State GOP Senate Hires Luntz
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- February
- 29
Here’s something we reported in today’s papers:
Senate Republicans are looking for an image makeover after the loss earlier this week of a seat the party has held for more than a century.
In the first sign of a shakeup, the party plans to hire national Republican consultant Frank Luntz to look at how Senate Republicans can redefine themselves as they seek to retain their slim majority.
“I’m taking a look at everybody and everything,” Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, R-Brunswick, Rensselaer County, told an Albany radio station Thursday. “We are going to do a self-inspection.”
The hiring of Luntz, also a Fox News pollster and focus-group guru who has worked with Senate Republicans in the past, may be the beginning of several changes within Republican ranks. Republicans said they are considering hiring other high-profile national strategists.With Democrat Darrel Aubertine’s victory in the race for an open North Country Senate seat Tuesday over GOP opponent Will Barclay, some Republican operatives and leaders said the party needs a new message.
Aubertine’s win lowered the Republican majority to just 32-30 in the Senate. But the majority is just one because Lt. Gov. David Paterson, a Democrat, owns any tie-breaking vote. Republicans have controlled the Senate for every year but one (1965) since 1938.
This entry was posted
on Friday, February 29th, 2008 at 9:26 am by Joseph Spector.
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the senate redefine themselves ? one more election loss and it will be. case closed.
Bruno’s wondering why he lost? Maybe it’s because he’s figured out a way to compete in personal finance with Shelly Silver, and it’s becoming more and more transparent. Maybe it’s also because, under his leadership, the Republicans have begun to tax and spend even more than the Democrats. Blame it on the war, Joe, but don’t expect me to buy it.
IF the Republican senate truly wants to change the message
start with changing the messenger..as long as Joe Bruno is
under federal investigation he has no business being’the
lead dog for what republicans stnad for..He has been
there long enough and it is time to turn the leadership
over to the next generation…then maybe the message
can change and be credible at the same time
RE: State GOP Senate Hires Luntz to help NY GOP Senate
The NY GOP still does not get it.
A pollster is not the full answer to continued losses Statewide.
Going to each and every GOP County Chair and their committees is the answer and conferring about their “County Problems & Concerns.”
No one knows better on what is going on in their counties then those who live in them.
(Actually ….The State Senators and Assemblymen should have known about their problems in their own backyards, but obviously they have no clue…..For these elected officials have “Albany Tunnel Vision”)
Survey of the Chairs I spoke too advise the GOP has turned off all of their County base & grass roots support. One of the reasons the Republicans lost for years now (And recent lost in the 48th) is because voters & grass roots have lost faith in NY GOP Party.
NY GOP have abandoned issues of Less Taxes & Spending and many, many of the Social & 2A issues! Thus, many, many of the supporters in the GOP Counties have walked away.
Many GOP voters continue to pay higher school taxes & property taxes…all this while oil prices affecting those in upstate.
And so, I doubt that anyone they hire (Luntz) will give the serious time needed to travel across this State and conduct the one on one interviews that are required to succeed.
An interesting phenomenon happening with increasing frequency in New York: Democrats winning in GOP-dominated districts.
Last week’s 48th SD win by Democratic Sen. Darrel Aubertine, a pro-life, anti-gay marriage moderate, is the most recent example.
Republicans are now losing to Democratics in upstate New York by running as Social Conservatives. NY GOP deserves to lose its Senate.