As most readers know, the Deputy Speaker of the NYS Assembly, Arthur O. Eve, is retiring after more than 30 years of service. Eve’s district, the 141st, is located entirely in Buffalo, and is, according to estimates, post reapportionment, 69% African American. His retirement could be likened to a lordly cedar of the forest, green with boughs, now fallen, which, as the poet said, leaves "a lonesome place against the sky."

Possibly four worthies seek to replace him. They are Cliff Scott, a restauranteur running on the Republican line and three Democrats, County Legislator, Crystal Peoples, who ran unsuccessfully against Eve two years ago, former Erie County legislator, Gregory Olma, and Buffalo Common Council member, Charles Fisher It was rumored that perennial candidate Sam Herbert might run also, but, according to sources, he will not.

We concern ourselves presently with the candidacy of Fisher, formerly chief of staff to Eve, and, arguably, his heir apparent. Eve has not publically endorsed Fisher, yet, Eve’s forces are carrying his petitions for state committee, and his election team includes Eve allies, including, significantly, Eve’s staunchest, Roger Blackwell, who is chairman of Fisher’s campaign committee. Currently Fisher is a Democratic committee member, a zone chairman, and a member of the Erie County Democratic Executive Committee. As a freshman council member, Fisher is active; he chairs four committees: Education, Public Works, Waterways, and Minority Enterprises, the latter being one he personally founded

Since the winner of the Democratic primary has the advantage in a district where the plurality of Democrats to Republicans may be greater than three to one, the focus is clearly on which of three Democrats will square off against Scott. A twin dynamic, made significant by the entry of Olma, is that of the racial. Olma may hope that by a split in the black vote between Peoples and Fisher that he will emerge as the Democrat primary winner and then, with the advantage of the Democratic plurality, beat the Republican, Scott, and, thus, ironically, although frequently accused of racism, Olma will stand a chance of seizing control of one of the few state minority-held seats in Buffalo.

Some have gone as far as to suggest that either Peoples or Fisher should step aside to assure that an African American continues to hold this seat. At press time, neither Peoples or Fisher has expressed the remotest interest in doing that.

FISHER HAS ENDORSEMENTS AND CROSS-RACIAL APPEAL

Fisher, during a recent interview, dilated on the endorsements he has or expects to have, naming, among others, numerous trade unions,.the Latino Popular Party, environmental and historic preservation groups, labor unions, most of which are predominantly white, the Iron Island Preservation group, and the Task Force to Renew the Democratic Party.

Fisher also believes he can offset Olma’s attempt to appeal racially to white voters. Olma told the Buffalo News that his strategy is to secure every white voter and 10% of the blacks, and hence win. In Fisher’s last election, however, Fisher garnered about 28,000 votes, about half of which were white. "Don't count me out in terms of being a good representative for all citizens, whether white, black or brown," Fisher said.

ARTHUR EVE

On the topic of Eve, Fisher, an unabashed admirer of Eve, says Eve supports him.

"I think Arthur Eve has withheld his public endorsement because of his desire to see all factions support Carl McCall, " said Fisher. "He's urging all forces everywhere to support Carl and I think he doesn't want to alienate people. I think, in the end, you will see Arthur Eve publicly come out and endorse me; he's privately helping me now."

Fisher thinks it absurd that Eve would support Peoples.

"In the last election, Arthur Eve was very ill and very, very tired. yet (Peoples) ran against him and she lost in a very uninspired performance. Certainly she doesn't have his support now."

PROMISE IN ALBANY

Fisher is interested in issues. He veers to what he will do in Albany "when" elected. "I will create an environment where businesses can grow and prosper," he said. "We need to create 1,000 more businesses in the 141st District. I will encourage people to go into business, fight to encourage the development of private business in this district, just as I fought for the right of minority and women contractors to get a piece of the action from the school construction project. This seat is only one of three seats Buffalo has in Albany. I will fight to make sure that our seat is regarded highly by the Assembly leadership. I'm going to make a little noise there."

HIS RECORD

From what he will do in Albany, it is but a step to speak of what he’s done during his three years as councilman. He mentions that he authored the Minority and Women's business local law regarding the $1 billion school construction project, with, he says, the "highest goals in the state for minority and women's participation."

Fisher carries with him literature from his past campaign, entitled, "Charley Will," which enumerates promises to fulfill, if elected. "Every day I seek to keep the promises I made." he said "I said ‘I will’ license deli stores. This past Tuesday, the Council passed the deli licensing law. We've lowered the garbage user fee twice. I hope to eliminate it. I said ‘I will’ author a law to allow private companies to assist in snow plowing. I did it. It's a law now. I got the first school named after a living African-American, Dr. Lydia Wright. I said ‘I will’ open a district office, and I have done it. We've placed 30 people in full time jobs. Those are the kind of things that are important."

FISHER ON PEOPLES’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Veering back to the race, Fisher spoke of his principle opponent- Peoples. "When voters compare our records," Fisher said, " it's going to be hands down for Charley Fisher. I don't think Crystal has much of a record at all. She was the Majority Leader, but what did that mean for the voters of her district? I honestly can't tell you. I have what I ran on, and what I did. I have a record of 28 years of service to this community. Compare my record to hers. I've done more in 3 years than she's done in 8 years. In fact, I'm hard pressed to say that she accomplished anything."

STEVE PIGEON

From Peoples, Fisher ventured next to whom Fisher says is People’s sponsor, G. Steven Pigeon, the man many people choose to run against, in lieu of their actual opponent. "Pigeon is supporting Crystal Peoples and vice versa," Fisher said. "They are together. There was no endorsement meeting. Steve Pigeon just unilaterally endorsed Crystal Peoples."

MONEY

If Pigeon is backing Peoples, then she will be likely have campaign money. Will Fisher be able to compete? Fisher acknowledged he is a man of "modest means" but added, "In the '99 election, I was outspent two to one and three to one by almost every candidate that ran for the at-large seat. Will she outspend me? I don't know. When she ran against Jack Quinn, she didn't raise more than a couple of thousand dollars or whatever it was. She lost 90% to 10% or whatever. Some terrible, terrible blow-out. I hope to raise a lot of money in this campaign. I'm going to raise my share -- enough to mount an aggressive campaign."

GREG OLMA

Besides Peoples, Olma may contend hotly for the seat. Fisher does not think much of him, opining, "Greg will not have even 2% of the African-American vote because of his visceral, very contemptuous dealings with the African-American community and very racially dividing, very, very upsetting to the African-American community in his dealings in the past. I don't think he's going to do well. When he was running against an unknown, David Dale crushed him, even though by all rights, he shouldn't have had a ghost of a chance. Dale beat him fair and square and carried many communities, but he carried the African-American community especially. I suggest that Greg Olma will not have virtually any black votes.

"I think I will, conversely, do very well in white communities, among white residents in the district."

OLMA AND PEOPLES WORKING TOGETHER?

Fisher’s comments on Olma led to the question of whether Peoples’s quote in the Buffalo News - that Olma and Fisher were working together, surreptitiously, to steal votes from Peoples - is true. Fisher bristled at this. "Crystal says she thinks that maybe Greg Olma and I are perhaps together as partners in some kind of sinister plot and I think it's vicious and maybe there will be more of that kind of that very low, below the deck kind of dealing, very foul kind of campaign. That's a very low kind of remark for her to say about me. But, frankly, I'm not the one who ran with Greg Olma. They served in the Legislature together. They were partners. Olma never voted for me for majority leader. He did vote for Peoples. Greg Olma was never supported by me to be the chairman of the Energy Committee of the Council. But, Peoples supported him. They were involved in a lot of things together. I have never had any dealings with Greg Olma. But she's been in bed with him politically. They once played together politically.

ABORTION

Finally, because few Democrats are as outspoken on this topic - abortion - as Fisher, he was asked to state for the record where he stood. He said, "Even though it may costs me votes, I am pro-life. I believe in the sanctity of life. I believe that abortion is murder. There have been 60 million abortions since Rowe vs.Wade. 30 million of which have been black. In fact there have been more babies aborted in the African American community than were born. And while some people say it's a personal matter, the government has paid for 80% of those abortions."