Donovan Wins Endorsements From NY Daily News, NY Post, SI Advance

Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan nabbed his second tabloid endorsement for May 5 special election for Congress this weekend.

The New York Daily News editorial board unenthusiastically endorsed the Republican prosecutor over his rival, Councilman Vincent Gentile Saturday, arguing that Donovan could get more done for New York in a Republican-controlled House.

The paper’s editorial board is not impressed with either candidate, however, citing Donovan’s apparent ignorance of the federal minimum wage. But Gentile, the editorial continues, is also “not the sharpest knife in the Democratic drawer”:

Appearing before the Daily News Editorial Board, Gentile boasted of having served as chairman of the Council’s Investigations Committee, a post that gave him oversight of the Department of Investigation.

Asked to comment on the performance of Commissioner Mark Peters, Gentile was unable to cite a single report Peters had written, even though he had issued major findings on the city’s homeless shelters and the lack of security on Rikers Island, and had arrested a slew of building inspectors.

The New York Post endorsed Donovan last week, arguing similar logic — that a member of the majority party would be more effective in a Congress. The Post added that the Gentile campaign’s failure to successfully use the highly controversial Eric Garner case against Donovan in the race for the 11th Congressional District seat is evidence of the people’s trust in the Staten Island prosecutor.

The Staten Island Advance was a little more optimistic in its endorsement of Donovan yesterday, diplomatically calling both candidates “outstanding public officials and outstanding people.”  Ultimately, the paper went with Donovan for his long record of service to the borough.

In special election news this weekend, a Staten Island man is accusing Donovan of dragging his feet in an assault case against a police officer who left him with a broken nose during a tiff over his unleashed dog, reports the Daily News. Meanwhile, the New York Observer reports that at a Pacquiao/Mayweather viewing party Saturday, Gentile compared himself to underdog Pacquiao shortly before the Filipino boxing champion lost the fight to his much larger opponent. Ouch.

Tomorrow, May 5, is Election Day. Don’t forget to vote!