More on Ball and Congress
Ken Spain from the National Republican Congressional Committee, in an e-mail today, said the committee “doesn’t promise money to anyone.” Spain was getting back to me on the issue of state Assemblyman Greg Ball, R-Carmel, contemplating a run for Congress. Ball, if you recall, is thinking of challenging Rep. John Hall, D-Dover Plains (calling Dr. Seuss . . .).
One factor that would figure in his decision, Ball had said, was a financial commitment from the NRCC. Spain said the committee has spoken with both Ball and Republican Kieran Michael Lalor of Peekskill about the race.
“The NRCC doesn’t promise money to anyone,” Spain wrote. “We make that decision as we draw closer to the election. We’ve talked with Ball as you know and think he would make a good candidate. We have talked with Lalor as well, but we do not pre-primary endorse.”
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Mike, you should have also asked Spain just how much cash on hand the NRCC has on hand to assist the campaign of Ball and other Repub congressional candidates across the country. Last I heard was that they are virtually broke heading into the ‘08 election cycle. With such limited funds available, is Ball a candidate that they would help out financially? It would seem more likely that the incumbent Repub congressfolks would be first in line for any funding.
Ball is up to his old tricks once again, find an avenue to get his name in the paper and gather as much publicity as possible at no cost to his campaign treasury. I have watched Ball and I can tell you, Ball WILL NOT run for Congress. This is a smart move on Ball’s part, but an obvious calculated move. If it is not a press conference on illegals, rt. 22 widening or school taxes (all of which Ball has done nothing about), it will be some topic or issue that he has no ability to do anything about, Ball will milk it for all the press he can get. Ball is very predictable, Ball will run for reelection for his Assembly seat where he may face a republican primary and then (if he wins the primary) a very tough race against a well funded democrat. The democrats have targeted Ball’s seat as a priority this year. Ball will not be running against an easy candidate like the gentlemen who ran against him in last years general election, Ball will run against a candidate who is well funded and has a record of accomplishments.
So they talked with Ball, and think he would be a good candidate, and they also talked with Lalor (who HAS declared,) but they won’t endorse him prior to the primary.
Reading between the lines, I think they don’t have anyone they deem worthy. (Worthy being translatable as able to self-finance a major chunk towards the campaign. Oh yeah, and not being so obviously pro-war…)
Here we go again….Balls ever continuing persuit for the news media. One thing he has accomplished is learning how to stay in the news. Sadly, nothing good to report. Balls empty promises are so boring and voters are tired of hearing the same old news.
Politics on the Hudson, post news on who is running when there is someone good to read about…not the same old ball being tossed around for attention.
The deal is that a Ball vs Lalor primary would be the one side-show the National Republican party does not need. The mood of the country is anti-war and Hall has quite a fair record on veteran’s affairs, decidedly better than Sue Kelly’s ever was. There’s not much that Lalor can go after and Ball, well, he just makes stuff up and has gone after the President directly over immigration and the NRCC shouldn’t take that too kindly.
But if they were going after each other it would a race to the gutter seeing who could wrap themselves tightest in the flag and who served in the military more honorably. Lalor was in Iraq so he’d use that against Ball who spent his Air Force career shining the shoes of his betters. (And there’s still that nagging question of Ball’s mysterious early discharge which I’m sure Lalor would be all over.)
Don’t ask, and Ball won’t tell.
In the end, the primary battle could be rather hostile, pushing both candidates into the reactionary realm of politics, making a Hall win virtually assured and forcing the entire 19th CD into a replay of the vehemently disgusting SOS political machine.
While Ball’s racism, apparent homophobia and xenophobia might play well in Southeast and Patterson, it won’t play well elsewhere and when having to face his record (or, should we say NON record) in Albany, he won’t even be a paper tiger under the crush of the truth he will be more like mist on an August morning.
Lalor’s rantings have fallen on deaf ears so far since he decries the treatment Vet’s are getting an issue which Hall is doing something about (though he does keep running into trouble with Republicans in Congress who keep voting down vet’s spending bills.) So instead Lalor goes after Hall’s friends. As you can see, there’s nothing constructive Lalor has to offer to the district.
Ball vs Lalor. I’d pay to see that battle.
LL
LANE LIMITED – HOW DID BALL GET OUT OF THE MILITARY EARLY? WHAT REGULATIONS PERMIT A ACADEMY GRADUATE NOT TO SERVE HIS COUNTRY? JUST CURIOUS.
I posted this a week or so ago on this blog based on a previous news story and I post it here now…again.
Ball made promises he could never keep. Immigration is a nationwide problem and no matter how much local governments try to deal with it, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT needs to tighten the laws and have staff to follow through on regulations.
Rt. 22 widening has been on and off the table for years. There is again proposals, but it is not going to happen over night with all the government agencies involved. So Ball can not do much on that front either.
School Taxes laws are old and need revisions on how schools are funded. This is not a project of a lone rebel assemblyman but needs Albany government in the Senate and Assembly to come together on reform. There have been many bills from MANY representatives, but they are not getting anywhere. there is no way Ball could ever be the hero on School Tax Reform.
Ball needs to get back to basics of helping the local people on their own local issues. Many of us are tired of Balls same old chants on things that make news but things he CAN NOT CHANGE unless he begins to work with the crew in Albany no matter how difficult it is. He needs to grovel a little to get something done. Throw away his camera for a while and get to work.
Norm says it well. I think Ball will understand soon enough that he is not ready for the big stage and withdraw himself slowly. Ball is now placing a target on his back for a much larger audiences and he can no longer sit back and blame the local’s from his community for not wanting him to rock the boat. Ball’s game will not play well outside of Putnam, Ball is exposing himself for what he is, Ball is a phony who will lie and deceit the public to give false impressions that he is doing things. At the end of the day, Ball has done nothing but make promises.