Ramapo Councilman Mulling Carlucci Primary?

Town of Ramapo Councilman Patrick Withers, a Democrat, is mulling a primary challenge against State Sen. David Carlucci, four Rockland County Democratic sources have told City & State.

But whether that’s simply a rumor being pushed by Rockland County Democrats spurned by Carlucci’s defection to the Independent Democratic Conference last year remains unclear.

I spoke to one Ramapo  source quite close to Withers who repeated the rumors, but Withers himself did not return multiple requests for comment. Oddly, Withers also gave a $500 corporate donation to Carlucci in mid-December, through an Irish bar that Withers owns.

And yesterday — after a Carlucci spokesman was made aware of the rumors by City & State — Withers denied any intention of running, in a phone call with Carlucci, according to the Carlucci spokesman.

“He laughed, and said it wasn’t true,” said Carlucci spokesman Rich Azzopardi.

Still, other Rockland County Democratic sources insist that Withers remains interested in a primary run.

Carlucci, who won election to the Senate at 29-years-old in 2010, angered some Rockland Democratic loyalists by joining the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference almost immediately after winning election.

In mid-December, there was some uproar in local Democratic circles over a telephone poll that reportedly knocked Carlucci and propped up Clarkstown Democratic Councilwoman Stephanie Hausner, but talk of a potential Hausner run has since died down.

The Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, which poured hundreds-of-thousands of dollars into Carlucci’s election – only for Carlucci to spend not a single day in the conference – would also undoubtedly like to have a Democrat in the seat that would sit with the conference’s 26 members. Local Democrats caution, though, that they are still waiting to see whether Carlucci ultimately decides to rejoin the Senate Democratic conference.

During his first year in office, Carlucci and the Legislature have had some notable accomplishments that could help his reelection efforts, including the property tax cap, passing the gay marriage bill and cutting the MTA payroll tax.

But Withers, a former NYPD officer and former Rockland County legislator, could be formidable: He is close to the ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities that resides in the towns of New Square and Kaser – and often vote in a bloc. He is well-known in the Irish-American community, which could help him with neighboring Orangetown’s sizable Irish population.

The Ramapo Democratic source close to Withers said would be someone able to match the campaigning intensity of Carlucci, whose tireless efforts in 2010 helped him upset longtime Republican Rockland County Executive Scott Vanderhoef.

“Pat’s a person who’s a very tough campaigner, too,” the Ramapo Democrat said. “He wouldn’t give an inch to anyone.”

It’s unclear whether the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee – with its $1.7 million in debt – could play any real role a Carlucci challenge. Carlucci has $259,000 on hand, while Withers has only $1,400 in his Council account.

Ramapo, with a population of some 130,000 people, makes up a large percentage of the population in the Senate district – potentially giving Withers a strong base from which to run. Carlucci comes from Clarkstown, population 85,000, where he had previously served as town clerk.

The chairman of the Rockland County Republicans, Vincent Reda, recently said that he believed Carlucci, a freshman, would face both a Democratic primary and a strong general election challenge from the Senate Republicans. There has been some question as to whether the Senate Republicans, who have worked closely with the IDC, would put up strong challengers to the conference’s four members.

Azzopardi, the Carlucci spokesman, said the young senator was ready for any challenge.

“Sen. Carlucci has amassed a strong record of helping his constituents,” Azzopardi said, “and we’re confident that he will have the resources to continue having the privilege to represent this district in the New York State Senate.”