go hog-wild and all crazy over this race," he said. "It tells a story, that's true; but it's a small part of the big picture."
Daniel Egers, executive director of the Queens Republican Party, agreed with Addabbo's analysis. "There's a completely different dynamic in the councilmanic special," he said. "You don't have party labels on the ballot...so it's no reflection on Sen. Maltese's popularity or his prospects for the fall."
Doug Forand, chief strategist for the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, echoed that sentiment. Others looked at the situation differently.
"This is the Republican heart of Serf Maltese's district," said one Democratic insider, referring to the 30th Council District. "The mere fact that there's an aggressive street campaign mobilizing Democrats is a bad thing for Serf Maltese."
