On the heels of an overwhelming victory, after an extremely negative primary campaign, Eric Ulrich shared his gratitude to the voters and expressed the utmost confidence that the race ahead would bear no resemblance to the contest just ended. Forum Newsgroup photo by Patricia Adams.
The first leg in the race for the state Senate seat in the 15th district ended with the Republican primary last Thursday night in which Eric Ulrich overwhelmingly defeated his challenger, Juan Reyes, a Forest Hills lawyer.
The homestretch of the race turned especially ugly, with Reyes dropping literature that viciously attacked Ulrich in a fashion not typically seen in party primaries.
His challenger took shots at Ulrich for maintaining close ties with state Republicans, hiring gay staffers and socializing openly with gay friends.
But the literature drew harsh, focused criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike, with many saying that the inflammatory tactic backfired on Reyes and actually encouraged more people than might have come out to vote in the primary.
And so at the end of the day Ulrich was left with 70 percent of the vote to Reyes’ 30 percent for a total of 2,783 votes for Ulrich ad 1,217 for Reyes. Numbers showed Ulrich dominating the southern part of the district, winning within 90 percent of the vote in Ozone Park, 97 percent in Breezy Point and 96 percent in Broad Channel.
“It was a tremendous victory,” Ulrich stated, “and I owe it all to the voters.”
Ulrich will look toward those same voters to propel him to victory in November against incumbent Democratic senator, Joe Addabbo. And in consideration of the race ahead, the 27-year-old councilman has very definite ideas. “There is an incredible amount of enthusiasm,” said Ulrich. And in making the point that a Presidential election always causes a stir, he is quick to remind voters that although we need to be concerned about the state of the country, what’s going on in our own backyard merits very serious consideration.
“Under the present circumstances people are very concerned not only with what is happening in the country, but more importantly in what direction our communities are going in.”
He cautions that voters need to be more aware of the issues as they relate locally than ever before. “If our representatives in Albany continue to vote for measures that target small business and act as job killers, we will bear witness to the destruction of the backbone of the local economy.
When asked if he were concerned with facing hostility in the current race, Ulrich predicted that the climate in this contest will not be anything like his recent primary. “I think Joe Addabbo and I are looking forward to a very spirited race based on the issues. We will compete for every vote, but Joe Addabbo would never stoop to that level.”
The two candidates will square off over the issues and positions including gun control, gay marriage, jobs, stop and frisk, taxes and minimum wage increases. They have thus far traded barbs in opposing campaign literature and press releases; the latest exchange following a piece that says Addabbo gets a failing grade on his small business record according to the National Federation of Independent Businesses.
The Addabbo campaign countered with a press release. “I am disappointed my opponent used a partisan lobbying firm to attack me on such an important issue,” said Addabbo, “The plight of our small businesses is a serious matter, in need of being addressed as I have done in the district, not merely in campaign press releases.”
“I look forward to addressing our small business issues as adults should: in context, and in a debate about smart solutions and ways to move forward,” said Addabbo. “Unfortunately, my opponent doesn’t see it this way.”
In his response, Ulrich said what his campaign was doing was merely bringing to the voters’ attention bills that he, [Addabbo] voted for or against that have had an adverse effect on small business.
“Joe Addabbo is entitled to his own set of opinions,” Ulrich said. “He’s not entitled to his own set of facts.”
By Patricia Adams
