Kaminsky: That's all, folks

                                                                             


Todd Kaminsky's state Senate Facebook page is already down.

The Long Beach Democrat's twitter account as a state senator has been inactive for more than a month.

That's because Kaminsky called it quits today.

Kaminsky,  who decided against running for re-election this year after losing his bid to become Nassau's District Attorney last year,  said in a resignation letter to  Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins that he will "start a new chapter in my life next week in the private sector." 

Kaminsky still had five months to go in his senate term.

His statement was published nearly simultaneously in Newsday reporter John Asbury's twitter account and in Long Island's Patch.com by Jerry Barmash .

Kaminsky didn't say where he is landing in the private sector but his announcement generated some turbulent, almost windwept, rumors.

Of course Kaminsky also gave the same statement issued by most politicians when they step down:

"I look forward to spending more time with my family and breathing easy on Election Day."

It was interesting that Barmash was among the first to report Kaminsky's abrupt departure.

Barmash on his "Here now the news" podcast interviewed former Democratic County Executive Laura Curran last year after she also lost her election.

As she did on WABC radio, Curran blamed Kaminsky for losing her bid for re-election.

"His candidacy did elevate the bail reform issue to such an extent that it brought out angry people," Curran told Barmash.  "Unfortunately the red wave was enough and I think his candidacy kind of like swept me out with the tide."

Earlier she told WABC,  "There’s no doubt in my mind that I would have won if he were not on the ticket. I lost by about 2,100 votes."

Curran continued, "As I was out and about, knocking on doors, talking to people, people would be like, 'Well I really like you, I’m a Republican. I’m thinking of voting for you. But this Todd Kaminsky guy, I don't know, I don’t like it.'"

But Curran's excuse was a stretch even then. Republicans knocked out Democrats throughout Long Island last year, regardless of Kaminsky.

A nearly unknown Republican federal prosecutor Ray Tierney defeated popular Democrat District Attorney Tim Sini in Suffolk and Republicans took control of the Suffolk legislature. Kaminsky wasn't anywhere near Suffolk at the time.

Still Kaminsky was never the same again after that defeat.

 


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