The Times-Union reported today that Saratoga County Supervisor Joanne Yepsen (D) may take on State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno (R), while former Saratoga Springs Mayor Valerie Keehn (D) may challenge Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco (R).

From Marv Cermak's column, The Times-Union, January 1. 2008:

"Foes for Bruno, Tedisco? Sen. Joe Bruno and Assemblyman Jim Tedisco are state Legislature Republican heavyweights, but there are rumblings two Saratoga Springs comparative lightweights may challenge the giants."

"Democratic insiders say don't be surprised if the voting machines in November '08 show Joanne Yepsen taking on Bruno and Valerie Keehn matched against Tedisco. While it's still early in the game, there has been talk in this direction."

"Yepsen last November was re-elected to a second term as Saratoga Springs' supervisor. Besides Keehn's Saratoga mayoral defeat after just one term, voters in a referendum rejected her attempt to change the form of city government."

"The two women would be long shots at best. Senate Majority Leader Bruno and Tedisco, Assembly minority leader, have been easy winners in Legislature elections for more than two decades."

"Bruno is legendary in Rensselaer/Saratoga counties, while Tedisco has won big in his Saratoga Springs/Schenectady district."

"Some logic in the pairings is based on Democrat Kirstin Gillibrand's Congressional upset of Republican John Sweeney. Gillibrand waged a strong campaign, but most pundits believe Sweeney beat himself."

While both races do initially appear to be long shots, I personally think that the more winnable of the two seats would be the 110th Assembly District now held by James Tedisco. Tedisco is far less of a legend than Joe Bruno, and he makes little presence outside of the more-populated Schenectady County portion of his district, thus opening the door for a strong Saratoga County Democratic challenger to emerge. Tedisco's district is also quickly moving into the blue column, with big Democratic gains in recent years in several formerly rock-ribbed Republican towns, including Niskayuna, Saratoga Springs, Glenville, and Ballston Spa. Additionally, the Democrats have made substantial gains in voter registration, with a 16,603 voter enrollment gap in 2002 shrinking to a 11,494 voter gap last November.

Bruno's district, meanwhile appears to be more stable in its voting patterns, taking in some of the more conservative suburban swaths of southern Saratoga County, including Clifton Park, Halfmoon, Malta, and Milton, each of which have been void of any real Democratic presence for decades.

Joanne Yepsen would likely be a far more formidable opponent than Valerie Keehn (for either seat), now with two terms of experience serving on the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, whereas Keehn was defeated after serving only one term as the Mayor of Saratoga Springs and continues to be seen as a controversial figure in some local political circles. Additionally, Yepsen  has also proved herself to be a competent, independent voice in Saratoga County, willing to stand up to an old, entrenched political machine dominated by developers, business owners, and special interests. Last year, Yepsen was only one of a handful of county Supervisors to vote against an unpopular, corrupt Republican-backed scheme to bilk taxpayers to help supply water for land-holding developers in northern Saratoga County. Yepsen's strong voice for independence has earned her significant bipartisan support amongst voters in a city which still maintains a slight GOP registration advantage.

Even despite all the controversy generated, DFA activist Valerie Keehn still continues to remain an icon for change in the once-conservative Saratoga Springs and Saratoga County region. During Keehn's term as mayor, she attempted to bring landsweeping changes to the city government, including charter reform, which were quickly resisted and hindered by the well-funded old guard establishment. For once, Keehn wanted to make the Saratoga Springs government work for the people, instead of the special interests which had long dominated the local political agenda. Overall, Keehn represents the type of voice and reform-minded agenda that has long been needed in both branches of the state legislature.

While many scoff at the idea of proposing strong challenges against entrenched members of the state legislature, including some Democrats, we must finally hold our representatives accountable in New York State.  The old boy establishment has had far too much power for too long. In 2006, over 95% of incumbents were re-reelected to the State Senate and Assembly. Where's there any room for accountability if much of our "representation" frequently goes unchallenged? Entrenched, career politicians like Bruno and Tedisco, very much represent the status quo in Albany. If Yepsen and Keehn can run as populists on a strong platform of change, building on a growing resentment of insider politics, perhaps they may just have a chance. However, the only way to achieve success may very well be through extensive grassroots efforts (door to door campaigning, YouTube online advertisements, roadside blogging, etc.)

In 2006, Ralph Nader discussed how progressives achieved success in heavily Republican Morgan County, West Virginia through grassroots outreach efforts:

"...in Morgan County, West Virginia, with a 60% Republican registration advantage, the incumbent for county commissioner was defeated overwhelmingly, by 20 points, by a challenger. She beat him by 20 points. And that was done by person-to-person campaigning, which I think is going to be the way progressives in this country are going to win elections. This is a stunning victory over a Republican machine that ought to be studied, in Morgan County, West Virginia."

(http://www.democracynow.org/2006/11/8/ralph_nader_on_conservative_democrats_corporate)

The big question is now whether after taking on the Saratoga Republican machine, reformers Yepsen and Keehn can now face political powerhouses like Bruno and Tedisco and their moneyed allies without coming out severely battered and bruised.