Republicans lose in NY 23rd District

[Thunder]

This seat has been held by a Republican Congressman for almost 100 years.

Now that the right-wing Republicans demand that only conservative Republicans are worthy of the seat, the proud people of New York State give the seat to a Democrat, by a good margin.

I think the meaning of this moment is very clear: Do not try to stop regional differences in party social values. If you try to tell New York Republicans that they must follow Mississippi or Alabama social values, they will spit in your eye and give the seat to a Democrat instead.

This is an important lesson for both Republicans and Democrats.

RESPECT THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO DECIDE THEIR OWN VALUES

 

[Darth Rotor]

This seat has been held by a Republican Congressman for almost 100 years.

Now that the right-wing Republicans demand that only conservative Republicans are worthy of the seat, the proud people of New York State give the seat to a Democrat, by a good margin.

I think the meaning of this moment is very clear: Do not try to stop regional differences in party social values. If you try to tell New York Republicans that they must follow Mississippi or Alabama social values, they will spit in your eye and give the seat to a Democrat instead.

This is an important lesson for both Republicans and Democrats.

RESPECT THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO DECIDE THEIR OWN VALUES

Excluding the middle of your political argument costs you swing voters.

If you demand adherence to a narrow platform, your argument against your political opponent becomes one of the excluded middle. This opens the middle up for him, at his discretion.

The GOP's decision to only back "true conservatives" is a symptom of what I'll call a self inflicted political wound.

DR

 

[MattusMaximus]

Yup, and it seems like the Tea Party crowd doesn't get it. Via Michelle Malkin, the end says it all...

The GOP elite’s $1 million object lesson — and the message of NY-23

... The GOP leadership knows it cannot afford to rest on its laurels, continue business as usual, and bask in yesterday’s electoral victories without confronting its abysmal abdication of principled conservative leadership in NY-23.

As Hoffman said in his concession speech, “This is only one fight in the battle.”

Onward. Upward. Rightward.

 

[Thunder]

The GOP's decision to only back "true conservatives" is a symptom of what I'll call a self inflicted political wound.
DR

yup...and i hope they keep it up. it will ensure democratic control of this country through 2020.

 

[leftysergeant]

They took a hard right turn into the ditch. I wunder how long it will take them to figure that out.

 

[Cynic]

Has the political makeup of that district changed at all over the years?

 

[wastepanel]

This seat has been held by a Republican Congressman for almost 100 years.

Now that the right-wing Republicans demand that only conservative Republicans are worthy of the seat, the proud people of New York State give the seat to a Democrat, by a good margin.

I think the meaning of this moment is very clear: Do not try to stop regional differences in party social values. If you try to tell New York Republicans that they must follow Mississippi or Alabama social values, they will spit in your eye and give the seat to a Democrat instead.

This is an important lesson for both Republicans and Democrats.

RESPECT THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO DECIDE THEIR OWN VALUES

It may have helped if there was a Republican running for the seat.

The Republican dropped out days ago. This isn't a referrendum on Republicans.

 

[MattusMaximus]

It may have helped if there was a Republican running for the seat.

The Republican dropped out days ago. This isn't a referrendum on Republicans.

Well, rightwing blogger Michelle Malkin seems to disagree with you...

The GOP elite’s $1 million object lesson — and the message of NY-23

... Moreover, NY-23 is a victory for conservatives who refuse to be marginalized in the public square by either the unhinged left or the establishment right. A humble accountant from upstate New York exposed the hypocrisy of GOP leaders trying to solicit funds from conservatives by lambasting Pelosi and the Dems’ support for high taxes, Big Labor, and bigger government — while using conservatives’ money to subsidize a high-taxing, Big Labor-pandering, bigger government radical. The repercussions will be felt well beyond NY-23’s borders. Conservatives’ disgust with the status quo has been heard and felt. They have been silent too long. They will be silent no more.

The GOP leadership knows it cannot afford to rest on its laurels, continue business as usual, and bask in yesterday’s electoral victories without confronting its abysmal abdication of principled conservative leadership in NY-23.

As Hoffman said in his concession speech, “This is only one fight in the battle.”

Onward. Upward. Rightward.

Expect other rightwing talkers like Limbaugh & Beck to pick up on this meme and repeat it, continually & loudly, in the days to come. The Tea Party crowd isn't going away, and that will cause problems for the GOP in 2010. Count on it.

 

[leftysergeant]

The Republican dropped out days ago. This isn't a referrendum on Republicans.

Actually, it is. The Republicans lost because they have become less unified and less organized than the Democrats. We have no time for that now.

 

[wastepanel]

Actually, it is. The Republicans lost because they have become less unified and less organized than the Democrats. We have no time for that now.

The Republicans lost because the candidate dropped out and endorsed the Democratic candidate.

If you would like to say that a moderate political stance can beat a hard right/left approach, then that is a different thing. I give credit to any third party candidate that can make a nice showing.

 

[joobz]

yup...and i hope they keep it up.

I certainly don't. Having one party of a primarily two party system cripple itself in such a way only creates a vastly imbalanced system where the leading party has no obligation to remain loyal to it's constituents or to come up with real innovative policies.

You need the competition between two Viable parties to ensure we get the best out of them.

Certainly watching the Harlem globetrotters play the Washington generals is entertaining, but I wouldn't call it a recipe for making MVPs.

 

[Thunder]

Expect other rightwing talkers like Limbaugh & Beck to pick up on this meme and repeat it, continually & loudly, in the days to come. The Tea Party crowd isn't going away, and that will cause problems for the GOP in 2010. Count on it.

oh...I'm praying for it!!!!!

Palin 2012!!!!

 

[GreyArea]

I'm not so sure you can generalize this case to other states.

New York has had a steady Conservative Party presence on their ballots for years now. Unless it changed recently, third parties there can even endorse major-party candidates and put them on their ballot line (to show the winner where some of their support is coming from).

The more typical situation across the country will be primary challenges in 2010. Then you'll have one or the other kind of Republican running as that party's official candidate, and running against a Democrat. No split votes like in NY-23. (Unless, the far-right candidates who aren't the GOP nominee decide to run anyway.) And no last-minute dropouts (which is very rare, especially for major-party candidates).

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/11/04/election-results-new-york-23rd-district/

I say, get out the popcorn when the primary season starts.

 

[Dr Adequate]

The more typical situation across the country will be primary challenges in 2010. Then you'll have one or the other kind of Republican running as that party's official candidate, and running against a Democrat. No split votes like in NY-23. (Unless, the far-right candidates who aren't the GOP nominee decide to run anyway.)

The Republicans did have a selection process for NY-23, the candidate's name wasn't just drawn out of a hat.

 

[geni]

Has the political makeup of that district changed at all over the years?

Doesn't appear to have been an issue. Owens is a pretty right wing democract.

 

[Ysidro]

The whole story behind this election just cracks me up. You get conservatives trying not to defeat the Democrat contender, but rather to defeat the Republican! You get the GOP nominee dropping out and backing her Democrat opponent, taking away the votes the third-party conservative needed.

But they still think they won because DeDe Socozzafava didn't! And people think there aren't purges going on!?

 

[Thunder]

The whole story behind this election just cracks me up. You get conservatives trying not to defeat the Democrat contender, but rather to defeat the Republican! You get the GOP nominee dropping out and backing her Democrat opponent, taking away the votes the third-party conservative needed.

But they still think they won because DeDe Socozzafava didn't! And people think there aren't purges going on!?

this election was a huge victory for moderates and liberals, and a major slap in the face for conservatives. any other interpretation is pure denial.

 

[Beerina]

The Republicans lost because the candidate dropped out and endorsed the Democratic candidate.

If you would like to say that a moderate political stance can beat a hard right/left approach, then that is a different thing. I give credit to any third party candidate that can make a nice showing.

The independent candidate was, of course, a deliberate slap in the face of the local Republican leaders who picked a very liberal (so they said) official candidate, and by their supersecret 11 person panel.

The Republican, way behind, dropped out and endorsed the Democrat, as a return slap in the face. "If we can't have this seat, nobody can! I'm taking my football and going home!"

I wouldn't read too much Doom and Gloom for the Republicans into it, especially given the larger election night context around the nation. Political infighting split the ticket and caused a loss. Woodrow Wilson can tell you all about the benefits of that.

 

[Thunder]

I wouldn't read too much Doom and Gloom for the Republicans into it,

Doom and gloom? naa

but a very important precedent has been sent...as well as a message.

if you do not allow regional parties to have some diversity on their views, and try to impose a narrow interpretation on social issues...you will end up facing a revolt.

 

[stevea]

Agreed there was no Rep running, but she dropped out b/c she was losing so badly. The candidate was a terrible choice, performed badly and was yanked offstage before the curtain dropped. Yes the Reps lost.

What I find most interesting is that the 3rd party candidate got ~45% of the vote vs 49% for the Dem. Even in a 2 way race against an independent the Dems couldn't break 50%. The Dems can barely squeak out a victory when running against an underfunded 3rd party candidate and with no Republican candidate for competition - that is just pathetic.

Not only did the Reps lose, but the Dems showed how extremely weak they are. Both the major parties should learn a lesson from this.