James Molinaro, borough president of Staten Island, threw his weight once again behind Rep. Michael McMahon's campaign for re-election in New York's 13th Congressional District today. Molinaro, a conservative, also crossed party lines in endorsing McMahon in 2008, when the freshman democrat won the seat.
"He's there for us, he's a good friend, he deserves to be sent back," Molinaro said, according to SILive.com. With McMahon by his side, Molinaro made the announcement at the New Dorp Beach Friendship Club, a center for senior citizens in Staten Island. District 13 also includes parts of Southwest Brooklyn.
As the midterm season enters its final two weeks, both camps are counting on their big-name endorsements to help pull them through the finish line. McMahon's Republican challenger, Michael Grimm, a former FBI agent and Gulf War veteran, won the support early on from former Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari, in addition to endorsements by Sarah Palin and Rudy Giuliani.
Grimm also managed to get the backing of President George H. W. Bush early in October when the candidate made a visit to the former president in Maine. Grimm also touts endorsements from Sen. John McCain and Mitt Romney.
McMahon received support from President Bill Clinton in September and from former New York City Mayor Ed Koch in October. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz also endorsed the congressman this year.
With an incumbent Democrat seeking re-election in a district that voted Republican in the last two presidential elections, the race in District 13 isn't considered a sure-win for McMahon. The New York Times' Five Thirty Eight forecasts an 81 percent chance of a Democratic victory, while Real Clear Politics lists the race as one of 44 toss-up elections for the House.