Hate to interrupt the Republican Crack-up, but there is still a bit of work to do.
New York's 19th Congressional District leans red. If we're adept, it's winnable.
This is a guide for 19th CD progressives. If you live in another competitive CD, use this series as a template to take down your own nemesis.
The 19th CD incumbent is Republican Sue Kelly, Republican challenger Jeff Cook. Five Dem gladiators: Judy Aydelott, John Hall, Jim Martorano, Darren Rigger, Ben Shuldiner. According to the Fifty State Strategy, Act Blue and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee no race is blessed with more candidates. Prior posts in this series at OurCongress.org were on 19th CD demographics and Sue Kelly's record.
Line-up after the fold ...
NY 19th CD Candidates
Judy Aydelott, 64 (D), trial lawyer,
web site
- Assets: good start on money raising; former Republican; devoting full time to the campaign; staffed campaign
- Liabilities: former Republican; first run for office
Jeff Cook, 26 (R), Log Cabin’s national field director,
web site
- Assets: swimming against the red tide; calls on GOP to clean house
- Liabilities: core Republican values; first run for office
John Hall, 57 (D), musician, county legislator,
web site
Sue Kelly, 69 (R), florist; 11 years in Washington,
web site
- Assets: incumbency; money; experienced campaigner; staffed campaign
- Liabilities: rubberstamp voting record; support for the war and the deficit; her issues page is solely about pork (Dec. 2005). One project repaves a road repaved last year. Exercise for the reader: multiply Kelly's $37 million of earmarks/pork by 231 Republicans; describe the result in one word.
Jim Martorano, 57 (D), trial lawyer, Yorktown councilman,
web site
- Assets: comprehensive presentation of issues; prior office holder
- Liabilities: late to announce, begin fundraising
Darren Rigger, 36, (D), fundraiser,
web site
- Assets: union association, bread-and-butter issues, full time, staffed campaign
- Liabilities: first run for office
Ben Shuldiner, 28 (D), teacher, principal,
web site
- Assets: energetic; committed to public service; staffed campaign
- Liabilities: first run for office
All of our Democrats take a sharp turn away from the Kelly path on the issues. I would be happier with any one of them as my Congressperson. Not a Joe Lieberman in sight. All our candidates are running clean campaigns. Bravo!
However, there is plenty to do: only two have so far publicly committed to treating the campaign as a full-time job. Except for the formal announcement, none have made much use of the press as yet. (Kelly has several press releases per week, allbeit most crying "oink, oink!") None have put up blogs and none have knock-your-socks-off web sites — Jeff Cook's is the most informative. None have a calendar of public appearances where you might meet the candidate. Well, it's early ...
The November election will pit two candidates with widely divergent views. Will your neighbors even know our candidate's name? They didn't last time.
The September primary, on the other hand, will show who can strike a chord with Democrats, who can build name recognition and rapport. And indirectly, it is very much about who can fundraise. To 19th CD residents: visit the sites, get on their mailing lists (they're not going to spam you; they need you). Ask questions. After you have a handle on who they are, make the plunge; you have the power. This is the stage where your involvement wields the most leverage.
The next post in this series will be on money, appearing later today at OurCongress.org. News of the 19th CD? Write to me, afox (at) rockgardener (dot) com
Not in the 19th? Take this and other linked posts as templates to build your own revolution. In particular, the OurCongress.org link to Kelly's voting record can be easily updated to fit any winger Congressperson.