A Republican Candidate Shows Signs of Life

Fernando Cabrera, the Democratic candidate in the 14th City Council District, is expected to secure an overwhelming victory in next week's election.

When it comes to fund-raising, name-recognition, union support, and just about everything else, he's streets ahead of his unheralded opponents: Yessenia Duran (R) and Lisa Marie Campbell (C).

But one of them - Duran - is at least making some attempt to get her name and face out there. She has a campaign Web site (admittedly not a very informative one), a MySpace page, and a Twitter account (albeit barely used). She's also been putting up campaign posters, including this one on Walton Avenue just north of East 179th Street.

According to her MySpace page and other bits and pieces floating around the Web, Duran is a 25-year-old Creston Avenue resident, a mother, and a co-district leader in the 86th Assembly District.

As for running as a Republican in a bluer than blue district, it seems she'd rather residents not know. Neither her posters nor her Web site make any reference to the ticket she's running on.

On Nov. 3, then, there will be two candidates - Cabrera and Duran - asking voters to to look beyond their Republican past (in the case of Cabrera) and present (in the case of Duran).