NY-24: It's Official - Boehlert is retiring!

by CA Pol Junkie

Community

(This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday, Mar. 17, 2006 Friday, Mar. 17, 2006 at 12:46:00pm PST

Sherwood Boehlert announced his retirement from the House today. This is a very swingy district, giving George W. Bush 48% of the vote in 2000.

Three Democrats, including Oneida County District Attorney Michael Acuri, have already announced they will run for the seat. Representative Rahm Emanuel, who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, has said Acuri is one of his key recruits this year. Republicans who have expressed interest in the seat include New York State Senator Ray Meier.

This is suddenly a top-tier race, and one of those must-wins to take back the House. 2006 would be a great time to pull off realignment of historically Republican areas in the Northeast, as more and more people realize today's GOP has abandoned its roots of a generation ago.