Former Librarian Defeats Incumbent
in New York House Race
A 71-year-old former school librarian won a narrow victory over a three-term incumbent in her bid to represent a Long Island, New York, district in the U.S. House of Representatives. A recount confirmed that Regina Seltzer upset Rep. Michael Forbes by just 35 votes in the September 12 Democratic primary.
Seltzer was a school librarian in the Patchogue-Medford (N.Y.) School District from 1964 to 1975 and told American Libraries that she “loved every minute of it.” Earlier, she had obtained her MLS at Long Island University while working at the Hauppauge (N.Y.) High School library. Now a lawyer who practices pro bono environmental law out of her home office, Seltzer spent only $40,000 in the campaign compared to Forbes’s $1.4 million.
Forbes, who was first elected to Congress as a Republican in 1994, switched his party affiliation to the Democrats last year. The New York Times reported that Republicans had backed Seltzer in the primary, both to punish Forbes and because they felt she would be easier to defeat in the November 7 general election, when she will face Republican Felix Grucci, the Brookhaven town supervisor.
In another September 12 New York Democratic primary election, Rep. Major Owens, the only librarian elected to Congress, survived a challenge from New York City Councilwoman Una Clarke.
Posted September 25, 2000.
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