T he Gazette today endorses selected candidates running in next Tuesday’s elections. Like all elections, this contest is very important, with implications for the future of this state, city and local communities. We therefore strongly urge everyone who can to go to the polls and vote. In doing so, we ask everyone to give careful consideration to those whom we have endorsed. The Gazette is confidant that these officials will best represent our interests.

GOVERNOR

New York state finds itself in a sorry state as we approach the November 2 election. For all intents and purposes, we have been without effective leadership in the governor’s office for the past four years, while the economy has left us with huge budget deficits.

There was also rampant corruption in the state comptroller’s office, which Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has cleaned up. During the past four years, we also experienced unprecedented shenanigans which shut down the state senate for more than a month and brought the entire state government to a halt.

We were fortunate to get rid of one of the principals responsible for that bizarre situation. The other is under investigation for other alleged acts of corruption.

It’s very clear that we now find ourselves in need of a strong, steady hand to run the state. The Gazette feels that that person is Andrew Cuomo, the Democratic Party candidate. In his term as attorney general, Cuomo ended the corruption in the state comptroller’s office and exposed Medicaid frauds. There are strong indications that Cuomo will also have strong backing from the electorate next Tuesday.

For all these reasons, the Gazette endorses Andrew Cuomo for governor in next Tuesday’s election.

STATE COMPTROLLER

Voters have a great opportunity to elect a man with a proven financial background as state comptroller next Tuesday. That men is Harry Wilson, a 38-year-old Harvard graduate who made his mark in the financial world saving companies in trouble. Wilson, a Republican, was chosen by President Barack Obama to be part of the team that saved General Motors and the auto industry.

The present comptroller, Tom DiNapoli, though chosen to replace Alan Hevesi, has no financial background. He was an Assemblymember for many years. Wilson has a financial background and talent and is much more qualified to handle the job of investing the $125 billion state pension fund to make sure it earns money. The comptroller’s office has usually been run by people that come out of the political ranks. It would be better for us to entrust that office to someone from the financial industry. Vote for Harry Wilson for state comptroller. Wilson has been endorsed by Citizen’s Union, the Daily News, the Times and Crains Business Weekly. We join them now in endorsing Wilson, too.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

It will be hard for anyone to follow Eliot Spitzer and then Andrew Cuomo as attorney general. But between Eric Schneiderman, the Democrat, and Daniel Donovan, the Republican Staten Island district attorney, our endorsement goes to Donovan because of his prosecutorial experience.

U.S. SENATE

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer is running for his third six-year term next Tuesday. In his first two terms, he has become one of the most powerful Senators in the country and is just a step away from becoming Senate Majority Leader, which would make him even more beneficial to New York state. The Gazette endorses him for another term.

U.S. SENATE

New York state’s junior senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, who succeeded Hillary Clinton, is also up for election to serve the last two years of Clinton’s term. Gillibrand has developed into a good partner to Schumer. She has earned the Gazette’s endorsement for election next Tuesday.

CONGRESS-5TH CD

One of the keenest congressmembers on the subject of foreign policy is Gary Ackerman, a Democrat representing Northeast Queens and Long Island. Ackerman also keeps an eye out for his district, so the Gazette endorses him for re-election.

CONGRESS-6TH CD

Congressmember Gregory Meeks, who represents Southeast Queens, deserves another term for his watching out for that part of the borough. We endorse him for re-election.

CONGRESS-7TH CD

Becoming a stalwart member of the Democratic leadership when the party is in the majority in Congress always presents opportunities to bring more benefits home to a district. Congressmember Joseph Crowley has followed this course in his congressional career and has also become a key member of the Foreign Relations Committee. The Gazette believes that the lawmaker’s service to his constituents has been exemplary. We strongly endorse Crowley for re-election.

CONGRESS-9TH CD

In the beginning, Congressmember Anthony Weiner had a small part of Queens in his mostly Brooklyn district. Gradually the Queens portion of the 9th CD expanded further and we have benefited from the change. Now a Forest Hills resident, Weiner never misses an opportunity to secure funding grants for the borough. He also fights for anti-terror allocations for the whole city. It’s also nice to know the next mayor might be a Queens resident. The Gazette heartily endorses Weiner and urges readers to vote for him.

CONGRESS-14TH CD

Congressmember Carolyn Maloney shares her Queens district with Upper East Side Manhattan. The arrangement has worked out very well for Astoria, Long Island City and other adjacent areas. Maloney’s value as a member of Congress through her chairmanship of the Joint Economic Committee extends to the entire country. She also wrestles with ways to beat the recession and find jobs for everyone, which makes having her in our corner so valuable. We point out these things because at election time the Gazette will wholeheartedly endorse her and urges all readers to vote for her so she will continue to represent us.

STATE SENATE

10TH SENATE DISTRICT

The Gazette endorses state Senator Shirley Huntley in the 10th senate district (Jamaica). Huntley has always served her constituents well, especially on matters dealing with education.

11TH SENATE DISTRICT

For 38 years, Frank Padavan has established a track record as a true reformer who always fights for his district. While we believe his opponent Tony Avella is a hardworking former City Councilmember, Padavan’s years of experience must be counted on for this election. The Gazette endorses him for a 20th term.

12TH SENATE DISTRICT

Energetic, smart and fiercely independent, Mike Gianaris has an unmatched record of delivering for Queens families in his 10 years as a member of the state Assembly. Now he will move into the state senate where we expect he will improve on that record. He is surely destined to be a historic legislator. The Gazette strongly endorses Gianaris for election to the state senate.

13TH SENATE DISTRICT

State Senator Jose Peralta has performed well since moving over from the Assembly earlier this year. The Gazette endorses him for another term.

14TH SENATE DISTRICT

The Gazette endorses Malcolm Smith for another term in the senate.

15TH SENATE DISTRICT Two years ago, Joseph Addabbo Jr. pulled an upset and won a close election to become state senator, representing Howard Beach/Ozone Park and areas as far as Middle Village/Glendale). He has worked hard to represent the sprawling district, opening satellite offices in Richmond Hill, Ridgewood and Middle Village, and meets with constituents in those neighborhoods on a regular schedule. Addabbo has also devoted himself to tightening and reforming laws covering voting and elections to make voting easier and equal for all. He also was involved in creating jobs and improving small business opportunities by helping to bring legalized casino betting to the Aqueduct Racetrack, which in turn, will bring jobs to the district and revenue to the state. The Gazette strongly endorses Addabbo for another term and urges the electorate in his district to vote for him.

16TH SENATE DISTRICT

State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, seeking re-election to a seventh term on Tuesday, is avidly endorsed by the Gazette for a new term. Stavisky, as chair of the Higher Education Committee, has been an outspoken advocate for improving the state’s public colleges and thus is a strong supporter of the students who attend the institutions. Stavisky is equally alert to maintaining the integrity and quality of the residential environment of her district’s communities. We urge voters to go to the polls on Election Day and cast a vote for this lawmaker.

STATE ASSEMBLY

22D AD

Incumbent Assemblymember Grace Meng is endorsed for another term by the Gazette.

23D AD

Assemblymember Audrey Pheffer will be starting the 25th year in her Assembly career if re-elected. We wish her luck on her achieving a quarter-century of service and warmly endorse her bid for a new term.

24TH AD

Moving up to the Assembly from the City Council, Assemblymember David Weprin is right at home. We endorse him for a full term on Tuesday.

25TH AD

The Gazette endorses Assemblymember Rory Lancman in his re-election attempt.

26TH AD

In this election, held to fill the seat vacated by the previous incumbent, the Gazette endorses Democratic candidate Edward Braunstein, who gained some insight into the mechanisms of the legislature by working for the past several years on the Assembly Speaker’s staff. We also point out that Braunstein’s opponent, Vincent Tabone, has helped this community by conducting a campaign which stuck to the issues and highlighted matters of local import. But for this election. we endorse Braunstein.

27TH AD

Incumbent Assemblymember Nettie Mayersohn, who is seeking her 15th term in Tuesday’s election, has served her district and state throughout her legislative career. We warmly endorse her for another term.

28TH AD

New York state faces real problems, and we need a serious legislator who can both protect our community, make sure we get our fair share, and who has the skills and experience to get the job done. Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi has been a sponsor of independent redistricting and campaign finance reform legislation, but also has never forgotten our communities, fighting to improve our schools and the quality of life issues that far too often are overlooked. The Gazette strongly endorses Andrew Hevesi for re-election.

29TH AD

The Gazette endorses Assemblymember William Scarborough in this contest.

30TH AD

Incumbent Margaret Markey has been a conscientious legislator in Albany, improving the lives of the elderly and war veterans and also dealing with health issues. Markey also stays abreast of major local issues. Her efforts succeeded in winning approval of a plan that will divert heavy truck traffic from two main thoroughfares in Maspeth. The Gazette strongly endorses her and urges her re-election.

31ST AD

This newspaper endorses incumbent Assemblymember Michele Titus for reelection.

32D AD

Assemblymember Vivian Cook is endorsed by us for re-election.

33D AD

Incumbent Assemblymember Barbara Clark gets our endorsement in this election.

34TH AD

Assemblymember Michael DenDekker, who represents this district, has been waging a campaign against zealous traffic ticket agents who sometimes issue tickets injudiciously or by mistake. DenDekker is trying to save his constituents unnecessary inconvenience and we commend him for this. We also endorse him for re-election.

35TH AD

Assemblymember Jeffrion Aubry, who has been in the legislature for 24 years, scored one of his greatest victories this year when the Rockefeller drug laws were repealed. The Gazette endorses him for reelection.

36TH AD

The Gazette welcomes Aravella Simotas to the local political scene this election season. We proudly endorse her in her maiden election on Tuesday. We believe she will go far in local politics.

37TH AD

Assemblymember Catherine Nolan, a 26-year veteran, has become the reigning authority on public education through her position as chair of the Assembly Education Committee. Nolan also remains committed to serving her community with special improvement funding grants. The Gazette gives its endorsement to her in Tuesday’s election.

38TH AD

Assemblymember Michael Miller, a comparatively recent arrival in Albany, shows much promise. The Gazette endorses him for election to his first full two-year term.

39TH AD

Newcomer Francisco Moya, seeking his first election victory, brings an impressive resume with him. We’re confident he will live up to it and we endorse him in his first election attempt and wish him a successful career.