Posted on 01/27/2009 12:34:16 PM PST by ReagansRaiders
Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco emerged from today's meeting of Republican leaders from the 10 counties that form part of the 20th Congressional District with enough support to declare himself the party's chosen candidate. Tedisco bested former gubernatorial candidate John Faso as well as state Sen. Betty Little for the Republican slot in the upcoming special election to fill the U.S. House seat vacated this week by Kirsten Gillibrand's elevation to the U.S. Senate. Gillibrand was sworn in earlier today.
Tedisco will be running in a majority-Republican district that Gillibrand, a Democrat, won twice.
The Minority Leader will likely be running for Congress as the Legislature's Republicans battle for a place at the table during state budget negotiations.
Gov. David Paterson — who did not invite Tedisco or Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos to this morning's leaders meeting — must issue a proclamation calling for a special election, which will then be held between 30 and 40 days after that. At a press conference this morning, Paterson said that proclamation would come "soon."
An Assemblyman since 1983, Tedisco was elected minority leader in 2005.
Wonder what the chance are of picking up this seat?
Excellent chance. GOP has an 80,000 voter registration advantage in the district. Most GOP district in NY. Gillibrand won by beating John Sweeney in 2006 after it came out police were called to his house on a 911 call for domestic disturbance (and an article he was going to college frat parties and getting drunk.) Even then, Sweeney nearly pulled it off.
Very high.
What Counties does the 20th encompass?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York%27s_20th_congressional_district
I think it’s most, if not all, of Saratoga County, plus bits and pieces of others.
Almost definite...libs who can play conservative like Gillibrand don’t grow on trees around here and Tedisco is a very well known name.
Given that the other candidates have the right to run in the primary, I wonder how much this “endorsement” matters. I don’t mind a primary so long as the losers rally around the winner in the end.
Well if I were a Dem I’d go vote there, but as I am not a I will just follow the law.
Do they have primaries for special elections? They dont in Texas, but I dont know New York law.
And is this guy a conservative? This is a conservative district and we wouldnt want it wasted on a squish.
There is no primary for this special election. Tedisco IS the nominee.
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