Grace Meng Unveils Her Campaign Team [UPDATED]

Assemblywoman Grace Meng unveiled her congressional campaign team today, which is notable as much for those involved as it is for those not.

Not among the half-dozen operatives, communications experts and pollsters that comprise Meng’s team is the Parkside Group, the powerful consulting shop that has had a hand in most, if not all, races in Queens for the last several years.

[UPDATED] Parkside had been approached by several of the campaigns, but declined to get involved because of its close relationship with all the candidates in the race.

“Because all of the clients are our friends, and several have been our clients, we have declined to represent anyone in the NY-6 Primary,” said Evan Stavisky, a partner at Parkside.

Meng, who was endorsed by the Queens Democratic Party the other week, is running to replace long-serving Rep. Gary Ackerman, who declined to run for re-election after his district was redrawn to make it more favorable for an Asian American candidate. If elected, Meng would be the first Asian American member of Congress from New York.

Team Meng includes the following:

Multi-Media, Strategist and Consultant; Michael Nussbaum, executive vice president and associate publisher of the Queens Tribune, is the principle at Multi-Meida. The Tribune was founded by Congressman Ackerman back in 1970.

Kennedy Communications, Direct Mail; Andrew Kennedy has run direct-mail campaigns for several House campaigns, as well as dozens local races.

Global Strategy Group, Polling; GSG is on the premiere shops in the city, having worked for Eliot Spitzer, David Paterson and Andrew Cuomo, as well as the state Democratic Party and several members of Congress.

Jennifer Berger, Partner at Hudson TG, Fundraising

Loren Amor, Campaign Manager; Amor serves as Queens Assemblywoman Arvella Simotas’s chief of staff, and has ran campaigns for Rep. Carolyn Maloney in the past.

Michael Tobman, Partner at Hudson TG, Communications Director, Press Secretary; Tobman represented Meng prior to her run for Congress. He also worked on several insurgent state Senate campaigns in 2010, and once served as deputy chief of staff for the Nassau County Legislative majority.

Nathan Smith, Partner at Red Horse Strategies, Organizing, Political Outreach; Smith has deep ties with labor and will be working to win endorsements and support for Meng among the city’s unions.

Greg Lavine, Campaign Coordinator; Lavine worked on Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz’s campaign in 2009.

Corey Bearak, Senior Advisor, Community Organizing; Most recently, Bearak worked with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

The other campaigns are staffing up as well. Councilwoman Liz Crowley recently hired Cindy Darrison has her fundraiser and Berlin Rosen to handle her communications. Valerie Berlin and Alex Navarro-McKay from BR will be leading point on the councilwoman’s campaign.

Assemblyman Rory Lancman hired Mark Benoit to manage his campaign. Benoit ran state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s tough re-election campaign in 2010. Influential KnickerbockerSKD operative Josh Isay is also rumored to be close to joining Lancman’s campaign, although I have not been able to confirm that yet.

Yesterday, we reported that Republican Councilman Dan Halloran was endorsed by the Queens GOP for the race. Halloran is expected to announce his run on Monday.