On Friday October 17th, Republican Congressman
Michael Grimm and his Democratic challenger Domenic Recchia engaged in a heated
half-hour debate that covered issued from Grimm’s indictment, to Hurricane
Sandy relief, to Ebola preparations. With less than three weeks till Election
Day, this debate was very crucial for both candidates and at many points turned
from a debate to a shouting match between the two. They both seemed to do well
on some issues and inferior when it came to other issues.
Like most of his campaign efforts thus far, Domenic
Recchia used the debate to hammer home the fact that Grimm has a criminal
indictment pending on charges that he hired undocumented workers in his
health-food restaurant Healthalicious. Grimm responded to this by saying “I believe
that I’m entitled to my day in court just like everyone else.” And after the
debate Grimm
told reporters that Recchia “is a one trick pony. It’s the indictment and
nothing else.”
Grimm used the debate to propose questions that Recchia
could not answer like how much money was appropriated by Congress in 2013 to
help Hurricane Sandy victims. Recchia also talked in circles when he was asked
very controversial questions such as, whether or not he would oppose Mayor de
Blasio’s plan to build
affordable housing units in middle class neighborhoods. Whereas Grimm was
quick to answer saying “I diametrically opposed this plan, I told the Mayor
that.” He also added that “The last thing that Staten Island wants is to upzone
anything because we don’t have the infrastructure to support it.”
Grimmed seemed to outshine Recchia in the debate. His experience made him look more composed and
comfortable during the debate, he also displayed more knowledge about the
issues that affect the 11th district’s constituents. The election is
going to come down to whether or not voters are willing to vote for Grimm
despite his indictment. The most recent poll conducted by Siena College has
Grimm leading by 4 points over Recchia.
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