Here’s the full statement, which includes some nice barbs at the GOP:
“There has been a lot of speculation as to whether I would run in a special election for the 23rd Congressional District.
“My priority must continue to be the work I have started in the state Senate, representing Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties. My commitment is to the people of the 48th Senate District and has been all along. Before I could even consider the possibility of serving another eight counties, I had a duty to finish out this year’s session.
“This seat in Congress belongs to the people who live in these 11 counties, not any elected official or political party.
“Unfortunately, the National Republican Party has viewed the seat differently. National Republicans have demonstrated their belief that party registration matters more than the issues by spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to attack and vilify me. They never mentioned the important issues we care about here in the 23rd, whether it’s our military and Fort Drum, border security and international trade, agriculture, energy and the economy of the future, or rural healthcare.
“It’s no small wonder why the Washington Republicans are going extinct, and contributors should question why the money they’ve given was squandered here for no good reason at all.
“I support the process that the Democratic Party has put in place to come up with a candidate to run for the expected vacancy in the 23rd Congressional District. I’m certain the 11 county chairs involved in the process will continue to move toward finding a qualified candidate who understands the issues here and will embark on an honest campaign that puts people before politics.”
Count me as relieved. Control of the state Senate going into the next round of redistricting (both congressional and legislative) is too precious a commodity right now. We need every seat we can get in the state Senate.
While Aubertine would have been a very strong candidate for this seat, hopefully the local Democratic chairs can pick a strong, qualified nominee to give us a fighting chance against Scozzafava. More updates as we get ’em.
RaceTracker Wiki: NY-23
why don’t the Democrats just endorse her and skip the election entirely?
Color me worried about getting this seat. Does not look good.
Maybe Scott Murphy has a rich cousin living in NY 23.
Mike Oot is a lawyer who never ran for office before. He seems solidly liberal, and convincing. And more hard-hitting than Scott Murphy. If Scott Murphy could win against Jim Tedisco then Mike Oot should have a good chance too. He’s from Madison County, one of the more Republican parts of the district, which should give him an advantage, like it gave Scott Murphy in his part of his district.
Is more important in my opinion right now than winning another House seat. Sure it’s always nice to have another house seat, but with control of the state senate, we can eventually draw it so one day New York may have a completely congressional delegation that’s Democratic. Now Paterson please go into retirement and let Cuomo run for governor please.
the NRCC had already started airing attack ads against him. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!!! What a waste of money!
Bunch of freaking idiots. I hope this becomes a bit of a stain on his ability to fundraise, whose going to donate to an organization who just wasted however many thousands on someone not even running!
I checked Hotline’s webpage, and they say that one of the people who submitted his resume to the county chairs is former US att’y and Moynihan aide Daniel French. Anyone think he’d be a good alternative?
I had the impression Aubertine was a borderline Democrat before he released that fighting statement saying he won’t run for McHugh’s seat. Now I see another side of him that looks very appealing. I think he should reconsider and run for CD 23. He sounds like he would be a real addition in DC and why shouldn’t we top off the ticket in that district in the strongest possible way with the strongest possible candidate.
He wouldn’t be going after one of our own, but going for a higher office held by the enemy. The best defence is always a good offense. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Whoever the party in his district would have run for Congress in his place can run for his Senate seat when that special election comes up. An Aubertine victory in the CD will do nothing but further lay the groundwork for the State Senate candidate. I wouldn’t worry too much about holding the State Senate. I don’t care how they gerrymandered it, there are only so many Republican votes left in NY and I do not for a minute think that they can hold onto the Stata Senate no matter how we play it.
Don’t play scared, draft Aubertine!
to think Democrats won’t be picking up any additional seats this cycle. Regardless the next redistricting would be a compromise, andthen Democrats would retake the State Senate with a fair ridistricting map.
Now I probably wont be rooting for Scozzafava. I wont know the new guys position on gay marriage most likely so I can just be a wishful thinker. 🙂
even conservatives.
Good government comes from an appropriate reprensentation of people’s views. Conservatives should be in government to the degree that they represent the will of the people of the jurisdiction they represent.
And social change comes from changes the hearts and minds of people, not locking them out of the room.