Wendy Long
Wendy Long: Fox News Didn’t Help Me
Jan 27th - 3:50 pm
That the press isn’t held in high esteem by those attending the Conservative Party convention in Colonie today is something of an understatement.
And the fourth estate’s coverage (or lack thereof) when it came to Wendy Long’s losing Senate candidacy against Democratic U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand was singled out for particular ire.
There are numerous examples Long cited in her speech to the convention goers.
She said most of the press was hung up on her saying that she wouldn’t attend a same-sex wedding (it was a question posed to the three GOP primary candidates in the YNN/NY1 debate) and, of course, Liz’s infamous “50 Shades of Grey” question to both Long and Gillibrand during the lighting round.
One audience member during the question-and-answer session today told Long that conservatives should begin their own media projects because “we can’t rely on Fox to do everything.”
But Long disagreed that Fox News was pro-Republican or tilted heavily in favor of GOP candidates like her, saying that the network wouldn’t invite her on for another interview unless they had also spoken to Gillibrand.
“They didn’t give me a whole leg up or a lot of air time or a big advantage,” Long said. “They really are fair and balanced. Fox definitely isn’t an answer to us getting more coverage because they really are even-handed.”
Wendy Long: Let The Sandy Victims Cruise
Nov 5th - 1:24 pm
US Senate candidate Wendy Long has a proposal for the up to 40,000 people left without shelter as a result of Superstorm Sandy: House them on cruise ships.
“Cruise ships could feasibly be used as a solution to displaced New Yorkers, and FEMA could reimburse for the expense,” Long said in a press release.
“…Cruise ships are essentially mobile cities, that could provide the necessary food, water, and shelter that proud New Yorkers need, given the heartbreaking aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.”
“The 40,000 struggling New Yorkers need outside the box thinking, as conventional means of dealing with this crisis is not working as quickly as it should. Cruise ships are a real solution that could provide temporary housing for displaced families, friends and neighbors.”
“Officials need to recognize the great potential of this solution and immediately examine this as a potential option for struggling New Yorkers, and need to act soon.”
Long pointed out that the average Carnival cruise ship can hold 2,744 people, and said the number of cruise ships potentially available could provide relief to thousands of New Yorkers that are in need. (She did not provide any supporting evidence for this claim).
There is a precedent for Long’s idea.
After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita smashed the Gulf Coast in 2005, hundreds of thousands of victims were put up by the FEMA in trailers, hotels, cruise ships and apartments across several states for months and even years.
But FEMA’s hasty decision to enter into a six-month, $236 million contract with Carnival Cruise Lines in the wake of Katrina proved very controversial. In the end, the ships weren’t even fully occupied as part of the post-storm emergency housing plan.
Also, the cruise industry already has its own Sandy-related headaches. Several lines have been criticized for handling delays caused by the storm.
Long, of course, is trying anything she can to raise her profile and nab headlines as she heads into what is likely to be a very lopsided election against Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. All signs point to a big win for Gillibrand tomorrow as she seeks her first six-year term in the seat she inherited from former Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Long: Delay The Marathon
Nov 2nd - 1:50 pm
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Wendy Long is calling on Mayor Michael Bloomberg to delay the New York City marathon scheduled for this Sunday, though the mayor in a news conference this afternoon insisted the event continue as planned.
Long said in a statement that “now is not the time for a road race.”
“All the time and energy that is occurring to prepare for the New York City marathon should be going to struggling New Yorkers who were plummeted by Hurricane Sandy. Generators should not be running in Central Park to prepare for the race, they should be in Staten Island giving New Yorkers minimal, but a least some relief from this terrible, heart wrenching disaster,” she said.
Bloomberg at his midday press briefing defended the decision to hold the race, which has come under criticism from elected officials like Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.
The mayor compared holding the marathon Sunday — less than a week after the storm hit causing widespread damage — to then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s decision to hold the event after the Sept. 11 attacks.
“Rudy made the right decision in those days to run the marathon,” Bloomberg said. “It brought people together.”
Diaz, Critical Of Cuomo’s Cross Endorsement, Backs Republican Long
Nov 1st - 3:09 pm
Bronx Democratic Sen. Ruben Diaz hates it when people cross party lines to endorse.
Except, apparently, when he does it.
Diaz, the outspoken social conservative lawmaker, is backing Republican U.S. Senate candidate Wendy Long, her campaign announced today.
“Wendy Long is a true conservative who best represents the values of our community and will not compromise them for political expediency,” Diaz said in a statement. We need to demonstrate that traditional family values still matter and voters should vote for Wendy on the Conservative line.”
It’s not a huge surprise, given that Diaz is vehemently opposed to same-sex marriage and abortion, even if he is as equally passionate about government assistance for the poor.
But he was clearly disappointed when Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, endorsed Republican state Sen. Stephen Saland, one of the four Republicans to back gay marriage rights last year.
“I believe that Governor Cuomo is not only working against the Democratic Party as the leader – who as the leader should be protecting and defending the party and its candidates – but I also believe that he is working against racial equality and minority opportunities by preventing Black and Hispanics from gaining positions of leadership in New York State,” Diaz wrote in his “What You Should Know” email at the time.
Conservative Party Phone Banking For Wendy Long
Oct 23rd - 3:30 pm
As U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand appears everywhere in soft-toned TV ads, the state Conservative Party is launching a phone banking effort to drive up turnout for her Republican opponent, Wendy Long.
The Conservative Party says the “upbeat message” encourages the listener to go vote for Long. The organization has the goal of reaching 1.2 million households.
The party’s help comes with two weeks to go before Election Day and as Gillibrand has a wide lead in the polls, along with fundraising support.
Gillibrand’s wide voter enrollment advantage as a Democrat helps, obviously, and even the support from the folks on Row C doesn’t necessarily cover that gap.
But a GOTV effort is important none the less, especially with such an enrollment disadvantage. The effort comes after Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long, no relation, early on favored Wendy Long in the GOP primary.
The script of the call, which is apparently delivered by someone named “Fran.”
“This is Fran calling from New York State Conservative Party headquarters to urge you to support Conservative-Republican Wendy Long for U.S. Senate.
As our Senator, Wendy Long will fight to renew the federal tax cuts that Senator Gillibrand has promised to repeal. And Wendy Long will work to reverse President Obama’s foreign policy of deferral and appeasement. Wendy Long for U.S. Senate. She will make us proud again. Vote Conservative for Wendy Long on November Sixth.”
Long Campaign Wants Debate On Women’s Issues
Oct 19th - 10:59 am
Rob Ryan, the campaign manager of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Wendy Long, wrote in a letter to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s top campaign aide asking for a debate on “the true nature” of women’s rights issues.
In the letter to Gillibrand campaign spokesman Glen Caplin, Cole writes the Wednesday debate at Skidmore College between Long and Gillibrand “was a lively, informative, and constructive” and offered a contrast on their political views.
But Ryan also says the Democratic incumbent needs to become involved in the campaign herself (Gillibrand has blasted out a number of TV ads, but her campaign appearances themselves have been few).
Glen, let’s get Senator Gillibrand “off the sidelines” and into the campaign. While we are it, let’s make it is historic – let’s go to the birthplace of Women’s Rights, Seneca Falls, New York and debate the issues and the true nature of women’s rights in society.
I look forward to your immediate response, and Wendy Long looks forward to the next debate(s) with Senator Gillibrand in the days and weeks ahead.
Ryan also makes a light-hearted reference to the now-infamous lightning round question asked by Liz during the debate: “Simply put, there are not “50 Shades of Grey” when it comes to the core beliefs held by Wendy Long and Senator Gillibrand – they are as different as black and white.”
Long told The Daily News the question was “Out of left field, out of touch and outlandishly sexist.”
Lightning Round: Who Read ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’?
Oct 18th - 1:01 pm
There were, indeed, other questions in the lightning round during last night’s U.S. Senate debate other than whether Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand or Wendy Long read “Fifty Shades Of Grey” though the exchange has gone viral today (free advertising!).
Here’s the recap of the yes or no answers with the questions after the jump. More >
Debate Recap: Long Says Gillibrand ‘Loves’ Talking About Abortion
Oct 18th - 12:48 pm
Republican Senate candidate Wendy Long accused Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in last night’s debate of preferring to talk about aboriton and womens reproductive issues because it’s a distraction from the economy.
“She’s trying to distract from her terrible record on jobs and the economy,” Long said.
Gillibrand has made womens issues a fundamental platform plank during her short time in the Senate and has blasted efforts to curtail equal pay for women and other issues infringing on their health.
“I believe that we have to fight for womens rights,” Gilligrand said. “This is not a made-up issue. And it’s not an issue that I’ve raised. It’s an issue that was raised by the Republican Congress.”
But Long shot back, saying that there’s no effort to force womens’ employers to determine whether they can have access to contraception.
“I also believe in the rigths of every other human beings,” she said. “Nobody is advocating making decisions making decisions about anyone’s contraceptions.”
Long reiterated her anti-abortion stance throughout the exchange, while Gillibrand asserted there is a “war on woman” that is being seen across the country both economically and via their health insurance.
“These are fundamental issues about our rights,” she said. “When you talk about the war on women, it’s not just health, it’s across the board.”
Debate Recap: Gillibrand Makes Sure To Say Libya A ‘Terror Attack’
Oct 18th - 12:06 pm
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand made sure to describe the Benghazi attack in Libya that killed several Americans including the U.S. ambassador was an “act of terror” in last night’s debate at Skidmore College with Wendy Long.
Nevertheless, her Republican opponent criticized the Obama administration’s approach on the incident, using the first topic of the debate to stake out an agressive posture she continued throughout the hour-long forum.
Gillibrand said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton — her predecessor in the seat she now holds — is doing “an extraordinary job all across the world.”
She also praised President Obama for his anti-terror efforts.
“He doesn’t give up, he doesn’t foreget,” she said.
But Long said Obama’s claim that he designated the incident a “terror attack” in the immediate aftermath in the Tuesday debate with Mitt Romney was “clearly incorrect.”
“He was saying for days that this whole thing in Libya was spurred by an amateur video,” Long said. “I agree with Congressman Peter King it’s time for Ambassador (Susan) Rice to resign.”
Wendy Long’s Burn Rate Remains High
Oct 17th - 5:17 pm
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Wendy Long has $68,212 heading in to the final 20 days of the general election, going up against the behemoth $13.5 million spent so far by her Democratic rival, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
Both women square off in a debate to be aired on YNN and NY1 this evening, which can also be viewed on our website regardless of your cable provider.
Long’s filing with the Federal Election Commission shows she raised $278,744 between July and September and spent $306,943.
Her last filing showed her $250,000 in debt, and while the latest report does reflecting any outstanding money owed, it is being amended to reflect a deficit.
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