State Senate, Congress Showdowns This Evening
The latest showdown between the candidates for the new Sixth Congressional District seat and the 15th State Senate District office will take place in Middle Village tonight (Thursday), Oct. 18, at a debate co-sponsored by the Times Newsweekly, the New York Daily News and the Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA).
Everyone is invited to watch the debate in person, which will begin at 7:45 p.m. at the Our Lady of Hope School auditorium, located at the corner of Eliot Avenue and 71st Street.
The event will kick off with a one-hour debate between the candidates for the Sixth Congressional District seat: Assemblywoman Grace Meng, the Democratic nominee; and City Council Member Daniel Halloran, the Republican candidate.
Following that showdown, Democratic State Sen. Joseph Addabbo and his Republican challenger for the 15th State Senate District seat, City Council Member Eric Ulrich, will face off in another one-hour debate.
During each of the debates, the candidates will be asked questions by a panel of journalists that participated in the June Congressional debate co- sponsored by the Times Newsweekly, the Daily News and the JPCA. The panel consists of Sam Goldman of the Times Newsweekly, Azi Paybarah of Capital New York and Joe Anuta of Times-Ledger Newspapers. Lisa Colangelo of the Daily News, who moderated the June debate, will serve in the same position at tonight’s forum.
Once the candidates have answered the panel’s questions, each of the journalists will have the opportunity to offer follow-up questions, if warranted. Members of the audience will also have the opportunity to submit in writing their own questions for the candidates.
Time permitting, a few of the au- dience questions-as chosen by a review panel-will be asked of the Congressional and State Senate hopefuls.
The all-Queens Sixth Congressional District which Meng and Halloran hope to represent consists of parts of Ridgewood, Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Elmhurst, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens and Rego Park, as well as neighborhoods as far east as Douglaston. The district consists of areas currently represented on Capitol Hill by Representatives Gary Ackerman, who is retiring, and Bob Turner, whose district is being eliminated and is not running for re-election.
The newly-configured 15th State Senate District includes parts of Ridgewood, Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Rego Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Kew Gardens Hills, Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Lindenwood, Howard Beach, Broad Channel and the Rockaways.
For more information on tonight’s debate, see the ad on Page 22 or call the Times Newsweekly at 1-718-821- 7500 or the JPCA at 1-718-651-5865.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. Polls will be open across the state from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. For more information on voting or to find a polling place, call the New York City Board of Elections at 1-212-VOTENYC or visit www.vote.nyc.ny.us.
