It looks like something, perhaps all these polls showing the 26th to be a very, very winnable race, finally coaxed Steve Israel out from under his desk. Politico is reporting that D-trip is finally getting involved with a $250K ad buy.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is placing a $250,000 TV ad buy in the race for a vacant western New York congressional seat, according to a knowledgeable Democratic official.
The buy ups the ante in a battle the committee had previously been reluctant to wade into, and comes on the same day that American Crossroads, a conservative third-party group, announced it would spend $650,000 on TV ads during the final two weeks of the race.
The DCCC has been quietly engaged in the race until now, funneling close to $100,000 to Democrat Kathy Hochul's campaign.
This is all good news and all, but keep in mind that it's half what Crazy Jack Davis has dumped into his own campaign in the last week or so and less than half what Karl Rove's Corporate Cons went up with earlier today.
Yet, I'm glad D-trip has finally joined the fight, though I've never understood their reticence. It's a no lose proposition for them, given that if they lose, it's no big deal. Everyone assumed this seat was a safe GOP seat. If they prevail, however, it's a huge win.
It's especially significant given the role that the GOP's "kill Medicare to finance more tax cuts for rich folks" plan has taken on this race. Even though national Republicans seem to be running away from the plan now as fast as they can, poor Jane Corwin is stuck having endorsed it. Talk about a rock and hard place.
So, it's a great chance to test Dem messaging, against a plan even Republicans are backing away from, a year out from when it's widely assumed D-trip will be working overtime to hang that plan around as many House GOP necks as possible. Those poor bastards are going to own that vote whether they like it or not.
A win in NY-26 would mark a huge hat trick against GOP messaging. I'm sure we all remember Dem victories in NY-20 (the stimulus) and NY-23 (health care reform).
The wild card of course is Crazy Jack Davis. I don't know anyone who thinks Crazy Jack will actually pull anywhere near the mid-20s he's now polling on election day. The question is, do those people who are telling pollsters they support Davis but probably can't actually bring themselves to pull the lever for batty old coot, either vote for Corwin (probably more likely, IMHO) or Hochul. Or do they just sit this one out.
Regardless, the DCCC is finally in the game in a significant way. Good for them. It's a winnable race and there's some big ideas on the line.
Good to see them willing to fight for them.
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