Just 27% want GOP to win control of NY State Senate

An Unprecedented Number of Challengers (4.00 / 1)

Thanks DLCC - this is a drum that we at the New York Senate Dems have been beating for months.

Not only is the polling unfavorable for Republicans this year, but we're fielding an unprecedented number of challengers to Republican incumbents this cycle.

TAP readers and DLCC supporters can learn about all our candidates - and how to help their campaigns - on our interactive NY Battleground Map.

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by: NewYorkSenateDems @ Wed Aug 25, 2010 at 21:09:08 PM UTC

Keep up the good work! (0.00 / 0)

That interactive battleground is an excellent resource.  

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by: The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee @ Thu Aug 26, 2010 at 17:10:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Well, don't get comfortable (4.00 / 3)

There still has to be some enthusiasm to actually get people out to the polls.  I'm working hard to build momentum for the candidate I am working with.... but, I think, unfortunately, that one of the big winners this cycle, if we aren't careful, may be apathetic cynicism.  

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by: robinia @ Thu Aug 26, 2010 at 00:31:59 AM UTC

Wow! (0.00 / 0)

The conventional wisdom is that this is such a big GOP year that Mean Dean will get control of the state Senate.

The CW is wrong again, so far.

Senate Dems have recruited a bunch of excellent challengers (Didi Barrett, Susan Savage, Joanne Yepsen, etc.) who are, mostly, challenging a bunch of old white guys who are lucky not to be in a nursing home.

Siena poll respondents probably know nothing about strong Democratic challengers to do-nothing senators.

They just know that a Republican-controlled state Senate would suck.    

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by: devtob @ Thu Aug 26, 2010 at 04:13:18 AM UTC

Name Recognition (0.00 / 0)

I think you are probably right that name recognition is still too low.  

We've helped a number of candidates put together intro videos to help spread the word about their campaign (some have even been seen here on TAP).

But please share them with folks in-district to help get the word out about these challengers.

http://youtube.com/nysdscc

(We should have more videos next week for other campaigns.  I'll post about that as soon as they are live online).

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by: NewYorkSenateDems @ Thu Aug 26, 2010 at 15:17:43 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Don't get cocky. (4.00 / 1)

We can talk all we want about "the atrophy of the Senate Republicans' statewide campaign apparatus," but ours isn't exactly Mr. Universe. Between a statewide organization that's geared for short, post-Labor Day campaigns that really happen almost nowhere, disturbingly low name recognition, and a lack of experienced campaign infrastructure upstate, there's ample room for the opportunity of this election to be misused. Sure, it could still be good for us either way. But the difference between business as usual and what we could be doing might be the difference between winning two extra seats and winning six or seven. This election cycle provides a generational opportunity on the level of what 2006 was nationally for the Democrats, but I'm not sure if we're going to take full advantage of it.  

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by: Adama D. Brown @ Fri Aug 27, 2010 at 02:19:24 AM UTC

I wish... (0.00 / 0)

...that Democrats would spend more time ensuring their own rank-and-file are worthy of the title instead of concentrating on the GOP.

My opinion is that you are focusing on opponents who's own foolishness will slowly but inevitably reveal itself to an electorate that is starting to educate itself more.

Concentrate on the better part of more and better Democrats and let the GOP destroy itself from the inside...lest this party suffer the same fate.

According to the poll, 57% of independents prefer someone else; so do 58% of upstate New Yorkers of all stripes.  Nearly twice as many independents want to see a greater Republican majority over a Democratic one, and only 25% of upstaters say they want a larger Dem majority.  Indies are what gave Dems the House in 2006 and the State Senate last year, Obama the White House.

Democrats are losing Independents statewide and nationally because a few who have lots of power just will not absolve themselves of their positions and make way for new, less corrupted blood.  These should be our targets.  Aiming at the GOP only ricochets back.

The poll also reveals tat 44% of State Democrats prefer someone else.  It would have been nice if Siena had included a second question that separated these folks into who was actually representd by a Democratic Senator.  A total 58% of us upstate want someone else.  I know I'm one of them.  But a number like that indicates to me that some Upstate Dems are going down anyway in the general election, so if they're being primaried you might as well get someone new on the ballot so the GOP doesn't have an anti-incumbent sentiment to take advantage of itself.

Take that as you will.  And take Adama's advice, too.

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by: Soundpolitic @ Sat Aug 28, 2010 at 13:24:26 PM UTC