While the words “class” and “politics” are rarely found together, we at Courier-Life see this time of year as a graduation of sorts for all of the local legislators who once proudly graced this page and will now be moving on (chin up, Dave Yassky!) That being said, here is the first Brooklyn Politics Graduation Edition with our soon-to-be annual class awards! And our awards go to...

Mr. Popularity: State Senator John Sampson (D-Canarsie)

When the Republicans threatened to take back the State Senate in the Spring and Democrats were about to run Majority Leader Malcolm Smith out on a rail, Albany leaders realized that they needed someone everyone would like and quickly fall in line behind. Their answer: the usually subdued distinguished gentleman from Canarsie John Sampson, whose only claim to tabloid fame outside of these pages was for representing foul-mouthed rapper Foxy Brown. Sure, his constituents like him, but we never thought he’d be named the State Senate’s Democratic Majority Leader.

But there must be something endearing in those chocolate brown eyes and toothy Brooklyn grin. As soon as he was given his title, he began bringing wayward Democrats back into the fold. Today’s he’s the Senate Democrats go to guy; and the new confidence put in him will undoubtedly do wonders for his district and the Brooklyn State Senate delegation. There’s also the added benefit that every paper in the state will have to mention Canarsie at least once in their articles about him.

Ms. Popularity: State Senator Diane Savino (D-Dyker Heights)

In one fell swoop, Savino moved out of the “most likely to be a cheerleader her whole life” award to this lofty honor. When the vote for gay marriage was on the table last month, Savino gave an intelligent, heartfelt and funny reason why everyone should vote in favor of the measure. At the same time, she managed to take out the religious debate, making it purely about marriage licenses -- something everyone seemed to forget about.

Although her words didn’t sway the vote, she did become a YouTube sensation among the LGBT community and political wonks who actually watch videos of Senate floor debates. Welcome to the big time, Diane!

Class Clowns (intentional): City Councilmembers Lew Fidler (D-Marine Park) and Simcha Felder (D-Borough Park)

Felder immediately made our list because, hey, you never know what he’s going to say at a press conference. Fidler gets our vote because he used his sizable girth to his advantage at election time when he asked local civics to either “support the chubby councilman from Canarsie” or to “show some sympathy for rotund incumbent councilmembers.”

Class Clowns (unintentional): Borough President Marty Markowitz and City Councilman Lew Fidler (D-Marine Park)

Everybody knows that Marty’s a clown. He was even pictured with a clown when Ringling Bros. came to Coney Island this summer. But the public pie in the face came about a month later when he realized that his plan to bring a $64 million amphitheater to the nearby Asser Levy Park, where he always hosts his seaside summer concert series, wasn’t going to be as easy as he thought. Facing a quite vocal group of opponents, Marty’s expected to address Community Board 13’s Parks Committee on the issue in February. We’re not sure what kind of song and dance he’ll put together by then.

Fidler gets a note in this category because he was the unwitting test case for the first Brooklyn “Whack a pol” game.

When the election was heating up, Fidler’s Republican challenger Gene Beredelli created an anti-Fidler website that included the “Whack-a-Lew” where at the touch of a button you could punch, kick, tazer and take a baseball bat to a mocked up image of Fidler in a nightcap and pajamas. Some thought the game brought election politics to a new low. Yet others...well, they chuckled a bit.

Most Likely to Be Elevated to a Closing Position: City Councilmember (and Public Advocate-elect) Bill de Blasio (D-Park Slope)

This week de Blasio will be bidding farewell to his constituents to the 39th Council District and preparing for his new job as the city’s Public Advocate.

But we’re wondering, just how long will he be there?

Right now, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and like minded legislators (City Councilmember Felder among them) are whispering about doing away with the city Ombudsman position. If these voices get louder, then de Blasio won’t have to worry about his re-election -- he’ll be worrying about lasting out his first term.

Most vulnerable incumbent to win by a landslide: Joan Millman (D, Carroll Gardens)

Opposition to the election of virtually every overlapping elected in her district, coupled with tremendous population turnover could spell trouble for the former librarian.

Still, one insider thinks reports of her demise might be overblown. “Joan is an anal retentive who’s everywhere and whose office provides good services to its constituents. She has a tremendous reservoir of goodwill, and in the end she has the fervent personal loyalty of so many constituents that I think she won’t be beat.”

But not everyone is sold. “I think Millman’s advantage is that she’s not seen as the dirtiest of the dirty, but she is hardly seen as being effective,” the person said. “Right now, the public is looking at Albany and frowning at two things: that they are bent and useless. She might dodge the first bullet, but if someone puts up a good game she might get taken out because of the second. Millman is often arranging day trips and other activities, but the usual electioneering tactics might fall short this time around,” the person quipped. “There are only so many seniors she can take to see the matinee showing of ‘The Bucket List.’”

Most Likely to Help the Non-Profit Sector: City Councilmember-elect Brad Lander (D-Park Slope)

The newly elected Lander cut his teeth heading the Fifth Avenue Committee (FAC), an organization that once drew the line of gentrification at Park Slope’s Fifth Avenue, but has since rented out their own Fifth Avenue properties and took up cushy new digs off Fourth Avenue. Lander was also at FAC when its offshoot FUREE (Families United for Racial and Economic Equality) was formed, which now is its own entity in Downtown Brooklyn. Lander left FAC to head the non-profit Pratt Center for Community Development, and was also instrumental in helping form Brooklyn Speaks, which was critical of the Atlantic Yards development. Not exactly a pro-business type of guy, expect Lander to champion some of these non-profits and perhaps dole out taxpayer money to them.

Most Likely to Replace Marty Markowitz in four years: City Councilmember Domenic Recchia (D-Coney Island) and State Senator Eric Adams (D-Fort Greene)

Both are ambitious political warriors. Recchia has a strong base in southern Brooklyn while Adams holds the same seat that Borough President Marty Markowitz previously held.

Others to watch for a possible run are State Senator Carl Kruger (D-Mill Basin) and Deputy Borough President Yvonne Graham.

Most Likely to Leave Congress a Freshman: Michael McMahon (D-Bay Ridge)

Democratic Rep. McMahon can claim the distinction of being the Brooklyn pol most likely to face a serious challenge from the borough’s GOP.

While the two-party system is on life support through most of Brooklyn, the neighborhoods represented by McMahon (including Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst and Gravesend on this side of the Narrows, as well as all of Staten Island) are fertile territory for a Republican comeback, and the party is marshalling its forces to take him down,

McMahon, for his part, continues to tread a careful line, trying to win the support of those who usually pull the lever for Republicans by opposing the health care reform bill voted on in the House of Representatives, while maintaining his Democratic base.

Most Likely to Politic His Way to the Top: State Senator Carl Kruger (D-Mill Basin, Sheepshead Bay)

This honor should also be considered the Stratego Award. At the beginning of the year, just when the State Senate was about to run by Democrats for the first time in decades, Kruger and a few of his now infamous amigos held back their votes just to see how much they were worth. They were worth a lot, especially after they threatened to give them to the Republicans.

For his ultimate change of heart back to the Democratic camp, Kruger was named Finance chair, making him the fourth highest paid State Senator in Albany.

Later in the year, he used his newfound clout to calm the Republican coup that two of his amigos -- Pedro Espada and Hiram Monserrate -- sparked.

When asked, Kruger said that he’d rather run to the hills than run for governor. But, really, just how many more deals does he need to make before that can happen?

Most Likely to Get a Time Out: You guessed it, State Senator Kevin Parker (D-Flatbush)

Parker is also being named Class of 2009’s “Most Likely to Strut His Stuff to the Tune from Rocky.”

No stranger to the local police station, Parker – who some years back got into an altercation with a traffic enforcement agent after the agent attempted to ticket Parker’s car – was charged in April with third degree criminal mischief after allegedly attacking a newspaper photographer staking out the family home.

Parker – who also made headlines after a former staffer accused him of smashing her glasses -- already was required to take anger management classes after the 2005 dust-up with the traffic agent. With a court case now pending, Parker’s political future is potentially on the line.

And, finally, the “Democracy, What a Concept” Award goes to: City Council Green Party Candidate Dave Pechefsky

Without his candidacy, this year’s general election in Park Slope’s 39th District would have amounted to little more than a perfunctory purple finger affair with all the excitement and expectation of a Hamid Karzai re-election bid.

That’s why we here on the political beat are lifting a glass of champagne to this stalwart Green Party candidate. Whether he was out tooling around the neighborhood in his pedicab or literally taking his opponents to school, Pechefsky reminded Brooklynites what Democracy really looks like.

Written off, dismissed and marginalized, Pechefsky nevertheless soldiered on and ran an intelligent and thought-provoking campaign that also happened to be lots of fun.

Who knows, there may even be one or two other folks out there inspired to run for office themselves next time out, or maybe pull a lever that isn’t attached to the status quo - now wouldn’t that be a Democratic coup?

While we’re at it, let’s also lift a glass to Republican candidate Joe Nardiello, a GOPer who appeared genuinely interested in exploring some new ideas and not just towing the neoconservative line.

Happy New Year, fellas, and here’s to a 2010 that’s more than just pretend at the polls.

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