[Maelstrom]

"Who's NY's gov?"

Pataki...a liberal Republican. He and Giuliani do not often see eye-to-eye. Neither is particularly conservative.

"What is Rudy's reputation around the nation?"

I know the reality of Rudy. He didn't help Republicans here in NY. He did reduce crime by using an iron fist and incarcerating an unprecedented number of prisoners, and fining anyone else. He isn't blameless for the current NY practice of jailing people who use a firearm in self-defense.

"What's the likelihood that Dems will have to shell out big bucks to defend NY (and Calif., if Arnold's elected)?"

Damn near to zero. I'm pretty sure they'll need less than last election cycle.

You might not realize it but New York is chasing California down the tubes. Actually, I'd say we're a little farther along, but so many people voted with their feet, they're no longer as powerful a state, electorally, as to be noticed.

[zook]

I don't think you can demonstrate that being ideologically pure is going to strengthen the Republican Party. I believe that men like Pataki and Giuliani have contributed greatly to the party. I don't believe that having a big tent is the threat it's made out to be. If that were the case, I can think of a number of relatively conservative Democrats who should have destroyed their party by now.