| This morning's Poughkeepsie Journal has a piece about the Republicans lining up to lose to NY-19's freshman Rep John Hall. The story talks about Andrew Saul, the millionaire fashion mogul who I've written about before as well as freshman Assemblyman and wingnut extraordinaire Greg Ball.
But the story contains a really choice quote from a challenger I hadn't heard of before, one Kieran Lalor, an Iraq War vet and Marine reservist. While I certainly appreciate and applaud Mr Lalor's patriotism and service to the country, I have serious doubts about his political instincts.
Lalor, a Marine Corps reservist whose law school studies were interrupted by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and again in 2003 by a six-month stint in Iraq, said despite his financial disadvantage, his anti-abortion, pro-Iraq war platform make him more in tune with the district's voters than Hall or Saul.
"Andrew Saul is John Hall in a business suit," Lalor said. "He's wrong on the war, on national security, immigration, abortion. He's Sue Kelly all over again."
Lalor said support from veterans would help him restore the district to Republicans.
I spent a lot of time in the 19th last year and I think I can say with some degree of certainty that the residents and voters of the district aren't exactly big fans of the war. In fact, some of the most vigorous opponents of the war I met last year were the very veterans Mr. Lalor hopes will put him over the top.
More on the flip... |
| The voters of the 19th didn't get rid of Sue Kelly because she wasn't "conservative" enough. They gave her the boot because the veneer of "moderation" behind which she had hid for over a decade was stripped away and shown to be false. She lost because she was seen as a loyal supporter of the President, his war and the wingnut agenda.
It's going to be a tough slog for anyone wishing to run on a pro-Iraq war, anti choice platform in the 19th. It'll be even harder with no money.
Meanwhile, what has John Hall been up to? Well, he's been actually out there "supporting the troops."
Meaghan Smith, Hall's press secretary, said the congressman has spent his first five months in office "fighting to get veterans the health care and benefits they have earned, end our country's dependence on foreign oil, bring our troops home from Iraq, rein in the Bush administration's reckless spending, and make good health care available to all Americans."
The 19th is gonna be a tough nut to crack, Mr. Lalor. Best of luck. You're gonna need it. |
