New York Republicans' suicidal strategy

Under the headline "What a Republican Suicide Looks Like," the lead blogger for the national conservative blog RedState writes about the likely candidates in the 23rd Congressional District, Democrat state Sen. Darrel Aubertine (whom he doesn't actually name) and Republican Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava:

"One candidate is pro-life, supports traditional marriage, and is pretty fiscally responsible. The other is pro-abortion, supports gay marriage, and is pretty fiscally reckless. You’d think the first candidate is the Republican and the second is the Democrat. You would be wrong."

Actually, the post considerably understates the unprincipled stupidity of the Republican strategy. Aubertine, a dairy farmer who supports school vouchers, represents a heavily Republican North Country district and is exactly the kind of candidate the GOP should be running. He won his Senate seat in 2007 by defeating a Republican Assembly member, Will Barclay, who was pro-choice and anti-voucher. So now the GOP is picking an even more socially liberal candidate who is certain to lose to Aubertine.

And the most bizarre thing of all is that the Republicans shouldn't want to beat Aubertine for Congress, because if he leaves the Senate they would have a good chance of winning his vacated seat and overturning the Democrats' extremely fragile majority there. Since the GOP currently holds zero statewide offices and controls no legislative chamber, you might think they'd be interested in clawing back some actual power. If they had any sense they would cross-endorse Aubertine, and save their campaign money to support a conservative for the Senate. But if they keep doing what they've been doing, after they lose the congressional race they won't win the Senate seat either, or any other potentially competitive race.

Comments

[grumpyoldman]

After Darrell was shown on the news sitting through the Pledge of Allegiance...his career in the eyes of Northern New York was over. Just another NYC lapdog.

[liberalandproudofit]

I'm a Democrat who worked to get Darrel elected multiple times, and I for one will support Dede because she is the more liberal candidate. We've always considered her a RINO and quite frankly, I think we can turn her like Specter, not that it matters though since the district will be dissolved in 4 years.

[Brian]

First, it's hardly certain that Aubertine will run. He's been publicly ambivalent about it.

If he does, it will be a RINO vs a DINO. Talk about a great illustration why we need really multipartyism.

Though it is nice that the GOP didn't nominate a far right culture warrior, the penchant for which being the reason why they have virtually no Congressmen in New York and none at all in New England. In fact, the only northeastern Republicans in Congress are moderates (Reps. McHugh and King and Sens. Gregg, Snowe and Collins).

[Bob Conner]


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-I think McHugh, King and Gregg are at least
mostly pro-life, while Snowe and Collins are not.


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[Kymberlie R. McGuire]

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