Last year around this time, the New York Conservative Party essentially launched the campaign of Wingnut Wendy Long for US Senate, against Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, at its annual winter meeting in Albany.
Long made a good impression on the most conservative old white men in the state, who endorsed her and helped her win the GOP primary against Congressman Bob Turner.
In the general election, Gillibrand won 72 percent of the vote -- the highest for any statewide politician ever.
But the Conservatives still love Wingnut Wendy, for her ultra-Catholic no-exceptions position on abortion, stated refusal to attend a same-sex wedding, and demonstrated fealty to the far right.
And they want more of her -- she'll be speaking at the Conservatives' confab Sunday (right before Grover Norquist) and their latest newsletter encourages her to get landslided again.
More, below.
The newsletter article, headlined "A Long Run", recalls the thrill that Long generated a year ago:
Conservatives were committed to the one candidate who excelled in January at their conference. Wendy Long’s interview awoke a genuine excitement many had not felt for a long time for a candidate.
Mrs. Long was an indisputable conservative, natural and comfortable with people, and completely at ease with the principles of the conservative movement.
Sure she was essentially unknown, hadn't raised any money, and was the most conservative candidate for US Senate from New York in at least four decades, but she was the 100-percent, non-RINO conservative that the Conservative Party has always wanted, and rarely found, for a major statewide race.
So how could a Conservative champion lose in the worst NY landslide ever?
Mrs. Long traveled the state and encountered great enthusiasm for her
genuine nature, her ability to relate to their problems, and how her years of playing rugby prepared her for the rough and tumble game of politics (!?).
Unfortunately, no preparation can prepare you for the media blackouts of
your events or the catch-22 the lack of media attention brings to a campaign.
Of course, it was all the librul media's fault, for not covering every event attended by a few dozen teabaggers and not treating her press releases as news.
There's a reason the media didn't publish/broadcast much about Long -- she never got within 30 points of Gillibrand in any poll, was an unexpectedly lousy fund-raiser ignored by Rove, DeMint and the Kochs, and clearly had little appeal to voters outside the Republican base.
Not to worry, she's still viable as a future candidate, in the NY Conservative hive mind:
Wendy Long did all she could do with the hand she was dealt. Senator Jim
Buckley did not win his first time out either, but did lay the groundwork for his next run.
We can only hope that someday Wendy Long will once again be willing to make the sacrifices every candidate makes when they run for office.
One thing is certain, if Wendy Long ever decides to run for public office again, she will have a place on our line. Wendy Long is a woman who is honest, understands the issues and understands the Constitution.
Whatever office she might seek, her integrity will be her guide — and we will know she has the drive and determination needed to make the tough decisions that will restore
America and New York to a society that relies on itself, not government.
Wendy Long is one of us.
I don't agree with the Conservative Party on anything but this -- Wingnut Wendy Long should run for office again.
Maybe next time she'll crack 30 percent, but she won't get anywhere near winning.
And that will demonstrate, again, that the NY Conservative Party can't win with their preferred wingnut candidates, and only exist to trade their ballot line for patronage jobs from Republicans.