News Copy, New York

Gingrich Shows Up In New York Again To Endorse: Altschuler Seeks Scozzafava Supporter

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has endorsed Randy Altschuler in the 1st Congressional District on Long Island.

Newt never learns.  Does he?

Nor do the Republicans who crave his cult of personality.

Didn't everyone learn their lesson last year when he endorsed Scozzafava in the 23rd Congressional District.

Poltico covered Newt Gingrich's endorsement of Altschuler.

Gingrich picks sides in N.Y. House primary, again.

I can still remember the House Speaker coming to New York to support Sue Kelly, and saying to Joe DioGuardi, "Joe, don't run."

1996.

Our reply then to Gingrich, "Yes, Mr. Speaker.  I am running."

... And it set off a national divide within the Republican Party.

Coming to a Congressional District near you.  Newt Gingrich.

The man can't get out of the way of himself.

Poor Randy Altschuler, who already is laden with explaining the Green Party, now has to explain the anti-Hoffman (as in, the man who tried to stop Doug Hoffman).

Politico noted that Altschuler has gained ground with Conservatives.

"Altschuler recently picked up steam in the primary field—which at the moment also includes former Securities and Exchange Commission attorney George Demos and state Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick—by capturing the backing of the politically important Conservative Party."

We're not sure if Conservatives will gain ground being in the same rowboat with Newt Gingrich.

Then again, Politico also noted that Altschuler had been the favorite of Suffolk County GOP chairman John LaValle until he had a falling out with the candidate and switched support to Christopher Cox.

The reversal of fortune for Altschuler left many wondering if LaValle's endorsement of Cox was part of a deal involving the state chairman's recruitment of Democratic Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy to run for governor as a Republican.

Both Coxes, father and son, and LaValle and Levy, have denied the quid pro quo.

No.  Choosing Steve Levy over many other Republicans throughout New York State to run for governor has probably done more to hurt Christopher Cox's candidacy.  Such a deal has never made sense.  Cox's son is more a victim of the machinations of a State GOP in search of some common sense -- than a beneficiary of any deal.

But Newt Gingrich showing up like a fireman to help Altschuler is as laughable.

By the way, this race has so many candidates that it is hard to say who will be the spoiler.

GOP Primary Certain In New York's 19th: Nan Hayworth Continues Attacking McFadden

A five candidate Republican primary is forming in New York's 19th Congressional District.

It's not too different from the four candidate candidate in Long Island's 1st and and the two man wrestling match in Brooklyn-Staten Island's 13th.

Congressional candidate Nan Hayworth has a lot of company in this race.

The Mount Kisco native also has a lot to say about one of her opponents, Republican David McFadden from Orange County.

"Mr. McFadden has never voted in a Republican primary, and according to the
New York State Board of Elections, is not a registered Republican.  New York
State law requires that candidates be a member of the party in order to vote
for themselves in a primary.

Mr. McFadden anouncement today leaves me wondering if he is aware of New
York State Election law, and I am also curious if Mr. McFadden has paid the
most recent of several tax liens filed against him by the State of New
York."

-Jay Townsend, spokesperson for Dr. Nan Hayworth

So it looks as if Nan Hayworth isn't angling for the independent vote in this election.

Jay Townsend is her man behind the curtain.  He's an able and successful political consultant.  I have worked with him, for him and he has shown up to help my friends put out a few fires over the years.  Townsend's also good at starting them, both when he worked for Democrats and Republicans, so the body politic here is fascinating.

McFadden's campaign has been patient and so are the other candidates who have felt stung by Hayworth supporters in recent days.  It also seems more than apparent that Hayworth, Inc. is taking aim at taking down News Copy -- killing the messenger -- but we're sorry to report that Bob Fois is not running for Congress.

And I am not working for any candidate in this race, at least not yet (and will disclose if that happens).

It wouldn't make a difference anyway.  This is a free country and I'm free to help or support or ponder or criticize or comment on any candidate I want ... within reason.  No fires being set here though.  Gosh ... I just finished criticizing my friend Rob Astorino in the prior column.  News Copy will never be a mutual admiration society.

News Copy finally caught up with Tom DeChiaro yesterday and enjoyed his candor.  DeChiaro an articulate and civic-minded type who could surprise the Hudson Valley this summer.  Also, Kristia Cavere has begun to aggressively campaign (and raise money) -- and Neil Di Carlo struck most of our counterparts as a gentleman.  All appear ready with access to money.  All appear articulate and willing to put forth a campaign.

I guess the point I am making is that the 19th is steeped in quality candidates.  May the best man or woman win.  There's no need to rush the timetable and voters should be given an adequate chance to meet and hear all of them.  Perhaps it is Hayworth's anxiety to slam the political barn door shut so early that has so many observers nervous.

It would be a shame if negative energy turned what otherwise would be a rousing triumph for Republicans into a gutter battle in the 19th.  But the same scenario is being repeated all over New York, and undoubtedly all over the United States.

Five well-funded Republicans, four pro-life, two from Orange County, two from Putnam County and one from Westchester all want to challenge two-term incumbent Democrat John Hall.

Frankly, it all has started to resemble the pile-on in New York's 20th last year -- that weakened Jim Tedisco's candidacy against Scott Murphy.  It won't be too different from the three-way shooting match in 23rd last year that found a liberal Republican endorsing a Democrat over a Conservative.

Putnam County Tony Scannapieco acknowledged that all political committee chairs have never seen so many eager Republicans stepping to the plate as candidates.  Scannapieco is a wise and weathered chair who knows all about competition in his home county, one of the fastest growing places in New York.

The Putnam chair reminded a crowded in Putnam Valley at that GOP committee's St. Patrick's celebration what happened last year in the 20th and the 23rd.  Scannapieco wasn't shooting down the idea of a primary but he cautioned how critically important it would be for all Republicans to pull behind the nominated and/or eventual candidate in any election -- whether it be for State Senate, Assembly or Congress.

I am paraphrasing but Scannapieco basically said it would be a good idea if GOP candidates played well with others and worked as team players when all was said and done.

Primaries are good and primaries are bad, if handled the wrong way.

The warnings of the 20th and 23rd are still with us -- and must be heeded.

Republicans Tapping Populist Bent: Everyone's "Not A Politician" This Year

Randy Altschuler's newest campaign spot is great.

He had me at "Hello" and so do a lot of other Republican candidates running for the first time.

Can't wait for the classic beach sunset shots out on Suffolk's eastern fork, some nice visual poetry and perhaps a smooth soundtrack.

Don't forget the tea party activists, young and old, out in District 1 driving Congressman Tim Bishop batty.

Maybe some heavy metal too?

But don't push the populist message too far.

Tea party activists are growing weary of Scott Brown clones, especially since Brown ditched them last week.

Altschuler's possibly facing a Republican primary against Christopher Cox (who is wearing the youthful populist theme too) and George Demos.

Altschuler appears to have the edge with Conservatives, so he is holding his own without the "new" tag being painted on him.

However, new can also come across to voters as inexperienced, though it does seem that 2010 will be the year of the anti-politician.

The campaign video gets the message across, though a Republican primary might demand something more hard-hitting.

Just wondering when everyone will get tired of candidates presenting themselves as so new that it gets old.

Everyone's "not a politician" this year.

Out in Distict 1, Altschuler's been out there since last summer getting under incumbent Democrat Tim Bishop's skin.

The tea parties have been out there even longer (Parcbench).

Wanted In New York: Real Republicans And True Conservatives To Run For Congress

Congressional Quarterly mistates the situation in New York with its "surplus" of candidates running for Congress.

In the 19th, for example, the problem is simple.  Nan Hayworth has the money ($519,000) but also the "potential baggage" drawn from extreme pro-abortion ties.

Urban Elephants was a bit more blunt:

NRCC Gives UP ON NY-19 -- Candidate "Unimpressive"

Dan Peterson, the outgoing Manhattan Young Republican Chairman, had heard similiar whispers out of Washington, D.C. that News Copy's sources have been sharing for three weeks now.

Actually, we had heard MUCH worse, not from the NRCC but more direct commentary on the following:

"The NRCC sees Hayworth as a tremendously unimpressive and uninspiring candidate who has not warmed to local party support and is considered too liberal to get the grassroots base excited. The NRCC is now realizing that she was really only taken into consideration because of her wealth and not her ability to network throughout the district..."

The point being that New York better wake up about what constitutes a true Republican candidate, let alone a true conservative candidate.  Peterson was attacked by pro-abortion Republicans in New York City, a common theme these days between Republicans in New York, and precisely what plagued the 23rd last year.

Politico indicated that another rift looms in the 23rd, where Doug Hoffman is not getting Republican support after nearly winning last year as a Conservative!

New York Republican operatives want Will Barclay, who has the credentials and the location and probably looks more like a candidate than Hoffman.  But there's a problem, a systemic one.

"The drawback is that he lost a Republican-held seat in a closely watched 2008 state Senate special election. And the two most recent congressional GOP nominees with backgrounds in the New York Legislature — Scozzafava and state Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, who lost to Democratic Rep. Scott Murphy in another special election last year — have fared poorly."

There is a breed of Republican strategist in New York who suffers from fear and loathing about parts of the Republican platform.  And they keep losing elections (and make a lot of money in the process).

If they were horses, it would be time to shoot some of these RHINO-like consultants.

One can only hope/pray/beg that the usual suspects running campaigns into a politically correct Bermuda Triangle are not given permission again by Dean Skelos to ruin Republican chances in the State Senate.

Congressional Quarterly described the line in the sand as the jockeying for New York's third party endorsements.

Orange County Chairman Bill DeProspo said that for a Republican, running without the Conservative Party endorsement is akin to political suicide. “In the state of New York, if you think you can run for a congressional seat without the Conservative line and without the Independent line, you’re just not paying attention,” he said.

DeProspo himself is indicating a run against Hayworth -- but there are whispers of at least three strong (and well-financed) pro-life Republicans possibly challenging Nan Hayworth to a primary.

For pro-life Republicans, this is not complicated.  For conservative Republicans, this is a relief.  For Republicans who know a real Republican and a true conservative will win in their locales, this is common sense.

In a column entitled, Dede Deja Vu?, Raquel Okyay of Ulster County remembered that it was a liberal State Senator in the 23rd who ambushed Republicans over gay marriage and abortion by endorsing the Democrat over Hoffman in the closing week of the campaign.

"No one could have predicted that the Republican-endorsed candidate Dede Scozzafava would drop out of the race just three days before the election, endorse the Democrat and burn the Republicans, but what happened is more than just a bad turn of events, it is a result of choosing the wrong candidate to begin with. And it appears they are about to make the same mistake in New York’s 19th Congressional District race this year."

It's not just the 19th and the 23rd headed for a primary.

Congressional Quarterly noted how Republicans Michael Grimm, a former FBI agent, and Michael Allegretti, a former aide to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I) are both running for Rep. Michael McMahon’s (D) Staten Island-based 13th district.

Bloomberg aide versus a a Guy Molinari backed F.B.I. agent?  Allegretti is well-liked but in residential Staten Island, Bloomberg versus the former Borough President is a no brainer.  In New York, it's instead going to be a costly primary.

The NRCC has only elevated one New York candidate to contender, Randy Altschuler in the 1st against tea party plagued Democrat Tim Bishop.  But even Altschuler apparently faces a primary against as many as three candidates.

Raquel Okyay's advice to State GOP Chairman Ed Cox in the 19th is simple enough:

a) Look for a candidate that is not a wealthy liberal;
b) Is likable enough to get the support of the tea party and conservative movement; and
c) Is serious about real change in New York and in Washington.

"Mr. Cox – it’s a pop-up, put your glove out and catch the ball!"

Of course, there is the train of thought that competitive Republican primaries will rouse the G.O.P.'s base in this year of tea parties.

Yeah ... tell that to all the donors who will be asked for money ...

 

New York Getting More Attention In Six Congressional Races: Seven Candidates Upgraded By NRCC

The Hotline had listed 28 candidates upgraded by the NRCC to "Young Gun" status a few days ago -- but the expanded list actually has 63 candidates.

The National Republican Congressional Committee's list includes seven challengers from New York in five congressional races expected to be competitive.

News Copy spoke too soon, as did a few of our sources.  Nan Hayworth remains "on the radar" but not elevated to contender.  Hayworth appears on hold for other reasons that sources describe as "potential baggage" and continued negative feedback from party leaders.

Real Clear Politics explained the criteria for the NRCC's "Young Guns" program, who are expected to develop well-organized campaigns to defeat Democratic incumbents.

"These candidates are putting the pieces of a winning campaign in place by meeting the rigorous goals laid out by the Young Guns program and aggressively paving their way toward victory on Election Day," said NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions. "The progress of these candidates is not only a testament to the Young Guns program, it is a sign of the hostile political environment that Democrats have created for themselves."

New York State by the NRCC's evaluation process has no "Young Guns" yet, and only one "contender" (Randy Altschuler in the 1st).

Not to sound sarcastic but the "Young Guns" pecking order seems like a sign of the hostile political environment that Republicans have created for themselves.

Still not upgraded to contender is Staten Island's Mike Grimm, whose robust fundraising and aggressively campaign among Conservatives has turned many a head.  Grimm is "on the radar" in the 13th with Michael Allegretti, joined by Hayworth in the 19th, George Demos in the 1st (still no sign of Christopher Cox), Richard Hanna in Central New York's 24th and Tom Reed in Western New York's winnable 29th.

As for Hayworth's fate, News Copy has identified what sources in D.C. and New York have described as cause for a measurable "conservative backlash" --  but the NRCC is yet to call back with any verification on how real the "potential baggage" might be for the Mount Kisco Republican.

Sadly, sources are hinting that the NRCC may give up on the 19th -- but News Copy suspects New York was never going to get that much help from D.C. in the first place (and many tea party activists helping these candidates have privately expressed that they don't want the NRCC's help).

Still missing from the NRCC's list is the 23rd's Doug Hoffman, who narrowly lost in a three-way race as the Conservative candidate where the Republican candidate became a destructive spoiler in the closing days of that race.