An AP Bio Teacher Could Flip NY's State Senate

From WNYC + Gothamist [Politics Brief from WNYC + Gothamist] 11 Days Until the General Election + [Add to Cal]( [Keep friends and family informed. Forward the Politics Brief.]( Good afternoon! It's been an exciting couple of months on our end since we launched this newsletter, but we want to make sure it's been meaningful for you, too. That's why we're asking that you [take this quick survey](. Thanks very much. Texas, You Have Our Attention By [James Ramsay]( Early voting is underway in the Lone Star State. And it's happening [in record numbers]( with a turnout rate on par with a presidential election year. "What we're witnessing now isn't just people shuffling around when they're going to vote," one expert [told The Takeaway]( this morning. "This really is a signal that people are engaged and enthused." Some are so enthused about Texas' heated Senate race, they're traveling from out of state to get involved. WNYC's Shumita Basu met [one Brooklyn resident]( who was so fired up by the Kavanaugh hearings, she went down to Texas to canvas on behalf of Democrat Beto O'Rourke, who currently [trails Sen. Ted Cruz]( by six points. And while O'Rourke has plenty of support from around the country—be it [financial]( or otherwise—he's also getting a boost from surprising sources within state borders. This week, the [United States of Anxiety]( went to an undisclosed location, deep in rural Texas, where a group of women are meeting secretly at night to organize for O'Rourke. "It's pretty lonely," one group member said about being a Democrat in an aggressively conservative area. "Just knowing that there are people out there that support me, and what I believe, and are working for the same goals, really makes a difference." Menendez vs. Hugin Is Now a 'Toss Up' New Jersey's Democratic Senator, Bob Menendez, still leads Republican Bob Hugin by about five points, but the Cook Political Report just reclassified the race as a "Toss Up," where it had been leaning Democratic. "The contest isn’t about anything else but Sen. Menendez and his ethics problems," Cook explained. With under two weeks to go until Election Day, the Democrats—who haven't lost a senate race here since 1972—are racing to match Hugin's robust ad spending. ([Cook Political Report]( An AP Bio Teacher Could Flip the State Senate Up in Syracuse, a 50-year-old high school teacher named John Mannion is running to fill an open State Senate seat that Republicans had controlled for decades. Mannion, a Democrat, is a first-time candidate. Most of his campaign volunteers are rookies, too. And there's no public polling to suggest where he stands. But he figures that with over 25 years of teaching, he's won the trust of a lot of students and their parents. Now he needs them to vote. ([HuffPost]( A Long Island Mayor Could Keep the Senate Red Jeff Pravato, a Wall Street trader-turned-Massapequa Park mayor, is a rare Republican who's threatening to win a State Senate seat back from a sitting Democrat. His platform is typical for a mid-island Republican: lower taxes, lower taxes, get tough on MS-13, and lower taxes. He's also trying to win in this swing district by leveraging his outsized significance as the guy who could prevent one-party rule in Albany. ([City & State]( Your Weekend Listen: Do New York Democrats Need a Stronger GOP? As Daily News columnist Harry Siegel puts it, the Republican Party in New York right now "is garbage." Trump is the head of the national party. Most Republican State Senate candidates are on track to lose. In some races, the party isn't running anyone. And the GOP gubernatorial candidate, Marc Molinaro, really has no shot. "I think this is actually unhealthy for Democrats," Siegel said this week on his podcast, FAQ NYC. "I always want competitive races," said his co-host, professor Christina Greer. "If you're on the ballot, I want you to have an opponent so you can explain to me what you've done, and articulate your vision for the future." The latest episode, which includes a solid interview with Molinaro, looks at what happened to the party that put Governor Pataki and Mayor Giuliani in office. [LISTEN]( Take Action [Voter Guide]( [Ask a Reporter]( [Listen]( [Read]( Support WNYC + Gothamist Make a donation to support local, independent journalism. Your contributions are our largest source of funding and pays for essential election coverage and more. [Donate]( Copyright © 2018 New York Public Radio, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: New York Public Radio 160 Varick Street New York, NY 10013 [unsubscribe]( [update preferences]( [privacy policy](