Another GOP Defeat

Wall St. Journal ^ | April 26, 2009

[Steelfish]

APRIL 27, 2009

Another GOP Defeat

Albany lifers are lousy candidates.

Republicans lost another Congressional race on Friday, as Democratic newcomer Scott Murphy was declared the victor by some 400 votes in the March 31 special House election in New York state. But you wouldn't know it from the response of House Minority Leader John Boehner, who declared that GOP candidate Jim Tedisco "forced the Democratic Party to invest heavily and defend a seat they should have had in the bag."

I-yi-yi.

New York's 20th Congressional district is precisely the kind the GOP will have to win if it wants to regain a majority. It is one of the few Northeast districts where Republicans retain a party registration advantage, and Republican John Sweeney had held it for four terms before Democrat (and recently appointed Senator) Kirsten Gillibrand won in 2006. George W. Bush carried it twice.

Republicans lost because they fielded a poor candidate who ran a lousy campaign. While Mr. Murphy was a fresh face who could plausibly argue he'd assist President Obama's call for change, Republicans picked an Albany careerist who personified more of the same. GOP power broker (and Al D'Amato pal) Joe Mondello rigged the nomination to deny a real contest, thus cutting out the likes of former state Assembly minority leader John Faso.

At one point, Mr. Tedisco had a 20-point lead but squandered it by waffling on the Obama stimulus plan, running anti-Wall Street ads that confused the Republican base, and waiting until the last few days to criticize pro-union "card check" legislation. In other words, Mr. Tedisco betrayed that he wasn't all that different than the other politicians who have made Albany the tax and spend center of America.

[samtheman]

At one point, Mr. Tedisco had a 20-point lead but squandered it by waffling on the Obama stimulus plan, running anti-Wall Street ads that confused the Republican base, and waiting until the last few days to criticize pro-union "card check" legislation. In other words, Mr. Tedisco betrayed that he wasn't all that different than the other politicians who have made Albany the tax and spend center of America.

There's the Evil Party... and then there's the Stupid Party.

[RatsDawg]

“Scott Murphy was declared the victor by some 400 votes in the March 31 special House election in New York state.”

400 votes! I am sure we can pull an Al Franken and find some votes in my trunk!

[Mmogamer]

I guess the military voters got screwed again?

[samtheman]

I guess so.

[VinL]

“Republicans picked an Albany careerist who personified more of the same. GOP power broker (and Al D’Amato pal) Joe Mondello rigged the nomination to deny a real contest...

Mr. Boehner would do better to stop spinning defeat and start looking for candidates who believe in something beyond their own careers.”

******************

Right...don’t hold your breath, my friend. -:)

Vin

[Tanniker Smith]

The sad fact is that NYC and other big cities in the neighboring liberal states passed laws so intolerant of the rich and middle class that so many rich and middle class libs fled to upstate New York.

... where they start passing laws intolerant to the rich and middle class ....

Liberalism: the original recycling program.
hmmmm.... I should make that my sig.

[Leisler]

When faced with clear message or the usual socialist lite Republican message, voters go with the real socialist thing, the Democrats.

[Maelstorm]

I was wrong on this race. I was certain that the absentees would fall for Tedisco but this was close and it sucks to have lost it especially with absentees which shows that the Democrats have not only learned how to leverage absentees but I have a suspicion that they have learned to manipulate not only absentees but same day registrations and contested ballots. This is an improved race for the GOP, the Democrat had held this seat and Obama won this district so to cast this as if it were ever going to be a 20 point victory for Tedisco is not just an overstatement but a misstatement of the facts at hand.

I do believe the GOP failed on the message front. Ambiguity and calculated attacks on wallstreet were stupid. How about some attacks on Washington? The GOP almost got this right but I’m sure if the analysis were performed honestly we’d find that Tedisco lost a lot of those registered Republicans because they just did not turn out to vote which is also what happened to John McCain. A lot of people are soured on both parties but those that are soured the most are soured because of a Republican party that repeatedly disappoints them on the issues they care about. What we have seen is that people are no longer voting for Republicans just because the Democrats are so horrible. If Republicans ran more against Washington and made their positions more clear on fighting for the freedom of the common man they would win more elections and they’d also pick up more libertarian votes.

That said I do think this election does represent a shift towards the GOP and the Democrats would be fools to not be alarmed by how close this race was. It was a virtual split in a District that voted overwhelmingly for the Democrat Gilibrand and went for Obama convincingly. The winds have changed but the GOP has a long way to go. They can continue to be the party of I’m not as bad as the other guy or they can become the party of ideas that won in 1994.

[Cacique]

Totally pointless, excuses, excuses. The fact of the matter is that democrats will stuff ballots everywhere to insure they win. We have athird world election machine where one party that counts the ballots guarantees it will win. I foresee soviet style results just like the elections in Cuba where the pro government candidates get 99.99999% of the vote.

[cradle of freedom]

Same thing has happened in New Hampshire where many Massachusetts residents moved to because the taxes were lower. Guess what? New Hampshire is now Democrat.

[cradle of freedom]

Any Republican voting area should do whatever they can to contain sprawl since large numbers of Democrat state people are moving to fast growing areas in the south and southwest. Those large tracts that build houses by the hundreds are designed to bring people into the area from out of state. Conservatives have to stop sprawl. Preserve our real communities.

[TADSLOS]

When faced with clear message or the usual socialist lite Republican message, voters go with the real socialist thing, the Democrats.

Why go with a cheap imitation when the real deal is there for the same price?

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Don't forget voter fraud. The RATS game plan is to get an election close by cheating using ACORN, etc. and if they can get it close, then demand the recounts until they get ahead.

This is no coincidence both the elections in MN and NY have the same scenario.

This scenario plays out all across the country.

We need prosecutions!!!

[drjimmy]

That said I do think this election does represent a shift towards the GOP and the Democrats would be fools to not be alarmed by how close this race was. It was a virtual split in a District that voted overwhelmingly for the Democrat Gilibrand and went for Obama convincingly.

Talk about misstatement of the facts at hand. Gillibrand won big in her reelection bid this year, but Obama only won with 50.7% of the vote in this district compared to McCain's 47.7%. The voter registration of this district is only 26% Democrat compared to 41% Republican. Yet an unknown Democrat beat a Republican who had represented much of the district for many years in the NYS legislature. Independents are the key to Republican election chances in most states outside the Deep South, and until the party can find a way to get their votes, Democrats will continue to be "alarmed" all the way to the White House and the Capitol.

[Nuc1]

I do believe the GOP failed on the message front.

It's not the "message" it's the fact that our candidates have a crafted "message" rather than real principles or beliefs to espouse, that's the problem. If elected, they tend to vote whichever way the wind blows. And like the dims, the pubbies always have a few that vote their "conscience" whenever libtards need to stop something conservatives favor. These folks usually rotate around so it is never the same one that stops us cold. But we are always stopped cold. Note to pubbies...if you want to win stop sending a "message" and start telling us what you really think. What you really want to do if elected. Our candidates need to tell the truth and then do what they say. The government isn't a welfare scam for lawyers gone bad. Maelstrom, ain't cross with you just the idea of having a "message". It's sooo Dim.

[mono]

I read that the GOP had a 75,000 vote advantage in registration for this district which tracks with the 60/40 split mentioned in this thread. The Dems did not steal 75,000 votes. Many Republicans obviously voted for the Democrat. One poster on another thread said the GOP candidate was picked because it was quote >his turn<. I guess New York Republicans pick their candidates the same way the national GOP leaders pick their candidate for Prez most of the time.

[patriot preacher]

Tedisco was apparently a weak candidate, indicative of a weak Party. That, and it took several weeks for the Dems in NY to manufacture enough fraudlent votes to assure victory.

[ChiMark]

Thank you for the erudite analysis. The Republican candidate
has to work hard for the vote. Anything less than a good conservative platform tends to lose out to the lazy man’s
party. The mentality of entitlement has bcome common
among the young and middle class. That is a hurdle.

Republicans cannot middle of the road themselves into power.
The message must be clear and strong in conservative
ideals and with a little luck this will sway the election.

[Digger]

It will only get worse with no upside for future generations as the commies hvae won. The nation is & will be owned by these scum. Get used to it. You conservatives sat on your ares while these vile bodies took control.