NY-20: Is this for Real?
By Upstate Blue, Section News
Posted on Wed Feb 14, 2007 at 04:56:35 PM EST
Spitzer-style reformer may receive a "rematch" from a recently defeated, semi-reactionary Bushite Republican.
From The Times-Union (Albany), February 14, 2006:
SARATOGA SPRINGS - Former U.S. Rep. John Sweeney plans to meet with a top Saratoga County Republican amid talk that he is considering a rematch with freshman U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand in 2008. "John hasn't talked to me directly, but he would like to sit down with me," Saratoga County Republican Chairman John F. "Jasper" Nolan said. Former GOP gubernatorial candidate John Faso of Kinderhook, former state Secretary of State Alexander "Sandy" Treadwell of Lake Placid, Assemblyman Roy J. McDonald, R-Saratoga, and Richard Wager of Dutchess County, have also been mentioned as possible candidates for the 20th Congressional District, won by Gillibrand, D-Greenport, when she defeated Sweeney in November. "I've told everybody I talked to there are no early commitments. I've made no commitments except to listen to people," Nolan said.(What a joke!) Representative Gillibrand is a reformer, and the record of reform is showing loud and clear. Gillibrand is one of only two federal legislators to post their entire daily schedule online (John Tester being the other), and has also set the absolute record for accessibility, meeting with constituents at local town hall meetings in addition to holding "Congress at your Corner" tours at Price Chopper supermarkets. Besides this, Gillibrand recently led the charges on the floor of the House protesting Bush's increase of 20,000 troops to Iraq. Here's an exerpt of the impressive speach:
"Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong support for this resolution. Last November, the voters of Upstate New York spoke loud and clear in demanding a change of direction in Iraq and I will cast my vote in favor of this resolution to fulfill my duty in representing their will. As a freshman Member of this new Congress I can think of no higher responsibility than to debate the merits of the President's plan to escalate American involvement in this war in Iraq, and I am pleased to see that every Member of Congress has been granted the opportunity to speak on this measure. Today's debate is not about what is best for Democrats or what is best for Republicans - rather it is about what is best for our troops, for our security, and for all Americans - as it should be. I believe that sentiment will be reflected in the bipartisan support this resolution will ultimately receive. As I travel throughout my district holding town hall meetings and Congress at Your Corner events to meet with constituents, I hear a consistent message from the families I represent. They say, Congresswoman, we need a new plan for Iraq. I couldn't agree with their comments more. Unfortunately, the President's plan is not a change of direction - but rather more of the same."The increasingly irrelevant New York State Republican Party is in shambles, and I would suspect that a bruising three or four-way primary is in the works between Bush donor Sandy Treadwell, carpetbagger Richard Wager, wingnut theocrat Betty Little, and oh yes, let's not forget "Congressman Ass-Kicked." Regardless of how blood-red the registration numbers are in this area, I highly doubt the voters of New York's 20th Congressional District will want to turn away a Spitzer-style reformer next year when they see what their obvious alternative is - ultra-conservative, anti-reform, corporatist Bush-Delay-style Repukes by the names of Treadwell, Wager, Little and Sweeney. The bottom line - As more and more continue to meet Gillibrand and support her positive agenda of reform, the less and less they will ever want to go back to supporting the reactionary, right-wing policies that today's GOP has to offer. Now if only we can make some progress in starting to toss out some of the wingnut Repukes that dominate the local political structure throughout the 20th District. It would be nice to see Eastern New York finally move out of the stone ages (for once) and for Gillibrand-Spitzer progressive reforms to start to occur below the congressional level here too. (Perhaps starting with a Democratic majority on the poorly-managed Saratoga County Board of Supervisors)
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