All in all, I think that the New York State Democratic Committee needs to show a much greater committment towards building an adequate party infastructure in Upstate New York. Many of these Upstate areas would vote Democratic far more consistently if the party establishment would actually get its act together and devote far more resources towards this part of the state. Kosiur barely had the resources available to run an effective campaign against the personally wealthy George Amedore, who was able to outraise Kosiur by about 3 to 1.

Another example of the state committee's lack of devotion to Upstate was back in 1998 for the 22nd (now the 20th) Congressional District race when long-term Republican Rep. Gerald Solomon retired in a seat which was narrowly won by Bill Clinton in 1996. Democratic challenger Jean Bordewich was actually leading John Sweeney in early polling after Labor Day, but the state Democratic committee only devoted miniscule resources into the race and John Sweeney ended up winning comfortably in the end. (If the state committee had actually been behind Bordewich to the very end, perhaps there may have never been a "Congressman Kickass")

Living in Saratoga County (slightly to the east of the 105th District), it's so frustrating that in many countywide races, the Democratic slot is constantly empty. This is not the middle of Texas, Kansas, or the bible belt. Saratoga County only gave Bush a 6 point victory margin in 2004 (not much greater than the federal average) - this is an area where Democrats could compete effectively on the local level if the appropriate resources were actually made available by the state committee. To a great degree, it almost feels at times as though the party establishment is constantly writing off winnable legislative seats, as well as local offices in the Upstate region and practically handing them over to the GOP.

Never the less, George Amedore's win in the supposedly "heavily Democratic" 105th Assembly District presents an omnious picture nearby for Kirsten Gillibrand who has to get re-elected in the "heavily Republican" 20th Congressional District in 2008. Will the party establishment be firmly behind her in what's likely to be a bruising battle against GE trust fund multi-millionaire Alexander "Sandy" Treadwell next year? (One can only wonder now)

If we can't hold our own in districts where we have a clear partisan advantage, how are we going to fight battles on turf which favors the other side?