Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons

The opening night of the GOP Convention in Tampa may have been canceled due to inclement weather, but it takes a lot more than bad weather to keep New Yorkers from coming out to cheer, boo or be entirely indifferent to national political happenings. Below are a couple ways to engage your political sensibilities this week in light of Republican Convention ceremonies.

Drinking Liberally
New York City’s chapter of Living Liberally is hosting a series of Republican Convention-watching events this week. From their blog: “You may want to know what the Republicans are up to at their Convention…but you may find it too frightening to watch by yourself.” The week-long festivities kick off tonight for “opening night” at 7:30 at Building on Bond in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, continuing every evening at different bars throughout Manhattan. Each event begins at 7:30, allowing plenty of breathing—or drinking—room for the nightly 9 p.m. speeches. The group will gather at The Village Pourhouse on 11th St. for Paul Ryan’s speech on Wednesday, and Rudy’s on 44th St. for Mitt Romney’s Thursday speech.

New York Republican Fundraiser
If you want to watch the Convention for a pricier ticket—and in Republican company—the New York Republican County Committee is hosting a “David Garland for State Senate” fundraiser Tuesday evening on East 83rd Street, and other evening events throughout the week. From the invitation: “Come enjoy drinks and light fare and watch the Republican National Convention with friends.” And a $50 price tag. More Republican-centric events for the week can also be found on the Committee’s website. The Metropolitan Republican Club is also hosting the GOP Convention Party the last night of the Convention, Thursday evening, also at East 83rd Street. The GOP Convention Party is reportedly young Republican-friendly.

Occupy Protests
If you’re interested in being involved in a slightly more hands-on way, rather than from behind the TV screen, you can likely still hop on a bus and head down to Florida with other RNC protesters. Occupy provided buses for New Yorkers who wanted to make their way down to Tampa to protest the RNC, but because of the weather, only two of five buses ended up making the trip. Due to the opening night delay, there’s probably still time—for the especially brave—to make for Florida. The Huffington Post reported: “The protest aimed to mock the RNC’s welcome event at nearby Tropicana Field, which had been billed as a large cocktail party. The activists hoped their snare drums and chants would at least spoil the mood for RNC attendees.”

—Compiled by Alissa Fleck

Domenico Minerva

The latest candidate to jump into the race for the Upper East Side’s 5th Council District didn’t count on entering New York City politics. Growing up in a conservative-leaning area of Long Island, raised in a Republican family and living in various cities around the country, Domenico Minerva wasn’t always certain where his liberal, Democratic values would fit.

Minerva’s family moved to Florida when he was in school, and after he graduated from college, he went to Atlanta to work for Morgan Stanley. When the stock market nosedived, he took some time off to help his sister and nephews out in Los Angeles, then started thinking about becoming a lawyer. He relocated to San Francisco for a job a law firm and, while there, the political bug finally bit him.

“It’s nice, because [San Francisco]’s a liberal setting, so the values were pretty much in line with everything that I already believed. Everyone is so active and involved with local politics that you can talk to anyone about politics,” Minerva said in a recent interview.

When he began doing just that—talking to everyone around him about local politics—he realized how transformative the process could be.

“That really focused me and got me understanding that one person can make a difference; before that, I was sort of one of those pessimistic non-believers,” Minerva said.

After law school in New Orleans (he lost his apartment there during Hurricane Katrina), he got a job with a securities litigation firm and ended up living on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

“When I moved to New York, I knew it was important for me to start getting involved. I’m a lawyer; I have a legal education, which really helps on the policy side,” he said.

He soon found the Lexington Democratic Club, where he served as treasurer and is now a third term president. Minerva is also a member of Community Board 8, and said that during his relatively short time in the neighborhood, his immersion in the local scene has prepared him for the challenges that would face a City Council representative.

“I’ve been very involved. We’ve had very successful forums talking about issues that are facing the Upper East Side specifically or the city generally or the state,” he said.

Minerva shares many similar viewpoints and priorities for the East Side as current Council Member Jessica Lappin, who is likely running for Manhattan borough president in 2013, as well as fellow candidates Benjamin Kallos, also a politically active attorney, and Hill Krishnan, an NYU professor: opposition to the East 91st Street Marine Transfer Station (he lives right by the site), a concern for air quality (his wife is about to give birth to their first baby), advocating for more school seats.

He said that he’d like to focus on getting more support for businesses along the Second Avenue Subway construction route and finding creative solutions for building new schools. He would push for better bike lanes and more green taxis, as well as more accountability of restaurants for renegade deliverymen on electric bikes.

Minerva said that it’s still early to be formulating more specific policies, but that he plans on continuing his work with the club and meeting people in the neighborhood to gear up for his campaign.

In a race where candidates are trying to “out-progressive” one another, an endorsement from Nadler, the most liberal member of the city’s House delegation, is seen by many as a major stamp of approval for Aborn.

Aborn is running against Leslie Crocker Snyder, a former judge and 2005 district attorney candidate, and Cy Vance, Jr., retiring District Attorney Robert Morgenthau’s handpicked successor.

Nadler met with all of the candidates, but he felt that Aborn’s early advocacy for key progressive issues made him the most qualified candidate in the race. Nadler called Aborn a true leader on gun control, and praised Aborn’s push for expanded the use of DNA evidence and opposition to the death penalty.

“He’s shown an activism on progressive issues that no one else in this race has,” Nadler said. “We don’t have a crystal ball on these things, but you have to believe how he will behave as district attorney is foreshadowed by how he’s behaved in the past. And ditto for other candidates.”

Nadler also noted that Aborn has a broader vision for the office, as well as a track record of advancing liberal causes.
“I said to a number of people that I thought Cy Vance would be a good D.A.,” Nadler said. “I think that Richard Aborn would be an outstanding D.A.”

Given the Upper West Side’s reputation as reliable base of Democratic primary voters, Nadler’s endorsement will most likely help Aborn’s campaign in a race where many voters are unfamiliar with the candidates.

“The candidates have good pluses and not many negatives. And all are trying to get themselves known,” said a West Side political strategist who is working on other campaigns but is unaffiliated with the district attorney candidates. “Somebody of stature with credibility on progressive issues like Nadler has can be a big plus.”

In a race where candidates are trying to “out-progressive” one another, an endorsement from Nadler, the most liberal member of the city’s House delegation, is seen by many as a stamp of approval for Aborn.

Aborn is running against Leslie Crocker Snyder, a former judge and 2005 district attorney candidate, and Cy Vance, Jr., retiring District Attorney Robert Morgenthau’s hand-picked successor.

Nadler had met with all of the district attorney candidates, but he felt Aborn’s early advocacy made him the most progressive candidate in the race. Nadler called Aborn a true progressive leader on gun control, expanded use of DNA evidence and opposing the death penalty.

“He’s shown an activism on progressive issues that no one else in this race has,” Nadler said. “We don’t have a crystal ball on these things, but you have to believe how he will behave as district attorney is foreshadowed by how he’s behaved in the past. And ditto for other candidates.”

Nadler also noted that Aborn had a broader vision for the office as well as a track record of advancing liberal causes.

“I said to a number of people that I thought Cy Vance would be a good DA,” Nadler said. “I think that Richard Aborn would be an outstanding DA.”

Given the Upper West Sider reputation as reliable Democratic primary voters, Nadler’s endorsement will most likely help Aborn’s campaign in a race where voters are unfamiliar with the candidates.

“The candidates have good pluses and not many negatives. And all are trying to get themselves known,” said a West Side political strategist unaffiliated with the campaigns. “Somebody of stature with credibility on progressive issues like Nadler has can be a big plus.”