Top Republican Concedes They Are Likely To Lose Key House Seat
In yet another sign of the disarray gripping GOP ranks, a top Republican in New York is now flatly stating that the party is such a mess that they are very likely to lose a key House seat in the state.
The race in question is that wacky contest we've been posting about here regularly -- the battle to take over the open seat of Vito Fossella, who announced his retirement after a personal scandal.
"The overall lay of the land is that the Republican Party in Staten Island is a great big mess," said former Rep. Guy Molinari, an elder statesman among Staten Island Republicans, when I called to check in on the state of the race. "It's shameful and embarrassing to people like myself, who've been active since -- actually decades."
The GOP went through a long and hard search for a candidate, eventually settling on a businessman who died in his sleep shortly thereafter. And they've been on a fruitless search for a new candidates since then.
Molinari said that the Democrats have quickly rallied around Michael McMahon, a New York City Councilor, and conceded that McMahon is in a strong position to win. "I wouldn't jump to that conclusion yet, but I would say this," Molinari said. "Based on the candidates that have surfaced so far, yes, we're going to lose the seat."
Molinari said that the party might eventually rally around Paul Atanasio, a businessman from Brooklyn who he likes quite a lot. But he conceded that some local leaders might not play along with even this choice, so the search for a candidate may continue.
Happiness is . . .
July 7, 2008 6:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Savoring this!
July 7, 2008 6:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is Paul Atanasio the "businessman" from the Gambino family? Just askin...
July 7, 2008 9:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not necessarily in the bag for McMahon. There's going to be a primary and super progressive Steve Harrison is in it to the finish.
July 7, 2008 9:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am so darn worried about personal finances, but after reading this I gave to Obama. I want some hard hitting back at the RNC on these ads, especially the flip-flop and the ass-backwards let's start drilling for oil
Please donate, they will even be happy with $5, thanks.
https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/openconvention2?source=HQblog
July 7, 2008 11:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, here is the this: see above
When you combine McCain's individual war chest with his party's bankroll, it turns out the Republican nominee has about $90 million currently burning a hole in his pocket, while Obama and the DNC weigh in at a relatively paltry $47 million.
July 7, 2008 11:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
What exactly makes this a "Key House Seat?"
I can understand a particular race being key, but what makes a seat "key?"
I ask this without snark. I just haven't been able to figure what is is that makes certain seats key and others, not so much.
July 8, 2008 12:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
"What exactly makes this a "Key House Seat?"
I can understand a particular race being key, but what makes a seat "key?"
I ask this without snark. I just haven't been able to figure what is is that makes certain seats key and others, not so much."
Any seat that might flip from one party to the other is a "key" seat.
Some seats do carry more meaning than others, though. This particular district is the only one that the Republicans hold in New York City. The Democrats would dearly love to sweep them out.
July 8, 2008 12:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
(Organizer B, July 8, 2008 12:18 AM - Splitting Image, July 8, 2008 12:49 AM) Organizer B, Splitting Image gave you a very good answer that I would certainly agree with. For Staten Islanders (Richmond County) there is another dynamic and while space here is limited I will try to give you a gist of it. SI is one borough of NYC but it is geographically cut off from the rest of NYC connected by a bridge and the ferry. At one point SI wanted to break away from NYC to become a separate city and that move was headed by Molinari a GOP party boss that made him a celebrity of sorts. While registered Dems outnumber Reps for about 3 decades the GOP dominated SI politics. Reps held and hold 2 of the 3 city council seats and held several State seats too. In 2006 that started to change (state seats) and an unknown form Brooklyn, named Stephen Harrison, ran against Fossella and while we supported him we knew the odds were against him, however even through he was running against a well entrenched incumbent who out spent him some 10 to 1 Harrison took 43 % of the vote (more than any Democrat ever) in that race and has been continuously campaigning ever since gaining a lot more ground with very little money. Fossella dropped out because of his scandal but before that Harrison was hot on his heels on a number of issues and Fossella was not so solid as he might not admit. But the 2006 results including Harrison’s showing (he debunked several myths including one that said SI voters would never vote for an outsider) pumped a new spirit and energy into the SI Dems. Also, Harrison is a very progressive candidate who some of us (can speak for everyone) want as our representation but also would complement Obama and we also feel that Obama will need all the support he can get to accomplish much quickly. We don’t want him to be only a one-term president. Anyway that is where some of us are coming from.
July 10, 2008 10:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
There are only 6 house seats in repub hands in New York at the moment. It looks like 3 upstate (Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse areas) are going to be tight races and we'll probably pick up at least 2, and the 13th was a sure thing, so if all goes as well for Democrats as it looks to, the repubs will be down to 2 seats out of 29.
July 8, 2008 8:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
We, in the 13th CD (Staten Island and SW Brooklyn), Dems are particularly lucky. We get to vote for an anti-war, non-machine, no-blue-dog candidate, Steve Harrison, who can win the primary and the general.
July 9, 2008 12:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry but I must correct this typo or be hung for arrogance. :)
"Also, Harrison is a very progressive candidate who some of us (can [should read "can't] speak for everyone) want as our representation but also would complement Obama and we also feel that Obama will need all the support he can get to accomplish much quickly.
July 10, 2008 10:53 PM | Reply | Permalink