The Walsh Watch

its done, thank you Syracuse

2008-11-06T19:22:00.003-05:00

We did it. We have a Democratic congressman representing Syracuse.

After Walsh resigned, and the economy (and Bush) imploded, it may have been inevitable that a dem would take the district. But Dan Maffei is not an ordinary politician. What he lacks in charisma, he makes up for in integrity and intelligence. I know this because I literally grew up with the guy at Levy middle school and then Nottingham HS. He is unusually curious and diligent; a good person who people can be proud of as their representative.

Congratulations CNY, and cheers to a new beginning.

Maffei Op Ed

2008-05-22T07:28:00.000-04:00

Part of 'thinking big' is working for U.S. energy independence
By Dan Maffei

...
I am running for Congress because we need change. It's time for new leadership in Washington so we can finally have a real energy policy that fully addresses the root causes of skyrocketing prices and develops solutions that will give us permanent relief at the pump.
My plan takes the power away from Big Oil by taxing their huge windfall profits and eliminating the unconscionable subsidies they receive. It would reinvest the money into alternative and renewable fuels so we can end our dependence on foreign oil. In the long run, a workable and realistic energy policy is the only thing that will ensure affordable energy prices for our middle class and small businesses.
I have challenged my supporters to think big and that's what we need to do on energy. Let's make it a goal to be free from our dependence on foreign oil by 2020. This isn't a Democratic proposal, and it's not a Republican proposal. It's an idea that will benefit all Americans. Not everything we try will work, but if we don't have the courage at least to try, then nothing will change. It certainly seems as if prices are not coming down any time soon if we continue down this path.
...

AFL-CIO endorses Maffei

2008-05-09T06:26:00.000-04:00

"The working people of this community know that because of this endorsement they know that I am the candidate that's going to really create jobs and make sure that there are really good jobs in this area, good jobs that will attract young people, attract new business in the future, that's the key and the earlier that message can be delivered the better,” Maffei said.

video from news10now here

Oaks out - Sweetland In.

2008-05-05T11:28:00.000-04:00

Oaks withdraws, endorses Sweetland for 25th Congressional District
by Mike McAndrew
Monday May 05, 2008, 10:43 AM
Syracuse, NY -- Republican Assemblyman Bob Oaks ended his campaign for Congress this morning and threw his support behind Republican Dale Sweetland, the former Onondaga County Legislature chairman.
Sweetland also picked up the endorsement of the man he hopes to succeed, 10-term incumbent Rep. James Walsh, R-Onondaga.
Appearing at a 10 a.m. news conference at Clinton Square, the three urged Republicans to coalesce behind Sweetland as he takes on a heavily-funded Democratic candidate, Dan Maffei.
Walsh said he has urged two other Republican candidates seeking his job - David Gay and Mark-Paul Serafin - to also withdraw from the race and not force a primary election.

Oaks said his chances of becoming the endorsed candidate for the Republican committees in Onondaga, Wayne, Cayuga and Monroe counties were sliim. He said he considered forcing a primary election, but did not think it was in the party's interest.

Maffei returns donors' $16,000

2008-04-27T09:01:00.002-04:00

Maffei's campaign said it will refund the money to four employees of Upstate Capital Inc., a reverse mortgage lender with headquarters on Basile Rowe in East Syracuse.
...
"We're not waiting," he said. "When we became aware of this, we took action. This is the kind of leader Dan Maffei will be in Congress. When there is something to take care of, he's going to take care of it."
...

meanwhile...

Walsh, meanwhile, disclosed his own financial problems with missing money in his Washington political action committee, COLDPAC.
Walsh reported to the Federal Election Commission last week that $20,000 had been "misappropriated" to his COLDPAC treasurer, Christopher Ward, of Bethesda, Md.

Oaks in...

2008-04-21T14:18:00.000-04:00

CENTRAL NEW YORK -- Assemblyman Robert Oaks adds his name to the race for the 25th Congressional District. The Republican candidate from Wayne County recently filed a statement of candidacy.Oaks has already raised more than $70,000. He will challenge former Onondaga County Legislature Chairman Dale Sweetland for the nomination.

Meanwhile, Democrats are expected to endorse Dan Maffei who lost to longtime Congressman James Walsh in 2006. Walsh is retiring in November.

Also - info on David Gay Here

With an Assist from Darrel

2008-04-19T12:12:00.002-04:00

Locally the Republican Party has complete control over the Independence Party. You have to look long and hard for the last Democrat endorsed by them. In 2007 all 19 of the Republican candidates for County Leg got the Independence endorsement and it went so far that the Chairwoman of the Party was also on Jim Walsh's payroll. So going into this Congressional race, you would think that the Republicans would give their candidate of choice the Independence nod, but not so fast.

Rewind to the Special Election for the 48th Senate District a few months ago. The Oswego Independence Party magically appeared and endorsed Will Barclay, the Jefferson County Independence Party, the only previously constitute IP in the district, responded by endorsing Darrell Aubertine. Under past rules, the Oswego County IP would determine the endorsement because the most votes for Governor cast on the IP line were in the Oswego County portion of the district. A series of court battles ensued, and eventually Barclay was put on the ballot by the courts the night before the election. (Side note: the NYS Dems screwed up the lawsuit by having Aubertine sue rather than an IP member, and since Aubertine wasn't an IP member he had no standing to contest) Anyways in response to all this, the State organization of the IP decided to change rules.

So while just a few months ago the Republicans in Onondaga County could name their candidate for Congress to the IP line, now all endorsements that cross county lines are made by the State Committee. And unless there is a strong force, like Joe Bruno, pushing a candidate, the IP will likely side with the candidate who looks stronger. With Dan massively outraising his opponents who collectively have 0 dollars, and the next filing period not until after petitions have gone out, the IP will be hard pressed not to endorse him. And it is all because of the Darrell Aubertine and the Jefferson County IP. It should also be noted, that Jim Walsh took 7,700 votes on the IP line in 2006 and he won by just 3,400 votes.

Front page today Post Standard

2008-04-17T10:37:00.008-04:00

The four Republicans now seeking their party's nomination reported no fundraising activity.

Maffei has head start in congressional race
by Mark Weiner
Thursday April 17, 2008, 7:35 AM
The Post-StandardDemocratic candidate for the 25th District Congressional seat Dan Maffei.

Maffei has head start in fundraising

2008-04-16T06:33:00.001-04:00

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Dan Maffei has a significant head start when it comes to fundraising for the 25th District Congressional race. To date, the Democrat has raised more than $675,000. In the first three months of this year, his campaign has raised $335,000.Maffei is currently the only candidate who can officially accept donations. Republican candidates Dale Sweetland and Robert Oaks have yet to file a statement of candidacy which would allow them to begin raising money.

McMahon & DeFrancisco... OUT

2008-04-11T06:26:00.001-04:00

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Onondaga County Republicans are slowly thinning the field of potential candidates in the race for their party's nomination for Congress in the 25th District. Syracuse common councilor Ryan McMahon said he will not seek an endorsement.

and from DeFrancisco

"Over the last month or so there's been so much speculation as to who's doing what, and when, and in some cases with whom," the Syracuse Republican joked with a crowd of supporters at what was billed as a volunteer appreciation party at the Maplewood Inn in Salina.
"But I can tell you unequivocally, I've never considered the office of Congress," DeFrancisco said. "The other thing I've never thought about, because I'm much too young and vital, was to retire from this position."

Mahoney implies Sweetland is naive

2008-04-09T06:36:00.003-04:00

Who proposed the gas tax cap in Onondaga County?
Former Legislature Chairman Dale Sweetland, now a candidate for Congress, proposed the cap.
What was he thinking?

Sweetland said that, with gas prices surging to more than $3 a gallon, he wanted to "give people some relief at the pump" and thought a sales tax cap was the way to go. "Gas prices were moving up enormously fast," he said. "People were complaining about it all the time." Sweetland said he also believed it would have been wrong for the county to be getting a windfall of new sales tax revenues as people struggled to fill their tanks.

What made him think the oil companies and service stations would pass the savings on to customers, as opposed to doing what businesses do - charging what the market will bear?
Sweetland said he had spoken to service station operators, who told him they would pass the savings on. However, he said he had no guarantee that they would do so. "Obviously, the county cannot control that," he said. "That was a risk. We knew that. I knew that. But I felt they would not pocket it. And initially, the price did drop a little, but the price of gas is so volatile that it's impossible to know if it ever saved people money."

Would he have voted to lift the cap if he was still a member of the Legislature?
Probably not, because he still thinks there's a chance that it's saving people some money, he said. "I have mixed feelings about it," he said. "I probably would have voted to keep the cap on."
At the same time, he said he does not have strong objections to it being lifted as long as the extra sales tax revenue is used to offset property taxes. Mareane said that's assured because any non-property tax revenue the county receives reduces the money it must collect in property taxes to run county government.

County Executive Joanie Mahoney has a different oppinion...

It is a gimmick," she said. "It has not resulted in savings for our citizens at the pump. The citizens of the county lost out on $20 million."

Is there any way for county government to influence the price of gas?
No, Mahoney said. Gas prices are a factor of a worldwide market, influenced by everything from supply and demand to the war in Iraq, and any attempt by Onondaga County to lower prices, even in a small way, were destined to fail, she said. "It was really idealistic and maybe naive to believe oil companies, wholesalers and retailers would pass the savings on out of the goodness of their hearts," she said.

Dangerous Dozen Open House Seats

2008-04-08T10:01:00.001-04:00

New York's 25th: Republican Rep. Jim Walsh (R) barely beat challenger Dan Maffei (D) last time, and Walsh's decision to retire gives Maffei a clear shot this time in the marginal upstate district. The race for the Republican nomination was scrambled when Peter Cappuccilli Jr., the former director of the New York State Fair, dropped his bid after having a mild stroke. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) won the district by 2 points in 2004.Dangerous Dozen Open House SeatsBy Stuart Rothenberg

Polls, pundits favor Maffei in race for Congress

2008-04-06T07:33:00.001-04:00

And a poll conducted for Syracuse's Democratic Mayor Matt Driscoll, who abandoned the idea of challenging Maffei in a primary, showed Maffei leading against Republican challengers for the seat of retiring Rep. James Walsh, R-Onondaga.
...
The same poll asked about a head-to-head election between Maffei and Republican Randy Wolken, the president of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, who has since dropped out of the race. In that matchup, Maffei led 41 percent to 25 percent, with 34 percent undecided.
here

Sweetland in..

2008-04-03T06:22:00.000-04:00

Dale Sweetland to announce bid for Congress
by Mike McAndrew

Wednesday April 02, 2008, 5:29 PM
Fabius, NY -- Dale Sweetland, the former Onondaga County Legislature chairman, will announce Thursday morning that he will run for the 25th Congressional District seat being vacated by James Walsh, R-Onondaga.
Sweetland, 59, who served in the county Legislature from 1994 to 2007, has scheduled a news conference at 10 a.m. at his home in Fabius.
Sweetland lost a Republican primary to Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney by 21 votes in September. Earlier this year, he was appointed as the Republican director of budget review for the county Legislature.

Gay officially in

2008-04-02T14:53:00.001-04:00

from wtvh 5
A letter from David Gay:
I am writing this letter to inform the citizens of Central New York of my intention to challenge Dan Maffei for the 25th district of New York State in the U.S. House of Representatives.
I am particularly amazed that no one else in this district has stepped forward to contend for the seat on behalf of our beloved Republican Party.
...
more here

Four Repbulicans in?

2008-04-01T06:22:00.000-04:00

Syracuse, New York (WSYR-TV) - Onondaga County GOP Chairman John DeSpirito says he has received four letters of intent from Republicans who want to run for the 25th Congressional District seat.The letters are from:- Dale Sweetland, former nondaga County Legislature Chairman- Bob Oaks, Wayne County Assemblyman-Mark-Paul Serafin, Manlius village trustee- David Gay, coordinator of the Ron Paul presidential campaign in SyracuseDeSpirito says he's expecting one or two more letters and will likely post a deadline within a week.

Is History Going to Repeat Itself?

2008-03-29T13:01:00.002-04:00

In 1987 Jim Walsh narrowly lost the Republican primary for County Executive, in 1988 Jim Walsh won an open seat for Congress.

Now Dale Sweetland is thinking about running for Congress...

Walsh Out - Nancy Larraine Out

2008-03-29T08:03:00.002-04:00

here
He laughed when our reporter asked him about reconsidering retirement this week. No way was the message. The question was prompted by Peter Cappuccilli, the prime Republican candidate, who dropped out of the race for health reasons earlier in the week. That leaves Dan Maffei, the presumed Democratic nominee to replace Jim Walsh, standing alone in the field just now.
There are frantic motions on the sidelines, of course, as there were when Jim announced he won't run again, back in January. Among others, Ryan McMahon, a Syracuse city councilor, raised his hand again, as did Nancy Larraine Hoffmann, who used to be a Republican state senator. Larraine came on fighting (with the Onondaga County GOP chair), saying his remarks were a "throwback to another era." Shortly,
Larraine bowed out.

Bob Novak - NY -25 leaning democratic

2008-03-28T17:20:00.003-04:00

here

Maffei has strong liberal backing and is a skilled campaigner who now has experience. Currently, he is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
...and there are murmurs that the National Republican Congressional Committee
is giving up on this district to focus on stopping losses elsewhere.
In short, any Republican but Walsh would be hard-pressed to win this district, and Maffei is a strong candidate. Maffei is a favorite now, and by the fall, he could be a shoo-in. Leaning Democratic Takeover.

Sweetland in?

2008-03-28T17:09:00.001-04:00

By Megan Tennyson - wtvh

We're following developing news in the race for the 25-th Congressional District.CBS 5 just learned that former Chairman of the Onondaga County Legislature, Dale Sweetland is expected to announce his interested in running. Republicans are scrambling to fill the position after front runner Peter Cappuccilli dropped out of the race for health reasons earlier this week. This is a seat held by long Republican Congressman Jim walsh who announced he is retiring.The republican will face off against Democrat Dan Maffei, he almost beat Walsh two years ago.

Cappuccilli Out

2008-03-26T06:20:00.001-04:00

Syracuse, NY - Peter Cappuccilli Jr., the Republican candidate seeking Rep. Jim Walsh's seat in Congress, withdrew from the race today. Cappuccilli had been the sole Republican candidate for the seat being vacated by the retirement of Walsh, R-Onondaga. Republican Randy Wolken announced March 13 that he was dropping his name from contention, and urged Republicans to unite around Cappuccilli.
Dan Maffei, who came within about 3,400 votes of beating Walsh in 2006, is the sole Democratic candidate in the race. Maffei, reached late tonight, declined comment on Cappuccilli's withdrawal.
The decision came after doctors warned Cappuccilli, 57, about his health, said his campaign spokesman, Kurt Stroman. Cappuccilli recently experienced medical symptons similar to those that accompany a transient ischemic attack, or mini-stroke, Stroman said.
here

Maffei up 12% in poll

2008-03-25T06:22:00.001-04:00

Dan Maffei (D): 41%
Peter Cappuccilli (R): 29%
Undecided: 30%
MoE: ±6.9%

poll here
h/t RochesterTurning

And Then There Were Two....

2008-03-15T20:25:00.002-04:00

Here:

“Keep it aboveboard. This is something where you don't hit below the belt. You might disagree with your opponent or you might disagree with one of the candidates in the race, but you keep the level of discourse high,” said Maffei.
Cappuccilli goes further. He said if the groups supporting him go on the attack, he will ask them to put an end to their activities.

Wolken's out

2008-03-13T18:26:00.001-04:00

"When Mayor Driscoll chose not enter the race, the Democratic Party was united behind a single candidate with significant financial resources," Wolken said. "For a Republican to win in November, we need to quickly unite behind a single candidate."
here

GOP and Wacky Tabacky

2008-03-09T22:47:00.001-04:00

Interesting:

The top boss at the National Republican Congressional Committee conceded Monday that the party faces an uphill fight in the battle to hold onto the seat of retiring Rep. James Walsh.

But by Friday, Republicans in Washington seemed boosted by Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll's announcement that he will not challenge the only announced Democratic candidate for the seat, Dan Maffei, for their party's nomination.

"Frankly it's a bit of relief that the mayor is getting out," said Ken Spain, spokesman for the NRCC in Washington, adding that party officials believe Maffei is "the weaker of the two candidates."
Spain noted that Maffei lost to Walsh by about 3,400 votes in 2006, when Democrats swept a wave of voter discontent to recapture control of Congress.
"If Dan Maffei could not win in the most Democrat-friendly political environment since Watergate, then that should speak volumes about his candidacy," Spain said.

Miner Out

2008-03-09T22:45:00.000-04:00

I seem to be doing this a lot:

Also Friday, Councilor Stephanie Miner, who had considered a primary challenge as well, said she would sit out the race.

And Driscoll is Out

2008-03-07T07:42:00.000-05:00

Here:

A press release sent to CBS5 this morning indicated Mayor Matt Driscoll, after considering a possible congressional bid for the past month, will not enter the race for the 25th district.

The Mayor says it came down to two things: his family and his party. Driscoll adds he was concerned about being away from his family, and also the potential impact a primary would have on the democratic party.

GOP Sees It Slipping Away

2008-03-05T21:18:00.002-05:00

From the D&C Political Blog:

The chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee said Monday that the House seat being vacated by retiring GOP Congressman Jim Walsh of Onondaga will be a tough one for the Republicans to hold on.

"That (finding a GOP candidate) has not sorted itself out as well as we would like," NRCC Chairman Tom Cole told reporters at a breakfast meeting. "An open Republican seat is always a priority seat, but it's a tough seat for us. It's one that has moved away from us rather than toward us."

Hat tip to Rochester Turning.

Oaks Out

2008-03-03T18:44:00.000-05:00

Man, I really wanted him to run:

After careful consideration, New York State Assemblyman Robert Oaks has decided not to run for the seat being vacated by Congressman James Walsh.
Oaks, a Republican from Macedon, Wayne County, had considered a run, but after discussing the matter with his family, friends and other elected officials, as well as members of his party, said he won't enter the race.

Andrews Out

2008-03-01T16:31:00.001-05:00

Here:

Republican Robert Andrews said Friday he has decided against seeking his party's nomination for the 25th Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. James Walsh.
Andrews, 35, vice president of BioAxxis Development Corp., of Baldwinsville, said he will support former state fair Director Peter Cappuccilli in his bid for the party's nomination.

More on Driscoll exploring run at 25th congressional seat

2008-02-26T06:47:00.001-05:00

I think folks here are really excited about Dan Maffei and I think that that's been seen by the support that we've gotten from Monroe County to Wayne County, from elected officials and all across the district,” said Dan Krupnick, Maffei campaign manager.

Democrats say they have a golden opportunity, this year to claim a long-time republican seat in the House of Representatives from Central New York's 25th District. Our Bill Carey says the party may first have to settle a battle over just who its candidate for congress will be.
Another consideration for the mayor, as he considers jumping into the congressional race, is the fact that he may be opposed by one of the more powerful political organizations in the country.
Video here

Walsh has $511G war chest with no war to fight

2008-02-26T06:34:00.001-05:00

Walsh has just completed the most successful fundraising campaign he has ever run in a non-election year, raking in more than $761,000 in 2007. But that was before he decided against running again. Now he is poised to wield new influence on local, state and national politics as he heads toward retirement in the enviable position of having to decide how to give the money away. And he has plenty to spend.
...
Walsh could offer refunds to all who contributed to his campaign in 2007.
He could donate all his remaining campaign account to charitable organizations that qualify under federal codes.

Walsh can make donations to an unlimited number of congressional candidates, including his potential successor. But no single donation may exceed $2,000 per election.
He can spend money to close down his office operations, but those expenses must be completed within six months after retiring from Congress
Walsh could make unlimited transfers to local, state and national committees of any political party. But the money cannot be designated for a particular candidate.
The national political parties may give no more than $5,000 per election to a House candidate or $39,900 per election to a Senate candidate.
Some citizens groups say the campaign finance laws still need to be reformed because they leave plenty of room to buy access.

25th District race draws national spotlight

2008-02-24T08:15:00.001-05:00

So the Post Standard is a little late on this story...

The contest to succeed Walsh in the 25th Congressional District ranks No. 1 out of the 435 races in the House of Representatives, according to Chris Cillizza, a political blogger for The Post. "Rep. Jim Walsh's retirement gives Democrats a chance to continue to consolidate their death grip on the Northeast in the fall," Cillizza wrote, noting that Maffei was running again after almost upsetting Walsh in 2006.
But the ranking was based on the assumption that Democrats won't be weakened by a primary battle between Maffei and Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll.
"It looks like Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll won't run - a classical political Hamlet - and that decision should clear the Democratic field for Maffei," Cillizza wrote in a Feb. 15 post.

Driscoll Polling

2008-02-23T07:30:00.000-05:00

What I am doing is digging down, trying to take the global view of this whole process and the race, understanding everything that comes with it, the needs of my family and my party," the mayor said in an interview. "I still have not made a decision."
Driscoll confirmed he will conduct a poll of the district, but offered few details, saying they were being handled by the exploratory committee.
here

We're #1! We're #1!

2008-02-21T07:49:00.001-05:00

According to The Fix's Friday (from last Friday, oops) Line:

1. New York's 25th district: Rep. Jim Walsh's (R) retirement gives Democrats a chance to continue to consolidate their death grip on the Northeast in the fall. Dan Maffei, a former Congressional staffer, came surprisingly close to beating Walsh in 2006 (the final margin was less than 2,500 votes) and is back again. It looks like Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll (D) won't run -- aclassical political Hamlet -- and that decision should clear the Democratic field for Maffei. A wide variety of Republicans are looking at the race but this is an uphill climb as the Democratic presidential nominee carried in both of the last two elections.

DCCC wont support a Driscoll Run

2008-02-21T06:37:00.000-05:00

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee says if Driscoll does throw his name in the race, they will not support him. They say Maffei is a proven, strong candidate who has raised enough money to kick off a good campaign.

Walken's In

2008-02-20T07:18:00.002-05:00

And he wants to do in Congress what he's done to keep manufacturing jobs in CNY:

Randy Wolken, a Central New York business and civic leader, plans to announce today that he will seek the Republican nomination to run for the congressional seat of retiring Rep. James Walsh.
Wolken, 43, of Syracuse, will become the second Republican to announce his candidacy for the 25th Congressional District seat.
[...]
Wolken, president of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York since 2001, said in an interview Tuesday that he has a diverse background that has prepared him for the job. He will conduct a news conference at 10 a.m. today at the Syracuse Renaissance Hotel, 701 E. Genesee St., to announce his candidacy.

Wolken is In

2008-02-20T06:22:00.000-05:00

Randy Wolken, a Central New York business and civic leader, plans to announce today that he will seek the Republican nomination to run for the congressional seat of retiring Rep. James Walsh. Wolken, 43, of Syracuse, will become the second Republican to announce his candidacy for the 25th Congressional District seat.
http://blog.syracuse.com/news/2008/02/randy_wolken_entering_race_for.html

He's a Giver!

2008-02-18T13:58:00.002-05:00

Petey Cappuccilli given $18,200 in to federal candidates and $9,000 to state and local candidates. Big surprised, all of it has been to Republicans, but I'm sure that won't stop him from representing everyone "equally and fairly".

More on Cappucilli's Announcement

2008-02-18T10:49:00.002-05:00

Blah, blah, blah, meaningless platitudes:

ledging to represent everyone in the district "equally and fairly," former state fair Director Peter Cappuccilli declared himself a candidate Sunday for the seat in Congress being vacated by Rep. James Walsh.
Cappuccilli, whose potential candidacy has been talked about in Republican circles since Walsh, R-Onondaga, announced his intention to retire, made it official at a late afternoon news conference at his Westvale home. His wife, Marilyn, and his children, grandchildren and siblings flanked him as he faced a battery of cameras and microphones.

Watching politics from the sidelines all his life, "there's no question that we need to change," Cappuccilli said. "We need a change where office is held different than in the past, but with the same passion and conviction that we've had from the past."
In the coming months he will discuss the issues "and to articulate clearly my passion for holding office and for representing everyone equally and fairly," he said.

That's not a criticism of Walsh, but a reflection of how he intends to bring his style as state fair director to Washington, D.C., he said.

"I believe that Jim Walsh will never get the full credit he deserves for all he's done and brought back to this district - money, projects - and I'm looking to build upon that with my experience in business and in marketing, to build upon what he's done and to bring a different look on top of what he's already done," Cappuccilli said.

But Petey doesn't sound like he has much fight in him:

Cappuccilli said he expects to be challenged to a primary if Republican Party committees in Onondaga, Cayuga, Wayne and Monroe counties choose him this spring. If he does not win the committees' backing, he said, he'll drop out and endorse their choice.

Cappuccilli's In

2008-02-17T11:55:00.002-05:00

Here:

Former State Fair Director Peter Cappuccilli plans to announce this afternoon he will run for the 25th Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. James Walsh.

In a letter mailed this week to more than 1,000 Republican Party committeemen, Cappuccilli asked them to consider supporting his campaign.
Cappuccilli, 57, of Geddes, who ran the fair for 10 years, will be the first Republican to enter the race.

Randy Wolken, president of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, will likely become the second Republican to enter when he makes an announcement in the coming week. Wolken delivered a letter to party leaders last week expressing his interest in running for the position.

Another interesting part:

Hoffmann, a farmer who remains active in civil rights issues, said she has received several calls from party leaders asking her to consider a run for the vacant seat.

"It seems like a lot of people have been picking up the phone and calling and talking to me while I'm wandering around the far reaches of Central New York," Hoffmann said. "It's a good thing to hear, and I'm going to give it a look."

Does anyone really people party leaders are calling her to ask her to run? I'm not sure she can distinguish "party leaders" from the voices in her head.

Maffei opens new HQ

2008-02-16T22:50:00.000-05:00

http://news10now.com/content/top_stories/110691/maffei-opens-campaign-headquarters/Default.aspx

Mayor waits till march

2008-02-15T06:33:00.000-05:00

Much of the attention following the Walsh decision focused on the mayor of Syracuse and whether he would jump into the race. And, at first, Matt Driscoll spoke of a relatively quick decision. But with Democratic Party committee meetings not due until the spring, Driscoll has extended his timeline.“There's really plenty of time and I intend to take my time, but to listen carefully to people,” said Driscoll. The mayor said he may not be ready to make an announcement until sometime in March.

New Candidate List

2008-02-13T13:35:00.002-05:00

Announced
06 Candidate Dan Maffei-D

About to Announce
Pretty much a big deal Peter Cappucilli-R

Exploring
Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll-D
Syracuse Councilor at Large Stephanie Minor-D
Businessman John Rhodes-D
Rents an Apartment in the City Robert Andrews-R
Albany Status Quo Robert Oaks-R
In charge of keeping Manufacturing in CNY Randy Walken-R
Way too important to debate Dave Valesky Nancy Lorraine Hoffman-R
Mayor of 12 people Dan Liedka-R

Some News

2008-02-13T13:28:00.001-05:00

News 10 looks at the candidates

Bad news for Dan?

Israel stressed that the DCCC will not get involved with candidates until after the September primary, which means Democrats are going to have to slug it out to get the nomination - and the fundraising assistance that comes along with it.

If the Republicans Were Smart

2008-02-10T11:04:00.000-05:00

They would take a good long look at this guy:

Syracuse businessman Robert Andrews, vice president of BioAxxis Development Corp., said he will decide within two weeks whether to run for the Republican nomination.

Andrews, 35, whose Baldwinsville company sells high-tech locks activated by fingerprint identification, has never held elected office - precisely why he says he could be the right person for the job.
"As a relatively young member of our community, I am seeking representatives that are fresh, have new ideas, and are ready to face the current challenges our region and our country are presented with," Andrews said.
"I believe we are seeing a changing of the guard, so to speak, in our area," he said, noting the rise of community groups such as 40 Below and new, young leaders such as Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney. Andrews added, "It is important that we have leaders that can reverse the brain drain and create a fountain of ideas, energy, and optimism."

Andrews, who volunteered to work on Mahoney's campaigns for Syracuse mayor and county executive, joins a list of potential candidates that seems to change daily.

Big Fat Candidate List - Update 4

2008-02-07T20:02:00.000-05:00

Republicans:

Almost Certain
Former State Fair Director Peter Cappuccilli

A Dream Candidate for the Dems
State Senator Michael Nozzolio
State Assemblyman Robert Oaks

Maybe, If Fitzpatrick Doesn't Run
Former Assemblyman Jeff Brown

Exploring It
Former County Legislator Dale Sweetland
East Syracuse Mayor Dan Liedka

Not Saying No
Former City Councilman Rick Guy

Could Run, Not Like They Have a Job
Former State Senate Candidate Tom Dadey
Former State Senator Nancy Lorriane Hoffman

Let's Just Start Naming Names
MACNY Director Randy Walken

Not About to Give Up an Easy Reelection
State Senator John DeFrancisco
County Clerk Ann Ciarpelli

Picked out of Left Field
Former County Legislator Jim DiBlasi
County Comptroller Bob Antonacci
Former City Councilman Rick Guy (who?!)
Walsh CoS and Higher Scorer on the Unintentional Comedy Scale Dan Gage
City Councilman and threatener of frivilous lawsuits Ryan McMahon

The Sleepers
County Legislator Kathy Rapp (married to Bill Rapp, but not that Bill Rapp)
Cicero Town Supervisor Chet Dudzinski

Not Running
Former Mayor Roy Bernardi
Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick
Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks

Found Better Things to Do
County Executive Joanie Mahoney
State Assemblyman Will Barclay
Author/Lawyer/Democrat Tim Green

The Democrats:

Already Running
Dan Maffei

50-50
Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll
Businessman John Rhoades

Looking At It
City Councilwoman Stephanie Miner

Definately Keeping their Albany Cribs
State Senator Dave Valesky
State Assemblyman Bill Mangarelli
State Assemblywoman Joan Christensen
State Assemblyman Al Stirpe

Don't Call It a Comeback, But They Been Gone for Years
Former State Assemblyman and former Member of every Major and Minor Party Joe Nicolette
Former City Councilwoman Kate O'Connell
Former Assemblyman Mike Bragman
Former Mayor Tom Young

Ambitious, But More for the Mayor's Office
Council President Bea Gonzales
City Comptroller Phil LaTessa

Sleepers
State Fair Director Dan O'Hara
Former US Attorney Dan French
Son of the Former Assemblyman Mike Bragman

Maybe if It Was a Few Years from Now
County Legislator Dave Stott
County Legislator Tom Buckel

Feel free to add anyone in the comments you think I'm missing.

PS on Candidate Status

2008-02-07T19:58:00.000-05:00

Fitz out, Brooks out, Cappucilli exploring, Oaks maybe, Liedka looking, Driscoll listening.

Fitzpatrick not going to run

2008-02-06T11:07:00.000-05:00

Here
Syracuse, N.Y. - Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick today announced he will not run for congress this year to replace Jim Walsh in the 25th District.In a two paragraph written statement, Fitzpatrick this morning said he would "remain on the job that has been my life's passion."
Fitzpatrick said he is committed to trying two murder cases this year, and he wanted to see those cases through to completion. He also said he wanted to live up to the commitment he made to his staff."It would be an incredible opportunity to represent the people of Central New York in the Congress of the United States," he wrote. "To fight for their interests on issues as diverse as economic opportunity, health care, securing our borders, fighting terrorism, and so on, would be the dream of a lifetime."

Fitzpatrick also announced he would have no further comment out of respect for other candidates who may wish to run for the congressional seat.
"I sincerely wish them well and remind them that they are seeking to fill some very large shoes," he wrote.

Driscoll's Ear to the Ground

2008-02-06T07:44:00.000-05:00

Here:

Driscoll on running for Congress:
"Right now I am doing a lot listening. Everyone has a take on whether I should run. It's been good just to hear what everyone has to say. I don't want to put a timeframe on making a decision. But it won't be a long, drawn-out decision either."

On the key factors in his decision-making process:

"A lot of it is about family; what's best for them? And the party; what's best for the party? And my responsibilities. A lot of it is family."

So how does the mayor's wife feel about it?
"Patty's been extremely supportive, and has indicated she will be supportive of whatever decision I make. She's walking a tightrope, trying to stay neutral."

Maffei's Fundraising Totals

2008-02-04T07:52:00.000-05:00

Dan Maffei's biggest advantage going into this race is his fundraising so far.

Raised: $170,000

Spent: $45,000

Cash on Hand: $440,000

Primary Cash on Hand: $380,000 (estimate)

Driscoll Has Backers Too

2008-02-02T11:32:00.000-05:00

Here:

“It would be nice having somebody who's been running the city for the last six or seven years to actually be there in the congressional seat. Knows the problems of the cities and what the cities have to face every single day,” said Patrick Hogan, also on the council.

“He knows how to handle government business on a daily basis. In fact, I will credit him with bringing this city back from the brink of financial disaster,” said Common Councilor Van Robinson.

An interesting question to me is, what do the mayoral hopefuls do in Driscoll does get in the race. If Driscoll ends up winning then Bea Gonzales would become Mayor the same way Driscoll became Mayor, so it would be in her best interest to back him. But what about LaTessa and Miner? Do they back Driscoll in hopes that they get his endorsement in the race, do they back Maffei in hopes that it keeps Gonzales from being the incumbent?

Fitzpatrick to Decide Next Week

2008-02-01T19:57:00.000-05:00

I wonder who flipped the bill for this trip?:

Onondaga County District Attorney William J. Fitzpatrick said today he thinks he'll make a decision about running for Congress next week.
Fitzpatrick roamed the halls of the Capitol in Washington this week, only days after Rep. James Walsh, R-Onondaga, announced his plans to retire.

Fitzpatrick had to be in Washington on Tuesday for a meeting of the National District Attorneys Association. The group later met with their representatives at the Capitol.

But Fitzpatrick said he also took advantage of the trip to meet with national Republican Party leaders to talk about his potential candidacy for the 25th Congressional District seat.

22 House Dems from NY Agree

2008-01-31T19:17:00.000-05:00

Congressman Gary Ackerman

Congressman Tim Bishop

Congresswoman Yvette Clarke

Congressman Joe Crowley

Congressman Eliot Engel

Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand

Congressman John Hall

Congressman Brian Higgins

Congressman Maurice Hinchey

Congressman Steve Israel

Congresswoman Nita Lowey

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney

Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy

Congressman Mike McNulty

Congressman Gregory Meeks

Congressman Jerold Nadler

Congressman Charlie Rangel

Congressman Jose Serrano

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter

Congressman Edolphus Towns

Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez

Congressman Anthony Weiner

All endorsed Dan Maffei for Congress yesterday.

PS Hits Fitz Again

2008-01-31T07:34:00.000-05:00

This time on the editorial page:

New York state campaign finance rules are among the most lax and unenforced in the nation. Fitzpatrick didn't report most of this spending, as required by state law, until The Post-Standard inquired about it. Although the DA said he would disclose everything from now on, he's not about to alter his spending practices. "Why would I change?" he asked staff writer John O'Brien. "Because you guys don't like it?"
Now that they can follow the money, donors and prospective constituents might have something to say about it.

Emerging Story Lines

2008-01-30T19:48:00.001-05:00

The press loves to create story lines and cast their coverage to fit within the mold. So far the PS has already started writing the story lines for the two front runners, Dan Maffei and Bill Fitzpatrick.

Bill Fitzpatrick is arrogant and willing to play fast and loose with the rules.

and

Dan Maffei is a one note candidate who's only political stance was, I'm not Jim Walsh.

I'm going to leave the Fitzpatrick on alone, but I want to address the one about Dan Maffei. There are two key points here, first and foremost though, its just not true. Last election, Jim Walsh had a bare bones issues section on his website which failed to include anything about either Iraq or the economy, while on the other hand, Dan had one of the most detailed policy sections of any congressional candidates, check it out. And second, the PS and the rest of the media forced Dan to hit that one note over and over again. The media's constant coverage of the horse race over ideas and policies, leaves candidates with little time to talk and when they do they have to focus on the simplest issue that is going to have the most impact. If the PS wants candidates with ideas, maybe they should give them a forum to talk about them.

The good thing for both the candidates though, the expectations game creates an opportunity to exceed them.

Spitzer on the Sidelines

2008-01-30T18:13:00.000-05:00

Here:

Count Spitzer as one democrat who's steering clear of the debate over a democratic nomination for congress in the 25th district.

[...]

"And I'm not wading in right now. I think there will be enough time to figure out where we go. Obviously, I've seen the headlines and I have good relations with. I know Dan Maffei and I'm a huge fan of the mayor. So, let's just wait and see what happens,” Spitzer said.

Maffei Relaunches, Fitz Takes in on the Chin

2008-01-29T18:56:00.000-05:00

Dan Maffei relaunched his campaign today in an effort to scare away primary competitors:

Democrat Dan Maffei flexed his political muscles Monday, hoping to dissuade other Democrats from thinking about running for Congress for the seat being vacated by Republican incumbent James Walsh.
Democratic Committee chairs from Monroe and Wayne counties, labor union officials and other Democratic politicians threw their support behind Maffei's candidacy for the 25th Congressional District seat at a news conference in East Syracuse.
[...]

Union officials who threw their support behind Maffei included Al Davidoff and Bruce Popper, vice presidents of the politically powerful Service Employees International Union Local 1199 in Syracuse and Rochester, and Rich Oppedisano, president of United Auto Workers Local 1826 and chairman of the region's Working Families Party chapter.

[...]

But other Syracuse-area Democratic politicians were at Maffei's side, including Assemblyman Al Stirpe; county Legislature minority chairman Mark Stanczyk; Syracuse Common Councilors Thomas Seals and Lance Denno; and Fern Whyland, executive director of the Onondaga Democratic Committee.

Dick Case knocks all the candidate, but hits Bill Fitzpatrick the hardest:

Bill Fitzpatrick moved so fast it wasn't hard to figure out if he'd given the idea of trying to be our new congressman some thought ahead of time. Thing is, the district attorney just was re-elected to his fifth term to an office that looks like a lifetime appointment.
Bill's a good chief prosecutor for Onondaga County, but I don't see him as our man in Washington. As a freshman, starting at the bottom? In a situation where it's much more likely Jim will be followed in office by a member of the Democratic majority?

The district attorney's biggest opponent is himself, and the perception by some that his ego gets in the way part of the time. Potential voters need to read John O'Brien's stinging piece in Sunday's Post-Standard about Bill Fitzpatrick's habits when it comes to spending his campaign money.
Especially the last paragraph, at the end of a long recitation of the prosecutor's spreading money around restaurants and golf tournaments, when he declares he's not about to change his habits:
He'll report all of the expenses the law requires, but he won't change the way he spends. Why should he? Fitzy asks. Because you guys (of the press) don't like it?

Picking up the tab for all those steaks and booze makes our man the most generous district attorney in the state.

Sweet, huh?
Can we imagine this guy as our congressperson? Probably not, for several reasons, including his role as Good Times Charlie.

And the Politico gives a look at the state of the NY GOP.

What to Watch For

2008-01-28T21:27:00.000-05:00

Here are the key factors which will be critical over the next few weeks in shaping this race:

The Minor Parties - Despite looking irrelevant in the race County Executive race, the minor parties will have a strong voice. The Independence Committee is owned by the Republican committee so I would expect them to support the establishment choice. But what about the Conservatives, with the seat crossing county lines it falls to the State Party Chair, does Michael Long make a power play and try and force a candidate with strong conservative credentials? The Working Families decision will weigh heavy too, especially since there is a good chance they will put bodies on the ground for this race, it could be a key factor in clearing out the Democratic primary.
The Feb. 15th Filing - Dan Maffei will be the only one reporting since the filing period closed before Walsh's retirement. How much will he have? Well the Maffei people are saying $500,000+, its a big number, but the important breakdown will be primary funds vs. general funds. The more primary funds Dan has, the less likely there will be a challenger, but dollars he can't spend won't make much of a difference.
Was that the first or last piece on Fitzpatrick - Fitzpatrick is the Republican front runner right now, and there are rumblings the establishment is lining up behind him. More stories like Sunday's front pager will convince more Republicans that Fitz isn't inevitable, ones harder hitting than that, and Fitz might not even be a candidate. I keep hearing that employees of the DA are not a happy group, so they could either stick a knife in him or hope this gets rid of him.
Does the Washington Establishment go all out for Maffei - So far everything coming out of Washington is that Dan is the man. From their perspective, he can raise the money, he is a seasoned candidate, and he doesn't bring any baggage to the race. They are looking to avoid a costly and divisive primary (see CE Race). It remains to be seen how much capital they will spend to keep the primary clear.
Self-Funders - We already have one potential one of the Democratic side, and I'm sure there won't be too much more time until one pops up on the Republican side. However self funders seldom win for numerous reasons (Jon Corzine is the exception that proves the rule) , but they can cause a big mess, and unlike typical candidates they don't need a base. If any make an actual try at it, it could really scramble things up.

DCCC Makes Maffei Red to Blue

2008-01-28T07:41:00.000-05:00

This is a big move because it solidifies Dan Maffei's establishment support, last week Louise Slaughter stated that Dan was the candidate of the NY Delegation. It can help in chasing off other opponents, but I'm not sure that it will.

The DCCC announced today that Dan Maffei (NY-25) will immediately be added to the Red to Blue program for open seats following Congressman Jim Walsh's announcement that he would not seek reelection. Democratic congressional candidates running in open seats earned a spot in the competitive program by surpassing demanding fundraising goals and by skillfully showing voters that they stand for change and will represent new priorities when elected to Congress. Maffei is one of only 11 candidates in the first round of the Red to Blue program for open seats and special elections.
"Dan Maffei is widely supported in Central New York, has a strong organization, and a compelling message of change for middle class families. The Red to Blue Program will give Dan the financial and structural edge to be even more competitive this year," said DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen. "Congressman Walsh's retirement makes the district an even stronger pick up opportunity for Democrats."

The Red to Blue program highlights top Democratic campaigns across the country, and offers them financial, communications, and strategic support. The program introduces Democratic supporters to new, competitive candidates in order to help expand the fundraising base for these campaigns.

Fitzy Gets Body Slammed

2008-01-27T11:21:00.000-05:00

The PS nailed Bill Fitzpatrick on the front page today, the article itself isn't too damaging, but it creates a story line. Its the initial salvo in painting Fitzy as playing close to the ethical edge, and after the opposition researchers go to work on him, you'll be seeing a lot more stories like this. An early drip, drip, drip of this stuff might be what chases him out of the race.

The PS also had a story updating on where people stand in the Rep primary.

News Today

2008-01-26T10:47:00.000-05:00

Potential Democratic Primary:

Immediately, Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll said he is thinking seriously about whether to run for the seat. Even one of Maffei's supporters, businessman John H. Rhodes of Fayetteville, told The Post-Standard that he may seek the Democratic nomination and is forming an exploratory committee.

Conservative Party, blah blah blah:

Michael Long, the Conservatives' state chairman, said Walsh told him last year - as they were hashing out differences of opinion - that he still had not made up his mind whether to run.

"Which sort of set off a signal to me," Long said. "It was a close race last time, so that might have entered into his thinking. I think you have to ask the congressman how and why he made his decision. I think he probably started to weigh those factors and whether or not it had anything to do with it, I don't know."

Walsh and Bush riding off into the sunset together:

They spoke for three or four minutes, Walsh said. President Bush wished him well in retirement and told Walsh it had been a pleasure to work with him.

Walsh said he invited the president to Central New York to go fishing for smallmouth bass; Bush said he would consider it in the future.

"It was odd," Walsh said of the conversation. "Usually, when a president called me, it was because he wanted something. It was a friendly, casual call. He said something about how we're going to go out together."

Paloma Capanna Predicts a tougher race without Walsh:

"One of the things Dan and I used to talk about was how one of the worst things that could happen would be for Walsh to retire," Capanna said. "One thing we agreed on was that sometimes we seemed to be the only ones who understood a different candidate would be harder to beat. The new person wouldn't have a federal record to criticize, you wouldn't have a Bush administration connection, and you wouldn't be running against a candidate that's been worn out by working in D.C. in its current state of dysfunction."

Paloma is running for Senate against a long time incumbent, throw her some scratch.

Walsh's Son not running and not a Republican:

"I'm registered to vote and I do vote, but for a variety of reasons I have decided not to affiliate with a party at this time," Walsh said. "If I ever decide to run for office, I'll have to decide. But right now, particularly working for an organization that deals with people from across the political spectrum, I think I can be more effective as a non-enrolled voter."

PS on Who's Interested

2008-01-25T18:39:00.000-05:00

Here:

Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick and former State Fair Director Peter Cappuccilli said Thursday they would almost certainly compete to be the Republican candidate for the suddenly open 25th House seat.

[...]

Thinking about it are Democratic Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll and Republicans such as Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks, former Onondaga County Legislature Chairman Dale Sweetland and former state Sen. Nancy Larraine Hoffmann.

Walsh Leaving Syracuse after retirement

2008-01-25T15:40:00.000-05:00

"A lot of my friends are gone," Walsh said.Still, Walsh said he leaves without any sense of bitterness or disappointment."This job has been fun, and it's been amazing," he said. "All I can do is thank the people of my district. Without their faith, I couldn't have done anything."
Walsh said he hoped to find work in New York or Washington, D.C., after he leaves office

Recently Mentioned Candidates

2008-01-24T15:46:00.000-05:00

I'm going to run down some of the more recent candidates mentioned I didn't cover in the past, and put together a full list later tonight.

Reps:

Maggie Brooks - She's the Monroe County Executive, she just ran unopposed as well. I think she is highly unlikely to be a candidate, Monroe County represents too little of the district. On top of that, she'd be a dream candidate for the Democrats, the simple fact is that no one who isn't from Onondaga County can win this election.

Dan Gage - Hahahahahahaha

Jim Diblasi - I know he represented a Democratic district in the Legislature, but since when is losing your seat qualification to run for higher office? He doesn't have the support or the ability to raise the money.

Kathy Rapp - Here is an interesting pick, she doesn't have much heft in the policy department, but she's a sleeper. First, we know women can be very effective in a Republican primary matched against a just a male (see Hoffman and Mahoney), but in 4 or 5 way primary as the only woman, watch out. I question whether she could raise the money or handle a tough campaign though.

Ryan McMahon - Me and Ryan have a history, and if he were to get in the race, definitely a future. He's a lightweight though, he could never muster the support or raise the money, and even if he could, he doesn't have it in him for a real fight.

Rick Guy - Who?!

Peter Cappuccilli - Think stereotypical Republican. His opting out of the County Executive race says a lot. He used to be considered a rising star.

Bob Antonacci - He ran the worst political ads I have ever seen this fall. But he just got elected, I would highly doubt he'd get in the race. However if he does, I sure hope he uses the same firm which made his ads.

Democrats:

Dan French - Interesting name, his present job as a lobbyist isn't going to do him any favors, but US Attorney always looks good on a resume and I've heard nothing but good things about him.

And here's another article on the retirement.

Walsh announcement at 2:30

2008-01-24T12:01:00.000-05:00

Rep. Jim Walsh said today he plans to retire from Congress at the end of his term in January 2009, ending a 20-year career in the House of Representatives. It's time to go," Walsh said in an interview this morning with The Post-Standard.
Walsh plans to make a formal announcement at a news conference in his Syracuse office at 2:30 p.m. today.
articles here
here
and here

Walsh to Throw in the Towel?

2008-01-24T07:57:00.000-05:00

I drect you back to the posts I made right after the 2006 election, speculating on potential candidates.

Here is the Republicans.

And here are the Democrats.

My bet for the Republicans is Bill Fitzpatrick since Joanie Mahoney and Tim Green no longer look like Republican candidates for Congress. But there will be a massive scramble.

For the Democrats, I don't think Dan Maffei will have the easy path he once did.

Jim Walsh to retire

2008-01-24T06:27:00.000-05:00

(The Politico) Republican Rep. Jim Walsh of New York is expected to announce his retirement soon, according to a GOP aide familiar with the decision, giving Democrats another pick-up opportunity following a wave of Republican retirements this cycle. The veteran appropriator had a tough reelection fight in 2006 and was expected to face another challenge in the fall. It marks another surprise retirement for the GOP. Moderates Republicans have been particularly depleted in recent years, both through retirements and losses in the 2006 midterm. As a result, House Republicans have adopted a more conservative thrust during the 110th Congress.Walsh's office could not be reached for comment.Walsh was first elected to the House in 1988. Walsh's father, William Walsh, was mayor of Syracuse during the 1960s, followed by three terms in the House.

Walsh's Whip

2007-12-18T16:37:00.000-05:00

From the Rochester D & C:

Three of the Rochester area's five members of Congress are among a minority of House members who use taxpayer-funded accounts to lease vehicles in their districts.
Reps. Tom Reynolds, R-Clarence, Erie County; Louise Slaughter, D-Fairport; and Jim Walsh, R-Onondaga, Onondaga County, lease cars at $400 to $800 a month, according to a review of House records. The area's other House members, Reps. Randy Kuhl, R-Hammondsport, Steuben County, and Mike Arcuri, D-Utica, do not lease vehicles.
[...]
Walsh spends about $400 per month on a 2005 Jeep.

Interestingly the two who don't rent cars, Randy Kuhl and Mike Arcuri have significantly larger districts than Walsh (also Reynolds and Louise Slaughter). The 25th has an area of 1,619 sq miles, while Kuhl's district is 5,660 sq miles and Arcuri's district is 6,163 sq miles. Our money well spent as usual.

Jim Walsh Loves Torture

2007-12-16T12:30:00.001-05:00

After his announcement that he loves waterboarding, it should come as no surprise that he voted against a bill outlawing waterboarding.

Now Jim Walsh has became the target of an unsavory practice himself:

It didn't take long after a vote Thursday for opponents of Rep. James Walsh, R-Onondaga, to accuse him of approving of torture.

The House of Representatives narrowly passed an intelligence bill Thursday that bans the CIA from using harsh interrogation tactics such as waterboarding and mock executions.

The measure, which President Bush has threatened to veto, was approved 222-199. Two local representatives - Walsh and Rep. John McHugh, R-Pierrepont Manor - followed party lines and voted against the bill. Rep. Michael Arcuri, D-Utica, voted for the measure.
Almost immediately, an independent political group began making automated phone calls in Walsh's 25th Congressional District, accusing him of allowing the CIA to use torture tactics.

Walsh's torture vote

2007-12-16T12:30:00.000-05:00

It didn't take long after a vote Thursday for opponents of Rep. James Walsh, R-Onondaga, to accuse him of approving of torture.
The House of Representatives narrowly passed an intelligence bill Thursday that bans the CIA from using harsh interrogation tactics such as waterboarding and mock executions. The measure, which President Bush has threatened to veto, was approved 222-199. Two local representatives - Walsh and Rep. John McHugh, R-Pierrepont Manor - followed party lines and voted against the bill. Rep. Michael Arcuri, D-Utica, voted for the measure.
...

When Right Wing Crazies Attack

2007-12-09T19:45:00.000-05:00

Kids lose:

Democratic congressional candidate Dan Maffei has resigned from an advisory committee for Kids Win, a program run by Catholic Charities, after some criticism of his support for abortion rights.

[...]

"I joined Kids Win a year ago because I believe in its cause of helping our community's children master literacy and healthy lives," he wrote. "I have always strongly supported that cause and I always will."

But now his support for Kids Win and its mission will come from outside the committee, Maffei said, after noting that his "deeply held belief on another issue - the profound issue of a woman's right to choose - has distracted some from these goals."
Maffei made his decision after seeing critical letters to the editor in The Post-Standard, suggesting he should not be allowed to serve on the committee because of his abortion stand, said campaign manager Dan Krupnick.

This situation is embarassing, Dan Maffei was working with a charity to give back to the community and help children, but some cheap, petty ideologues were willing to politicize it.

Walsh Votes Against Energy Bill

2007-12-06T21:34:00.000-05:00

Whose side is Jim Walsh on, yours or Big Oils?

This should give you a good idea.

Here is what the bill would do:

The bill would roll back $13.5 billion in tax breaks enjoyed by the five largest U.S. oil companies with the money to be used for tax incentives for development of renewable energy, including cellulosic ethanol from grasses and wood chips and biodiesel, and to spur energy efficiency programs and conservation.

So focusing on 21st Century solutions or more of the same from Big Oil, not a tough call where Mr. Walsh falls.

Do Not Robocall

2007-12-06T21:17:00.000-05:00

Remember the last minute Robocall nonsense that may be the reason Jim Walsh is still in Congress?

Well Congress is starting to do something about them:

The House Administration Subcommittee on Elections is considering whether political dial-a-voter messages ought to abide by the same do-not-call-list limits as commercial telemarketers. Lawmakers are concerned that some groups are using the calls to deliberately mislead voters and that the abuse could depress voter turnout.

[...]

The legislation “does not prohibit automated phone calls, but it gives Americans the right to choose not to receive them, just as they would any other solicitation,” Altmire said. “Why should political campaigns be specifically carved out from the do-not-call list when businesses across the country are required to abide by it?”

While it won't outlaw it, what it would do is make them significantly less effective and thus destroying the effectiveness and ruining the demand for them.

Retirement Rumors

2007-12-03T19:23:00.000-05:00

From The Fix's Friday Line:

[A]s more and more Republican members of Congress head into retirement, it makes it far easier for other Congressman only considering retirement to walk away. It's a lot easier to be the 18th man (or woman) off the ship than the second or third. Among those to keep an eye on in the coming months are Reps. Mike Castle (Del.), Bill Young (Fla.), Jim Walsh (N.Y.) and Tom Davis (Va.). All could face far tougher re-election fights than they are used to and might decide retirement is the more attractive option.

Jim Walsh: On Broadway

2007-12-02T14:23:00.000-05:00

Fancy:

Broadway's theater owners and producers settled a 19-day strike with stagehands on Wednesday night, allowing the show to go on for Walsh's $2,500-per-person weekend in New York City.

Invitees were to be treated to performances of "Xanadu," which was not affected by the strike, and "Curtains," a musical comedy that had been darkened during the walkout, according to the Walsh campaign.
Before the first show Friday, donors were invited to a reception and dinner with Walsh at the New York City restaurant Baldoria. Saturday's schedule included a Broadway matinee followed by a dinner with Walsh, R-Onondaga, at the Nasdaq headquarters.

Walsh Touts Ineffectiveness

2007-11-30T17:45:00.000-05:00

Even Walsh understands how ineffective he is in Washington:

"It took me nine years to get one bill passed."

Walsh says Waterboarding is not torture

2007-11-30T06:50:00.000-05:00

LaFayette resident John Freie asked Walsh whether he thought waterboarding is a
form of torture. Walsh said no. Waterboarding is a controversial interrogation technique. Some are trying to ban its use by U.S. personnel because it makes the people being questioned feel like they're drowning. "From what I know of it, and I haven't seen it or experienced it, I don't believe it is (torture)," Walsh said. "It is right on the margin."

Walsh Town Hall Tonight

2007-11-29T12:38:00.000-05:00

Info:

[Walsh] will host a public meeting with an open forum for constituents at 7 p.m. today at C. Grant Grimshaw School, 5957 Route 20 West, in LaFayette.

The first hour of the meeting will be an open discussion, followed by a question-and-answer period. After the discussion period, Walsh and his staff will meet individually with those who have questions or comments.

Walsh's Candidate for President pt 2

2007-11-28T22:24:00.000-05:00

As New York mayor, Rudy Giuliani billed obscure city agencies for tens of thousands of dollars in security expenses amassed during the time when he was beginning an extramarital relationship with future wife Judith Nathan in the Hamptons, according to previously undisclosed government records.

The documents, obtained by Politico under New York’s Freedom of Information Law, show that the mayoral costs had nothing to do with the functions of the little-known city offices that defrayed his tabs, including agencies responsible for regulating loft apartments, aiding the disabled and providing lawyers for indigent defendants.

Exactly what we need more of in Washington...

Walsh's Candidate for President

2007-11-27T19:38:00.001-05:00

A little tidbit from the guy Walsh endorsed and had come to town to raise money:

Rudy Giuliani said yesterday he "never had any doubt" that if he were President four years ago, he would have invaded Iraq. He said he is now "even more certain" that it was the correct national security move.

I wonder if Mr. Walsh would have any comment on this...

The Stink of Desperation

2007-11-24T15:03:00.000-05:00

Here:

Members of the Onondaga County Conservative Party met with Rep. James Walsh Tuesday night and said it was one of the best meetings they've had with a congressman in decades.

That doesn't mean Walsh will get their endorsement.

Conservative Party members will put off deciding who they'll support in the 2008 election for at least four months
"We haven't set up our interviews at all," party Chairman Austin Olmsted said. "We won't start interviewing until March or April.
"I am more than pleased, I am totally delighted" with how the meeting went, Olmsted continued. "That doesn't constitute support or a lack of support. It constitutes great communication."

So any guess on what Jim Walsh has promised them, maybe a cushy job on his campaign payroll like how he bought the Independence Party chair in Onondaga County?

Mistaken Headlines, Misleading Articles

2007-11-20T22:32:00.000-05:00

So today the Sub-Standard took a look at the fundraising race, only a few after the number were released (I shouldn't throw stones, but I was busy). The article got the headline "Walsh rakes in cash for '08 race" but what the real title should be is "Walsh rakes in special interest cash for '08 race".

Thanks to big donations from friends in Congress, Rep. James Walsh has outpaced his Democratic challenger in fundraising and built a comfortable lead heading into the 2008 campaign.

Walsh, R-Onondaga, took in about two-thirds of his cash from political action committees and one-third from individuals in the latest quarter, according to disclosure reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Let's look more carefully at the first paragraph. Walsh has a comfortable lead? Well if you look back at January of 2006 you can see that further along in the cycle that Walsh had $400,000 more dollars on hand than Dan Maffei, and now he has barely $100,000 more. Considering the margin last time around, I wouldn't consider that comfortable at all.

And time for visit with our favorite inarticulate spokesman, Dan Gage:

"It says a lot about how Mr. Walsh's colleagues value him here," Gage said.

Riiiight, I'm sure it has nothing to do with making sure he toes the party line.

From the Department of Say What?!

2007-11-17T14:35:00.000-05:00

Here's a nice head scratcher for you all:

[T]he most senior GOP member of the subcommittee, Rep. Jim Walsh of New York, voted to override [the veto] while simultaneously leading Bush's fight to sustain it.

Walsh Sides with Predatory Lenders

2007-11-15T20:27:00.000-05:00

Today the House took action on the housing decline, particularly to stop the predatory lenders. The House voted on the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act which in short will make sure that:

borrowers can repay the loans they are sold
borrowers receive clear disclosures about the loans they are offered
borrowers are not “steered” into more expensive mortgages
special consumer protections are strengthened for high-cost loans
all mortgage bankers and bank loan officers are licensed or registered

The bill passed the House with a veto proof margin, unanimous support from Democrats and the support of 64 Republicans, but guess what Jim Walsh voted against it.

No Defense for Homeowners

2007-11-13T21:56:00.000-05:00

On Friday the House voted on the Homeowners Defense Act:

The purposes of this Act are to establish a program to provide Federal support for State-sponsored insurance programs to help homeowners prepare for and recover from the damages caused by natural catastrophes, to encourage mitigation and prevention for such catastrophes, to promote the use of private market capital as a means to insure against such catastrophes, to expedite the payment of claims and better assist in the financial recovery from such catastrophes.

George Bush opposes the measure, and surprise surprise so did Jim Walsh. Of course what do Central New Yorkers have to worry about, no hurricanes (maybe an occasional microburst), no wildfires, and with all this global warming we won't have the snow either!

Voter Outreach

2007-11-13T00:08:00.000-05:00

Maureen Sieh of the PS writes an article about how Dan Maffei and Jim Walsh are targeting voters by doing various works in the community.

She also expands upon the article on her blog.

Trouble in Conservative Party Land

2007-11-08T21:41:00.000-05:00

Uh-oh:

Rep. James Walsh has lost the endorsement of the Conservative Party in Monroe and Wayne counties for the 2008 election - the first major political fallout from his decision to stop supporting the war in Iraq.

If other county parties and the state party ultimately agree, Walsh stands to lose the Conservative line in the 25th Congressional District. He has run on the Conservative line each of his 10 terms in Congress.

Walsh, R-Onondaga, has always received the vast majority of his votes on the Republican line. But the 11,634 votes he received on Conservative lines last November was enough to make the difference in the closest election of his congressional career. Walsh defeated Democrat Dan Maffei, of DeWitt, in 2006 by about 3,000 votes; the Iraq war was the dominant issue.

This is a hit Jim can't afford to take. Not that we should start counting our chickens before they hatch though, the individual endorsements of the county Conservative Parties don't actually determine the candidate. Ultimately, in any race that crosses county lines, the final decision on the Conservative Party's endorsement falls to the State Chair, Mike Long. While he will take the opinions of the County Committees, the decision is his, and until he shows movement on this, I wouldn't take this talk too serious. And still, Walsh has already bought of the Onondaga County Independence Party chair, and in the Independence Party, the county that supplied the largest vote in the last Governors race determines the candidate.

Haitus and a Brief Commentary

2007-10-23T20:15:00.000-04:00

As you all have noticed I haven't been posting much lately. I've been extremely busy and just haven't had the time. However, in a few short weeks this site should be back to where it was in the past.

I would also like to make a brief comment on the Sub-Standard's endorsements for County Leg. Out of the 6 people they have endorsed 5 incumbents, I'll leave Lesniak and Rhinehart out, because I'm not really familiar with them, but the other 3 endorsed incumbents include; Kathy Rapp, who has magically filed her 2007 27 day post-general financial report already, Jim Farrel, who is about two weeks away from having broken campaign finance laws on his shady "loan" deals; and Bill Meyer, who touts his "responsible fiscal stewardship" yep this is the same guy who blew over $100,000 out of his own pocket to lose the 121st Assembly District twice. And the one non-incumbent they did endorse, Don McLaughlin, it sounded like they were being tortured to do it, touting how great Bernie Kraft is. Has anyone at the Sub-Standard actually met Bernie Kraft, his picture appears twice in the dictionary next to useless legislator and status quo.

Early Fundraising Numbers?

2007-10-15T20:22:00.000-04:00

Rochester Turning is reporting fundraising numbers, but with no verification yet.

$190,000 for Walsh and $130,000 for Maffei.

I'll update when I have more info.

UPDATE

Walsh: $194,000 raised, $456,000 on hand

Maffei: $130,000 raised, $314,000 on hand

HT to a commentor.

DONATE TO DAN

2007-09-30T23:59:00.000-04:00

It's that time again, another quarter for fundraising is ending and we need to help boost Dan's coffers to make sure people keep paying attention to the race.

Dan is trying to raise $10,000 in these last three days so help him out.

Important people agree!

"Dan Maffei is one of the top 10 candidates in the nation..."
- Majority Leader Steny Hoyer

"We believe that Dan Maffei is one of the best challengers in the country."
- DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen

UPDATE Friday 11:15:

Dan has raised $3,000 so far! Keep donating!

You've got until 11:59 PM September 30th, sooooo......

DONATE TO DAN!!!

Walsh Phones It In

2007-09-29T10:01:00.000-04:00

Here is a report from a reader on a recent phone town hall by Walsh:

I got a phone call tonight from an unknown caller. It was Walsh conducting a Town Hall meeting by phone. It appeared that you could dial *3 to get in line to ask a question. It was impossible to tell how many people were on the line. He also appeared to have the ability to ask polling-type questions during the meeting and have people respondby pressing numbers on the phone.

The only polling question I heard was (paraphrasing)"Are you in favor of Governor Spitzer's new proposal to make it easier for illegal aliens to get a legal driver's license in NY? For example, you used to haveto provide a social security number to get a license.Under the new law you would not. Now there is nothing we in the Federal Government can do about this law since it is a state law, we just want to know how if you support it. Press 1 for yes and 2 for no."

Then, by some freak chance I am sure, the next personon the line was a woman to pitch him a softball question about how "he feels about illegal aliens".

Anyway, I didn't have time to stay on the line to listen to all his nonsense.

Interesting stuff, if anyone else has been on one recently feel free to let me know about it.

At Least One Publication...

2007-09-28T11:17:00.000-04:00

At least one publication in Central New York knows that journalist are supposed to report and recite. The Syracuse New Times gave a deeper look to Jim's Journal of his Iraq trip from the PS. I suggest you take the time to read the whole thing if you haven't yet.

I want to focus on one part in particular though:

As an example, he mentioned Walsh’s reference, in the second paragraph to Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) agreeing to lead the delegation and then “backing out.” Kaplan thought this was a cheap shot at Kerry that added nothing to the story.

A call to Kerry’s office to check on this fact elicited this comment from communications director Vincent Morris: “Congressman Walsh is mistaken. Sen. Kerry never committed to the trip. It is not correct to say that he backed out. They talked about several different opportunities. He was looking at possible dates, and spoke to DOD {Department of Defense}. We heard there was interest from the House side and encouraged them to bring members of the House.”

Why the swipe at Kerry, a Vietnam vet whose Purple Hearts were ridiculed by Republican operatives in his 2004 presidential campaign? In the interview, Walsh admitted that he had never been in touch with Kerry’s office, but had heard from the DOD that Kerry was interested in a delegation and wanted to invite House members along. In his journal, Walsh said that once Kerry “backed out” Walsh became the senior member, and his staff took over the planning. Kerry’s office disputed this, noting that congressional staffs don’t do much planning on these trips, as they are “run by the Pentagon.” Walsh called back to emphasize that he had “never meant to embarrass Kerry.”

I'd like to say that this is out of the norm for Mr. Walsh, but it is really part of a larger pattern. All of the time Walsh has spent in Washington as given him the attitude that he is better than everyone else and that he can say and do what he pleases with impunity. It is just more of the same from a very out of touch Jim Walsh, from saying he was disappointed in Onondaga County voters to his attitude that he was too important to have to campaign and talk to the little people, to this incident. We need a Congressman whose first concern is us, not himself.

VOTE!

2007-09-17T23:02:00.001-04:00

Today is Primary Election Day and there is a big primary for County Executive, so do your civic duty and vote.

I am offering no endorsement in the Democratic Primary, not because of any problem with Ed Ryan or Bill Magnarelli, but because this blog's focus is on Jim Walsh. However the winner of the primary will go on to face one of two Walsh Republican, Baloney Mahoney or Aw Shucks Dale, so vote wisely. The winner will also have an important challenge ahead of him in using his strength to help oust Jim Walsh.

Anyways, fulfill your civic duty, VOTE and start turning Onondaga BLUE!

Something Polling Walsh in a New Direction?

2007-09-17T22:54:00.000-04:00

The DCCC sent out an intriguing press release today:

Congressman Walsh Pays for Poll, Changes position on Iraq
What did he learn? To get reelected he had to change his position

According to the Federal Election Commission, Congressman Jim Walsh paid nearly $5,000 for "polling services" but won't release the results of his poll. Now it looks like we know why -- it showed he needed to change his position on the war.

Syracuse Republicans Even Agree Walsh is politicizing the War – Onondaga County Conservative Party Chair Said:

"I wasn't shocked or stunned by his remarks," said Olmsted [Chairman of the Onondaga County Conservative Party]. "It's kind of what I expected from him. He looks at his position in Washington as a career path. He's not serving in a capacity as our congressional representative. He's serving as a career. Most of the people I spoke with feel the same way. It's a very sad event." [ Syracuse Post Standard, September 16, 2007]

"Congressman Walsh is getting attacked by his own party for politicizing the war in Iraq," said Jennifer Crider, Communications Director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "We need leaders in Congress who will fight for what is best for the families in their district, not people who pander to the results of a political poll. Congressman Walsh has a long record of rubberstamping President Bush's failed policies in Iraq, will his record or just his rhetoric change?

Forgiving the DCCC misunderstanding of New York's arcane system of fusion voting, it raises an interesting question, is Jim Walsh sticking up for what he thinks is right, or just sticking his finger in the wind?

Walsh's New Trouble

2007-09-16T11:31:00.000-04:00

The PS gives a summation of Walsh recent move, here's the part that has to scare Walsh most:

"I wasn't shocked or stunned by his remarks," said Olmsted. "It's kind of what I expected from him. He looks at his position in Washington as a career path. He's not serving in a capacity as our congressional representative. He's serving as a career. Most of the people I spoke with feel the same way. It's a very sad event."

Olmsted said the party committee has agreed to meet with Walsh in November to discuss its concerns. After that, party leadership will decide whether to continue supporting Walsh.

"We have a number of options," Olmsted said. "One would be to try to mold his behavior. The other would be to come up with a contingency plan for another candidate. At this point he's giving us less and less reason to look favorably upon him for the endorsement of our party."

The article goes on with a Political Science professor saying Walsh has more to gain. Overall its a tough call, Walsh has bought off the Independence Party by putting their Chair on the campaign payroll, but having a third candidate on the Conservative line could mean big trouble for Walsh, especially if that same candidate ran in a Republican primary. Just having a Conservative on the ballot is going to cost Walsh 1.5 - 2%, a devisive Republican primary could drive that up and make the line a haven for unhappy Republicans. It would also give Dan Maffei an opening to force a write in campaign for the Independence line, write-in campaigns are never easy, but it would force Walsh to divert resources to defend it.

The advantage for Walsh is the influx of new voters that a presidential election bring, there could be as many as 100,000 voters on election day 08, than in 06. Walsh having made his move early and with such fanfare, he may be able to shake the stink of the war with them. Another thing Walsh he has going for him, is a big part of the reason Dan Maffei lost. The Maffei campaign never successfully turned Syracuse Walsh into Washington Walsh. They launched into a direct assault on the War and Bush, but ultimately Walsh was able to fall back just enough on still being tied to the area. Had the Maffei camp maded a first step to wedge Washington between Walsh and Syracuse, the second step would have devestated Walsh, and probably given Dan a comfortable win. But back to the original point, since that move was never made, Walsh's turn on the war may be able to win back a chunk of voters he lost in 06 just on the War.

Another Walsh Cartoon from PS

2007-09-13T06:47:00.001-04:00

Cut & Run

Walsh Makes a Splash

2007-09-12T21:36:00.000-04:00

I've generally panned Walsh's media strategy as completely ineffective, but do something like be a Republican to public denounce the war on the day of a major hearing, and you make get some press.

WHAM 13

Rochester D & C

Congressional Quarterly

NY Times

NY Daily News

3, and 9 but no 5

News 10 Now

I'll deal with what I think are the actual political ramifications of this move by Walsh in the next few days.

Two other notes, for all the people who have emailed me, if I haven't gotten back to you yet, I will soon, I've been very busy lately. And someone actually sent me a copy of the Walsh fundraising letter like a month back, but I haven't been able to get it to post properly.

Walsh's fund-raising letter strains credulity

2007-09-12T07:01:00.000-04:00

The truth will set us free. Honest people can disagree about taxation, immigration, stem cell research, and health care. The recipients of Walsh's letter are Republicans. Perhaps they agree with his positions. So why doesn't Walsh state his record straightforwardly to them?
The broader question, however, is this: If this is the spin Walsh gives his loyal base, what should the rest of us make of what he tells us?
Timothy D. Bunn of Marcellus recently retired as deputy executive editor of The Post-Standard.
hat tip to a poster in comments - previous thread

Walsh says U.S. must cut troops in Iraq

2007-09-11T06:35:00.000-04:00

After months of wavering in his support for the war in Iraq, Rep. James Walsh said Monday he now favors a gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops and will support votes in Congress to force the issue.