What passes for Republican leadership

Just how big of a tool is Dean Skelos?

Very.

“… Senate insiders describe GOP leader Dean Skelos as initially “stunned’’ by Cuomo’s action in moving the IDC to the regular Democrats’ side, even though the governor vowed to do just that a month ago in exchange for the WFP’s endorsement.  “Skelos didn’t want to believe what Cuomo was doing.  He didn’t want to face an obvious reality, until last week, when he didn’t have a choice any longer,’’ a longtime Senate Republican told The Post …”

Low Democrat voter turnout

A new poll supports my opinion that there will be low Democrat voter turnout this fall:

“… The Pew Research Center has new numbers out showing what many campaign operatives already know: Republicans are more reliable voters, a major problem for Democrats heading into this fall’s midterms.  Pew breaks down voters into eight different categories, with the most likely to vote being “steadfast conservatives,” “business conservatives” and “solid liberals.” … They’re much more likely to vote than the other Democratic-leaning groups that President Obama built his coalition on …”

This is good news for Rob Astorino, not so much for Governor Cuomo.

Karma visits the Republicans

You knew the GOP/IDC deal in the State Senate wasn’t going to last forever:

“… In a joint statement released Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state Sen. Jeff Klein, Senate co-leader and head of the chamber’s Independent Democratic Conference, announced that the IDC’s five members will end its partnership with Senate Republicans and form a majority coalition with the Senate Democratic Conference after the 2014 elections …”

What’s Dean Skelos’ response?

“… the governor showed a lack of inner strength and character by capitulating to the Working Families Party and the radical left agenda …”

The very same agenda Dean and his LI counterparts were happy to rubber stamp.  This is why one of Rob Astorino’s staffers called Skelos a “prison punk.”

Even better was Mark Grisanti’s response:

“… “I can’t figure it out,” Grisanti said of Cuomo’s off-again, on-again, off-again public rhetoric about Senate Republicans. “It’s kind of a shock to me,” adding he found Cuomo’s involvement in the effort “a bit of a disappointment.” …”

It’s simple: Act like a bitch, get slapped like a bitch.

So, does this mean Republicans are going to run candidates and challenge Democrats?

“… Onondaga County’s Republican Committee is upping its efforts to find a candidate to challenge Sen. David Valesky after news that the breakaway Democrat’s conference plans to partner with Senate Democrats next year …”

No.

“… One of Central New York’s Republican senators said today he thought his party should concentrate on winning other, more competitive state Senate seats rather than the one held by Democratic Sen. David Valesky.  “I’m not interested in doing that,” DeFrancisco, R-Syracuse, said today …”

They’re holding out hope they can cut a deal.

Congresswoman Kathleen Rice

Nassau County D.A. Kathleen Rice won her primary yesterday.  She will face Republican Bruce Blakeman in the fall in the race to succeed Carolyn McCarthy in CD-4As with the Senate Republicans, this race stinks of a backroom deal.

In her 9 terms in Congress McCarthy never once had a serious challenger, despite the fact district demographics indicate it should be one of the more competitive in the country.  A couple of stinkers would be understandable, but nine times in a row?

Now with McCarthy retiring, who do the Republicans put up?  A rich guy with more money than brains who has already tried and failed twice to run for public office.  Rice has plenty of problems (ex. 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) and failed miserably in her run for Attorney General back in ’10.  I believe the GOP could take this seat if they put up a serious, creditable candidate.  That ain’t Blakeman.

Something is rotten in Nassau.  I see Rice walking away with the seat in the fall.

Senate Republicans support Cuomo

I have thought about this for awhile, but it is becoming too obvious: Senate Republicans are supporting Gov. Cuomo for re-election, not Rob Astorino.

I’ll go a step further and say I believe they have a backroom deal to keep themselves in power. Thus far I don’t see any serious Democrat challengers to sitting GOP Senators. I do not believe that is a coincidence.

Legislative Report #18

Legislative Report #18 is now online (pdf).

The state legislature is in recess with no other scheduled session days for the rest of the year.

Astorino’s first ad

Rob Astorino’s first campaign ad. Keeps with the winning-or-losing theme he’s been focusing on.

Primary recommendations

Tuesday is Congressional primary election day.  Some recommendations:

Little Andrew

Great article in the Post, “Our incredible shrinking New York governor“:

“… When the governor won election in 2010, he came to office with powerful prospects.  But now he’s apparently too weak to push through an education tax credit supported by majorities in both chambers of the state Legislature …”

Its Karma.

“… No doubt one big reason for Andrew’s cave-in is that he fears his left flank: the radical Working Families Party — and an obscure leftist professor named Zephyr Teachout, who’s challenging him in the Democratic primary …”

He wouldn’t have had to worry about this except he totally pissed off much of the state with his so-called SAFE Act.  The media won’t acknowledge it, but up until that point he was doing ok.  After that it was all down hill.

This also brings up what utter crap Siena polls are.  If Cuomo really had such good numbers then why can’t he motivate the legislature and why is he caving to the WFP?  I cannot be the only person who has noticed this.

Tkazyik ends campaign

Poughkeepsie Mayor John Tkazyik seems to have gotten the message that he is not going to be the next State Senator from SD-41.  I would like to take some credit for ending his campaign and hopefully his entire political career.

Let’s review some of the fun we’ve had over the years with him: