The chances of a Republican winning there are like Democratic chances in Alaska.
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Not to sound like an ass but doesn’t new york have a republican mayor?
Mike Bloomberg is as “Republican” as I am.
Only since 1993, and Rudy was the first GOP NY mayor since John Lindsay in 1965. They never got far in the houses even with Rudy and Bloomberg. The last four Mayoral terms have been the exception that proves the rule.
New York City not only has a Republican mayor, but New York state just had a 3-term Republican governor. So using Oliver’s logic I guess that a Dems chance of getting elected in Alaska isnt really as bad as he makes it sound.
Yeah, and I don’t get what Bloomberg’s doing with the R by his name either.
anuj, I’ve noticed that myself.
However, (1) Bloomberg, and Guiliani before him, are rather atypical for Republicans; (2) the mayoralty isn’t a position that lends itself to partisan politics the way, say, Congress is; and (3) except for Staten Island, most NYC Republicans looking for elected office may as well stay in bed (or do what they usually do, which is whine about “political corectness” and sneer at how hypocritical it is of this or that liberal to have any sizeable financial resources–a common belief among Repubs, probably because it’s so self-serving).
There’s a reason why Pataki’s bid to run for president was a non-starter. A Republican in NY is not the same as a Republican in Alabama (and ditto for Democrats in Arkansas).
New York City is about half of the state’s population, and is strongly Democratic. Bloomberg was a Democrat who switched to the Republican party because he didn’t think he could win the Democratic primary. He ran basically as an independent, was endorsed by many leading Democrats and wanted nothing to do with national Republican leaders during his campaign, and spent huge amounts of money to defeat unimpressive opponents on the Democratic line. The only Republicans who can win in New York City (or State) are social liberals and economic moderates. Note that Bloomberg’s success hasn’t done anything at all for other Republicans in the city.
The New York suburbs were once solidly Republican, but many of the inner suburbs are rapidly becoming swing districts as they become more economically and demographically diverse. Staten Island is technically part of the city but should really be considered an inner suburb, and the Democrats are gradually becoming competitive there in what was once a Republican stronghold.
Upstate New York is still mostly Republican, but has an aging, declining population which is small in comparison to the city and suburbs, so it isn’t a huge factor. Most parts of that region are really hurting economically, so the Dems have a lot of opportunity there.
“There’s a reason why Pataki’s bid to run for president was a non-starter. A Republican in NY is not the same as a Republican in Alabama (and ditto for Democrats in Arkansas).”
Which is why someone here called Harold Ford, Jr. a Republican recently.
The line between Left and Right changes depending on where you are in the country.
Sometimes things don’t make sense. See Mitt Romney (R-Gov.MA). Of course, that was before he hated gay people and women who get abortions.
C.S. I would essentially agree with you and while I like Ford personally I don’t like his politics. But if a Dem were to win in Tennessee now, that’s the kind of Dem we have to run. The days of guys like Al Gore in the Tennessee senate seat are long gone.
“C.S. I would essentially agree with you and while I like Ford personally I don’t like his politics.”
Here’s a question, would him winning in Tennessee help move that state more to the left even though he is to the right of most Democrats?
New York state just had a 3-term Republican governor.
Pataki is the only Republican to win a statewide election since 1994.
Chuck Schumer was recently re-elected with a 70% majority to a seat which had gone Republican in seven straight elections before he won it in 1998.