Congressman Michael Grimm and BYR Treasurer Glenn Nocera

Michael Grimm’s election in the 13th Congressional District on November 2, 2010 was a showcase of fine Republicanism and grassroots activism. This was the target race in all of New York City, if not New York State. What made Grimm’s campaign important was that he was part of the Republican insurgency of the House of Representatives to defeat Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi and introduce a different breed of conservatism in Congress. The seat, formerly held by Michael McMahon, is strategic to conservatives in New York. Why? Because it covers vital Republican strongholds located in Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights. The location was the decisive factor in helping Michael Grimm get elected, which included Brooklyn Young Republicans who, by pounding pavement, helped spread the word.

Michael Grimm’s election, however, was one of the very few Republican victories in Brooklyn. While he and Nicole Malliotakis claimed victory Tuesday night in large part due to many Republican votes from the larger Staten Island portions of their districts, other Brooklyn Republicans went back to their homes to no avail. Phyllis Carbo lost with only 34% of the vote in the 47th Assembly District.  Brian Doherty lost with 38% in the 48th AD.  Peter Cipriano also lost with 38% in the 49th AD.

The 58th and 59th Assembly Districts had no Republican candidates running.

And, my favorite: the 46th Assembly District attempted to run a Republican Candidate against Alec Brook-Krasny, but was swiftly knocked off the ballot and Brook-Krasny ran essentially unopposed. Needless to say, those District Leaders in the 46th have some explaining to do.

The numbers can be upsetting.  After all, Republicans do have a lot to offer to New York City and to Albany. Free markets, low taxes, a revamped welfare system, and transparency all contribute to good government. But with election numbers this low in Brooklyn in one of the best years for Republicans in quite some time, a few things come to question.

1) How does the Chairman allow Democrats to run unopposed in districts, especially Democratic Chair Vito Lopez’s handpicked State Supreme Court judge nominees (whom Brooklyn Republicans always cross-endorse)? Republicans are some of the best and brightest in the borough. The question begs, why is there no effort being made to tap into and cultivate a Republican intelligencia?

2) The 46th AD leadership is weak. Not running a candidate is one thing, but dropping a candidate off the ballot is another. With the fervent anti-incumbency feel running rampant throughout the country, District Leaders Clorinda Annarummo and Simon Shamoun had the opportunity to surgically remove a career politician. The question begs, why didn’t they?

3) The low voter turnouts, lackluster campaigns and candidacies, and low vote percentages are unacceptable. For far too long, the Republican Party has been receiving far too few votes in virtually any election. The question begs, why is the Chairman doing nothing to change this?

And so, the question ultimately begs, what are Brooklyn Young Republicans willing to do to fix this?

DioGuardi gave us a look into his background as a CPA and as a former Congressman to understand why he’s running now and what issues have motivated him to undertake this challenge.  He then took questions about the economy, the planned Cordoba House/Park51 mosque near Ground Zero, and the work that he and his wife have done to help the Albanian people, among others.

He also addressed a number of points about his opponents’ attacks on his record, and much more!

To hear the chat now, listen here or click play below.

Courtesy: NY1

Courtesy: Capital Tonight

His campaign is filled with energy and has tapped into a number of large, organized conservative and Tea Party activists throughout the state.  He is facing a Republican primary for the Republican nomination on September 14th against Jay Townsend, who has been endorsed by the local Republican and Conservative Party establishments.

The Berntsen campaign has provided us with literature and lawn signs to distribute, so if you are interested in getting involved, please email us at BrooklynYR@gmail.com.

Note: The Brooklyn Young Republican Club has not made any endorsements in the upcoming primary election, but we will promote opportunities to assist campaigns and provide information about those campaigns as information and materials are provided to us.

Source: Maggie Haberman / Politico.com

A source close to GOP Senate hopeful David Malpass’s campaign tells me the candidate has agreed to run on the third-party line being created by Republican gubernatorial hopeful Carl Paladino.

The line, for which petitions will begin circulating next week, will no longer be called “taxed enough already,” but will be known as the Taxpayers’ Line, the source added.

It’s a recognition of the importance that a minor-party line plays in the GOP’s long odds for statewide victories this fall, and a data point from the lack of a consensus ticket between the Republicans and the Conservative Party this cycle.

It also comes as the bid by Ed Cox, the state GOP chairman, to create his own third-party line is on life support and not expected to survive the week, according to sources.

Malpass has, as I noted yesterday, $2.4 million in cash on hand and is making the argument that he’s better poised than his primary rival Bruce Blakeman to challenge Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Conservative nominee Joe DioGuardi, who worked hard with that party’s grass roots to prevent the other two from securing a ballot spot, is trying to petition his way onto the GOP line.

Read the rest here.