Today, the New York Post asks, “Where’s Alice?”
The tabloid is talking about Alice Cancel, Democratic nominee in the special election to replace Sheldon Silver in the New York State Assembly. Voters will go to the polls April 19, the same day as New York’s presidential primary. Here’s the lead to the story in this morning’s newspaper:
The Democratic candidate for convicted crook Sheldon Silver’s former Assembly seat has been so invisible in the lower Manhattan district that observers and critics are wondering if she’s in the political equivalent of the witness-protection program. With the special election less than a month away, Alice Cancel, 61, a Lower East Side district leader, has not been seen on the campaign trail since Silver’s allies and political club last month helped hand her the Democratic nomination to replace him. Cancel doesn’t even have a Web site, and residents throughout the district told The Post they have not seen her — and many do not know who she is. The special election to fill Silver’s vacant seat will be held on April 19.
Reporters Khristina Narizhnaya and Carl Campanile checked in with the director of the Good Companions senior center at Henry Street Settlement, with an unnamed “local Democrat” who’s never heard of Cancel and with Mike McKee, head of Tenants PAC:
Tenants PAC’s director, Mike McKee, said it took him 10 days to track down Cancel’s campaign. He arranged a March 7 interview with her, but she canceled it, citing an ankle injury. Tenants PAC ended up endorsing (Working Families Party candidate Yuh-Line Niou, who showed up for the interview in a leg cast after being injured in a serious car accident.
In campaign literature and in public appearances, Niou has pitched herself as a reform candidate and repeatedly played up Cancel’s ties to Sheldon Silver. Matthew Rey, a Niou campaign spokesperson, said, “The only thing we know is that Alice Cancel doesn’t talk to voters, doesn’t go to events, and certainly doesn’t give anyone any reason to vote for her.”
In the State of Politics blog, NY1 political reporter Zach Fink also chimed in on Cancel’s elusiveness and other issues:
I tried several times to get in touch with Cancel. Called her, but she didn’t return and her voice mailbox was full and couldn’t accept any more messages. And when I texted her she told me “John” would get back to me shortly. Whoever that is. If money is any indication, Niou has the advantage with roughly $145,000 Cash on hand. Whereas Cancel appears to have raised no money whatsoever since January. There is also a Republican in this race, businessman Lester Chang who has about $7,500 cash on hand. Former New York City Republican mayor Rudy Giuliani is actually hosting a fundraiser tonight for Chang at The 88 Palace in Chinatown. Doors open at 7:30. People close to Chang believe he has a good shot in this race if Niou and Cancel were to split the Democratic vote.
‘John” is John Quinn, head of Lower East Side Democrats, a political club, and Cancel’s husband. We reached out to Quinn earlier today to find out what’s happening with the campaign. We’ll let you know what we hear.
Is it true that Cancel has been “invisible?” Well, she sat down with us for an interview right after winning the Democratic nomination from the local County Committee. We also saw her March 8 at a tenant meeting at the Grand Street Guild, the housing complex surrounding St. Mary’s Church.
The Post had trouble finding Cancel’s website. Although it’s not very easy to locate, it does exist. Click here to have a look.
On the other hand, it’s true she has kept a fairly low profile in the community in comparison with the other candidates. It remains to be seen whether that will change in the days leading up to the primary.
