A huge blow for mid-year liveblogging:
NY Gov. David Paterson (D) will not call a special election to fill the vacancy created by Rep. Eric Massa’s (D) resignation earlier this month, according to news reports.
“We have some serious concerns about the financial impact that a special election could have on the county level, especially because those counties are facing the same fiscal crisis that the state is facing,” Paterson spokesperson Maggie McKeon told the Gannett news service.
That’s a blow to the GOP, which saw the Corning-based district as its best chance to win a special election before the Nov. midterms. The NRCC has said it has yet to make a decision about how much it will invest in a special election to replace the late Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), and the party hasn’t signaled it will get seriously involved in a special election to replace ex-Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), who resigned to run for GOV.
UPDATE: As mentioned in the comments, Assemblyman David Koon has pulled out of the race:
New York Assemblyman David Koon said Thursday he won’t run in a special election for former Rep. Eric Massa’s vacant House seat, voicing dissatisfaction with the Democratic nominating process.
“I’m withdrawing from the race because it’s gotten so messed up and there’s so much going on in Albany, I need to keep my constituents happy,” Koon told POLITICO. “The process has become such a distraction. Trying to raise money and spending time on the phone when I have other stuff that I need to be doing.”
Koon said he had already received about $200,000 in donation pledges for the race. And he wouldn’t rule out running in a November general election, but said that’s not where he’s focusing his attention now.
I’m not sure if Koon’s calculus may have changed now that it looks like Paterson is not going to call a special election, but there we are.
mid-year liveblogging. This is an abomination!
They wouldnt have to spend any extra money then.
I think they could find some dough to have a special.
I can’t see Assemblyman Koon giving up his safe seat for a chancy run for Congress in what could be a GOP year.
It’s one thing for him to run in a special where he doesn’t have to risk anything. It’s another to put his Assembly career on the line to run in November.
I think if there is no special chances are Assemblyman David Koon won’t run.
Now we wont look like fools with our pants on the ground.
the person elected would serve until January. It would be a bit longer than Shelley Sekula Gibbs served.
Now we, and by “we” I mean “I,” won’t have to stress out over losing a Dem-held seat in a special election that draws massive political media coverage and sets in motion a long string of pundit pre-bituaries about the Pelosi Speakership, which in turn potentially depresses our base and risks our needed turnout model for the Big Show in November.