There was a time in the history of Staten Island elections when voters cared about one thing: What have you done for me lately?
Constituent services – help with a stop sign at the corner, a lost Social Security card, an expired passport – were the measure of a candidate’s worthiness to be reelected.
Today, still with local concerns in mind, voters look beyond Staten Island, especially when considering a candidate for Congress.
The question today’s voters must come to terms with:
Which weighs more, a candidate’s position on national and global issues, or whether the pothole has been fixed in front of my home?
It was the question we faced as we considered the two candidates seeking to represent Staten Island in the United States Congress.
An easy deliberation it was not.
Despite our grave disagreement with Republican Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis’ unwavering support of the Republican candidate for president, and her positions on some national issues, the congresswoman’s service to Staten Island is strong, and warrants her reelection to the House of Representatives.
That service and her deep understanding and concern for the borough’s needs and its potential has earned our endorsement.
Malliotakis’ opponent, Democrat Andrea Morse, makes no secret of her disdain for the congresswoman and the man Malliotakis wants to see back in the Oval Office, Donald J. Trump.
More than once during a face-to-face meeting with the congresswoman in the Advance offices, Morse informed Malliotakis, “You are a disgrace.”
Morse parrots all the Democratic talking points, but is shaky on local issues. When asked, given the extreme hurricane season in parts of our country, if Staten Island is prepared for such devastating storms, her response:
“I hope so.”
As do we.
Malliotakis, on the other hand, pointed to how she got the seawall project – delayed for more than a decade after Hurricane Sandy – kickstarted.
“We not just passed legislation with Chuck Schumer to fill the gap for the funding, but to also make sure that the federal government takes over 90% of the funding share,” Malliotakis said. “We got everything approved. Permitting is done, land acquisition is done, and we are going to break ground finally in two weeks. I’m very proud of how I’ve been able to work with my colleague on the Senate side and the Army Corps and the city.”
Morse offered, “We’re an island. We’re surrounded by water. And with the rising water we can have issues of flooding and insurance . . . I think we have to look at it certainly locally in terms of Staten Island preparation, but also globally, we have to talk about green energy . . . We’re alternately cooking and drowning our children.”
Morse, a Staten Island attorney, has limited community involvement. She is a member of Christ Church New Brighton, the Forest Avenue Business Improvement District (BID), where her law office is located, and the Bar Association.
Some might say Malliotakis holds the clear edge in service to Staten Island because she is the sitting representative. But we can assure you that there have been Staten Island elected representatives far less effective, and far less visible in the community.
Malliotakis can point to millions of dollars in federal funding she has brought to myriad Staten Island organizations. They include the St. George Theatre, Historic Richmond Town, Staten Island Bluebelts, and an energy-efficient Staten Island Ferry fleet.
She secured $2 million for a new maternity unit at Staten Island University Hospital. Richmond University Medical Center benefited from a $2.3 million grant for its Head Start program, $400,000 for RUMC’s children’s trauma center and, with Sen. Chuck Schumer, $1.8 million for a sophisticated biplane body imaging system for RUMC.
Lifestyles for the Disabled saw $750,000 in federal funds, and she obtained $2.9 million for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) labs at the College of Staten Island. On Your Mark, an organization that works with children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is updating its facilities with a $1.5 million grant, and $494,000 went to the Goodhue Community Center.
As you’d expect, Andrea Morse can point to none of these accomplishments because she is not the sitting congresswoman. The obvious question: Could she, if elected?
Is it worth the risk to find out?
Morse accused Malliotakis of using inside information to purchase bank stock that increased in value. The incident had been investigated and Malliotakis cleared of wrongdoing.
Morse brought up the constant Democratic talking point – the bipartisan border bill she, and most, if not all, Democrats, accuse Donald Trump of scuttling.
“The Republicans, including Nicole Malliotakis, shot it down at the behest of Donald Trump to make political hay out of it. That is so irresponsible, that is so unpatriotic, that you would put your craven, crude political ambition, before the best interests of this country and then lie about it.”
Malliotakis points to her own immigrant parents in saying she is not anti-immigrant, how her office has helped immigrants gain citizenship, and defends her presence at raucous rallies to shut down migrant centers on Staten Island.
Ironically, Democrats attended those same rallies.
Weighing all this against the congresswoman’s sycophantic support of Donald Trump, a person we believe has no place in American politics, let alone the White House, does give us pause.
Her support of a man who still refuses to admit he lost the 2020 election, disparaging the American election system, saying the whole thing was “rigged” and if he loses in November, it was “rigged” again, is disturbing.
Her support of a man who belittles women and has been found liable for sexual abuse, as well as convicted of 34 counts in a hush money trial, is disturbing.
Her support of a man who chose a vice presidential candidate who disparages woman who have no children and instead opt for a career, something the congresswoman herself seems to have done, is disturbing.
Her support of a man who calls the January 6 rioters “hostages,” a man who arguably started it all, and pledging to pardon them, is disturbing.
Her support of a man who mocks the disabled, who calls his opponent – a former district attorney and state attorney general – “mentally impaired,” “dumb,” “stupid,” “weak,” and “dumb as a rock” – is disturbing.
Her support of a man who questions his opponent’s Black heritage is disturbing.
Her support of a man who spouts the most absurd internet conspiracies, like Haitians eating people’s pets, without ever once considering, or addressing, the consequences, is disturbing.
Trump has threatened a free press, dehumanizes immigrants, legal or not, and dehumanizes anyone who disagrees with him, threatening to “go after” his political opponents.
Malliotakis’s response? She wouldn’t use the same ugly rhetoric but supports Trump because of his policies.
The congresswoman is leaning into the kind of divisive politics damaging our country. She is supporting mistrust and untruth by being an active apologist for Trump and that is something that is really hurting our nation, when she as a leader insists we haven’t heard what our ears have heard.
Should this disqualify her – or anyone who supports Donald Trump, like every Republican office-holder on Staten Island?
Thirty-eight percent of Staten Islanders voted for Democrat Max Rose in 2022. They, and perhaps even more today, would say, absolutely.
Why should they consider voting for her now?
Realistically, Nicole Malliotakis’ support of Donald Trump reflects the belief of more than half of Staten Island voters. Her lack of support certainly would not sway Trump support on Staten Island, or in the rest of New York State.
In fact, her lack of support would no doubt trigger a Republican primary for the seat and it would no doubt, for Democrats, turn into a “be careful of what you wish for” scenario.
Some say Andrea Morse is combative in her dealings with Nicole Malliotakis. She is more angry than combative. There is a difference.
We respect Morse’s achievements in her chosen profession, helping those in need of legal assistance. Everyone is a first-time candidate at some point, but we do not think she has the ability to be effective in the United States Congress. Nor does she have deep experience or command of the Staten Island issues that Malliotakis has worked on since her time in the state Assembly.
There are times you need to reach across the aisle. We doubt Andrea Morse could cultivate those relationships.
Nicole Maklliotakis has shown she can do that. And she has proven she has local issues at the forefront of what she does every day, bringing home millions for essential Staten Island services.
Still, we will not overlook or condone her support of Donald Trump. The Harris-Trump race could be very close and Malliotakis could again find herself in the position to vote to refuse to accept the election results. Trump has already said that if he loses, the election would have to be “rigged.”
Congresswoman Malliotakis needs to do better to represent democracy and all her constituents — even at the cost of her own political aspirations.
That’s the job. Her vote might count this time.
