Central New York Republican Commitees met last night to endorse their congressional and state legislative candidates.
Ann Marie Buerkle, highly touted by Conservatives, secured the nomination for the 25th Congressional over well-funded Mark Bitz. Conservatives came away disappointed in the 49th State Senate District, where Republican leaders remained undecided between Andrew Russo and Dan Liedka in at least two counties.
Syracuse News 9 reported on former Syracuse Common Councilor Ann Marie Buerkle being endorsed by the Republican Party to run in the 25th district congressional race. Buerkle, an Auburn Native, currently works as an assistant state Attorney General.
News 10 Now reported on the deadlock in the 49th State Senate District between Russo, who has been endorsed by New York State Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long, and Liedka.
The Syracuse Post-Standard reported on what is starting to look like a primary.
"I fully expect to be (the) Republican nominee for the state Senate this November," Fayetteville pianist Andrew Russo said in a statement.
But John DeSpirito III, chairman of the Onondaga County Republican Committee, said initial tallies appear to favor East Syracuse Mayor Dan Liedka.
"As it stands now, it's probably Dan Liedka," DeSpirito said today.
Two days later, it still isn't settled.
Liedka only took Madison County. Russo won Onondaga and Cayuaga county GOP committees. Oneida County hasn't voted yet.
As it stands now, it is Russo -- especially with Conservative committee support and an endorsement of Mike Long where he made it clear that Russo would be run as a candidate in November by his party.
“It’s become very apparent to me that all four counties involved in this in the Conservative Party have closed ranks about Andrew Russo,” state Chairman Michael Long said in a telephone interview this morning. “All three (Republican) candidates are all very good candidates. But I take my signals very clearly: Andrew will be the Conservative Party candidate for the 49th Senate District.”
State Senate insiders and some county chairs have at times seemed liked they were trying to shoe a square into a circle with some races. It partly explains why Republicans lost control of the State Senate and have lost races like last year's 23rd Congressional race.
Ironically, some GOP leaders roused Doug Hoffman's populist rise -- simply by rejecting him -- and News Copy is being told that they are the same characters rejecting Russo.
Republicans aren't learning their lesson. They are due to get spanked again, somewhere in New York State.
Other coverage by the Syracuse Post-Standard noted that Mark Bitz may have been well-funded but Onondaga and Madison County Republicans endorsed the Conservative-backed Buerkle in the 25th. Bitz, who had won Cayuga County, is mulling a primary.
This scenario is being repeated all over the state, a tug-of-war between Republicans over conservative and liberal candidates -- with the Conservative Party often being the tipping point in most of the races.
Given the feelings of tea party activists throughout the state, the breaking point will be conservative issues -- whether moderate and liberal Republicans like this grass-roots movement or not.
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