Metroland
by Ali Hibbs

Gubernatorial debate allows minor-party candidates—all five of them—a chance to speak

Since it was announced weeks ago that a debate would be held between all seven New York state gubernatorial hopefuls, media focus has been primarily on the idiosyncrasies of some of the more colorful candidates, rather than the messages they were hoping to share.

In late September, Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins and Libertarian candidate Warren Redlich held a joint press conference in Albany demanding to be included in any debates that might be held. Both supported the notion that any and all candidates for the office should be allowed to take part. “If we’re not in the debates, there is no real democracy,” said Hawkins. “Our voices should be heard.”

When the debate was announced a week later, the two men were immediately overshadowed by the spectacle of an erstwhile madam and an apoplectic renter sharing equal time with the attorney general and the Buffalo billionaire. An article in The New York Times called the event a farce, and MSNBC spent all Tuesday morning declaring its tongue-in-cheek support for Jimmy McMillan, a candidate who, the show said, has a clear message (“The rent is too damn high”) and whom they referred to as a “smarter” debater than Sharon Angle or Sarah Palin.

But the third-party candidates did have a chance to make their cases, and they worked hard to do so—most notably, Redlich. The Libertarian Party candidate from Guilderland, a relative unknown to most of the state, seized the chance to portray himself as a better option for moderate Republican voters who feel that Palladino’s temperament and bigoted comments have shown him to be less than suited for public office. Clearly taking advantage of the brief opportunity for statewide exposure, he touted his education, work experience and ethic, as well as his desire for small government. Reduced spending, not tax caps, said Redlich, will save New York state.

On the left, Hawkins made a passionate case for his “prosperity plan,” a proposal to create a $25 billion budget surplus by discontinuing a trade tax rebate to Wall Street and reinstating a progressive tax structure. His hope, he has said, is to garner enough votes (50,000) to put the Green Party on the ballot and give the people an option that they can agree with. He and Freedom Party candidate Charles Barron both advocated for a more progressive tax structure, a reform many lower-income New Yorkers favor, but which has received little attention from Cuomo or Paladino.

At the heart of their desire to be heard, according to Hawkins and Redlich, is their perception that neither major party candidate truly represents the will of their constituents. By providing other options, they hope to weaken the control of government by corporate interests.