Potential Candidate Line Up To Succeed McHugh
Several state lawmakers said today they are considering a run for Rep. John McHugh’s seat after he was tapped Tuesday by President Obama as secretary to the Army.
On the Democratic side, Sen. Darrel Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, Jefferson County, appears to the party’s top potential candidate, and he said he will consider it.
“We haven’t ruled anything out,” Aubertine said, adding he will have to talk to his family.
Asked if he’s concerned that a move to Congress would leave the Democratic majority in the Senate vulnerable since he represents a heavily Republican district, he said, “I’m concerned about my colleagues here, and any decision I make will weigh all those issues.”
As for Republicans, the field seems much bigger: state Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-Rome, said he’s considering a run, saying “It’s been a honor to serve a lot of that area and advocate for that area.”
Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, who represents parts of four counties in the congressional district and Fort Drum, also said she’s interested, saying she hopes for a fair selection process.
Assemblyman Will Barclay, R-Pulaski, Oswego County, said he will also consider it. Even though he lost to Aubertine in a special election for the Senate last year, Barclay said he would still be a viable candidate, perhaps even more so because he’s already known in much of the district.
Franklin County District Attorney Derek Champagne said he’s been approached by many Republicans today and will also consider a run.
One person who is out is Sen. Betty Little, R-Queenbury, Warren County. Although she represents parts of the northern New York district, she said she doesn’t live in the district.
“Creating a base in a district who don’t live in in 6 to 8 weeks is pretty impossible,” she said.
Little is still angry over the selection process for the 20th District race, in which party leaders passed her over for Assemblyman James Tedisco, who lost to Democrat Scott Murphy in March. Many Republicans were miffed that Little, who lives in the 20th District unlike Tedisco, wasn’t chosen.
Little said today she would have won if she was picked instead of Tedisco, and if the GOP would have waited a week before picking Tedisco, polling would have shown that. She and other Republicans today warned that the GOP needs to have a more open selection process this time around.
“The key here is I hoped they learned a lesson,” she said. “They have to win this seat. If they lose this seat, it’s tragic.”
| 
Email This
Advertisements
These birdbrains went ga-ga when Roger Clemens went down there to testify (lie to them) about steroid use in baseball. They shouldered each other out of the way to get his autograph. That’s the quality and mentality of our leadership these days/
Sen. Aubertine will crush any of these potential GOP opponents in that district. Little, Barclay, Champagne, Scozzafava… are you kidding me? Is this really the best we can come up with?
Where’s our brash, young corporate executive turned community guardian? In other words, where’s is our Scott Murphy???
The selection process by the GOP leadership in 20th truly was the triumph of ego over common sense.
Perhaps they’ll wise up this go-round. We are talking about the NY GOP so no guarantee of that either.
TO NY-GOP, another seat will open up soon and you can lose it again.
If the NY-GOP picks State Assemblywoman Deirdre Scozzafava (As small buzz is being made) to replace the Congressman…Then this will mean ANOTHER DEFEAT FOR THE GOP!
Assembly members voted 89 to 52 in favor of the bill (A7732)….Five Sellout Republicans vote and pushed for Gay Marriage.(Joel Miller, Janet Duprey, Teresa Sayward, Dierdre Scozzafava, and Fred Thiele)
Dierdre Scozzafava is a Republican who voted for this bill. (Along with four “I stand for nothing” NY-GOP politicians who did not have to vote for this bill coming from areas they represented)
If I was a Dem Consultant – Here is how I would win this congressional race….
I would run a Blue Collar/DINO/Conservative Democrat against a made out to be RINO/Liberal Republican Dierdre Scozzafava ……Conservatives will sit home and the Dem’s will win again.
It looks as though State Assemblywoman Deirdre Scozzafava is more interested in receiving awards down in New York City then in the Adirondacks.
Jim Kelly – NY Conservative Campaigns (Now on Facebook)
Jim what about the old ronald reagan saying that if you
agree with me 80% of the time you are a good republican
why do you pick out the gay issue and make that the
litmus test..what is he record on what really matters
This is exactly what we talked about before when it was pointed out that Religious Fundamentalism has slipped in and usurped the title of “Conservative” and therefore anyone who supports pro gay legislation cannot be a Conservative.
First the issues are not related. To me the Conservative position is to get government out of peoples lives. Old school and religious right conservatives will argue thats not the case. They want to keep everything like the 50’s regardless of the needless irregularities in the law.
It goes back to Rousseau and Augustine’s whole City of God stuff. Religion has polluted traditional Conservatism and now uses it as a tool for religious propaganda. Isn’t it odd that Conservatives were the original environmentalists yet now it is a screaming Liberal thing to be to care about our world.
Plus remember Reagan also said it was not proper to question another Republican at all. Great Democracy there…
barry goldwater said “you don’t have to be straight to
shoot straight” until conservatives recognize that social
engineering is wrong whether from the left or the right
they will never ever elect anyone in new york
And as the quasi- great philosopher, Frank Zappa said” “When it’s you against the world, bet on the world.”
Is there any reason the Republicans can’t find a candidate who was man enough to serve in uniform? With all the retired army officers and senior NCO’s, there is not a single Reagan Republican who could run and win?