March 26, 2008
The Bad News Continues For The House GOP
GOPers appear to have lost another top-tier recruit in an open seat.
Late last night, the Syracuse Post-Standard reported that ex-NY State fair dir. Peter Cappuccilli (R) is dropping out of the NY-25 race to replace Rep. Jim Walsh (R) because of his health. The paper said doctors warned Cappuccilli about his health, as he "recently experienced medical symptoms similar" to those of a mini-stroke. Cappuccilli: "As difficult as it is for me to accept that health concerns have caused me to formally withdraw my name from this race, I hope that people will understand that I need to take care of my health at this time."
The GOP was able to clear the field for him, as his other main rival, Manufacturers Assoc. of Central NY pres. Randy Wolken (R), dropped out on 3/13. It remains to be seen whether Wolken will be interested, or whether Onondaga Co. D.A. Bill Fitzpatrick (R), ex-Onondaga Co. Legislature Chair Dale Sweetland (R), ex-state Sen. Nancy Larraine Hoffmann (R), or East Syracuse Mayor Dan Liedka (R), who had been considering bids early on, will re-think their no-go decisions.
Dems have cleared the field on their side, and '06 nominee Dan Maffei (D) starts out as the clear front-runner in the fall, regardless of who the GOP nominee will be.
This is at least the third top-tier challenger to drop out of an open seat contest this cycle for the GOP. In AZ-01, state Rep. Bill Konopnicki (R) left the race because of personal reasons, and the party is still searching for a candidate. Konopnicki has signaled, however, that he may be interested in rejoining the race. In IL-11, New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann (R) dropped out after the primary, leaving the GOP to scramble for a replacement, which it will name on 4/30.
See more in today's HRH.
(TIM SAHD)
Posted at 06:32 AM
Comments
A small error in fact in your summary, but a possible insight to reasons the GOP is having such a hard time lately:
I was not "rethinking a no-go decision" as you report. In fact, I reached out the the Onondaga County Chair late last summer amid rumors Congressman Walsh might not seek re-election, and again the day after Jim Walsh announced his decision, to say that I would take a little time to consider running for the seat. The response from Chairman DiSpirito was underwhelming. However, I was surprised to learn that he reportedly called a meeting of the county chairs in the Congressional district soon after, in mid-February, and, according to chairs at the meeting, informed them that Onondaga County had decided that Capucillo would be the candidate.
This type of backroom deal-making does not sit well with voters, much less the rank and file Republican committee members.
Just for the record, my election scorecard is 15 for 16, and the only race I lost was a three-way split in 2004 when the far Right decided to deny me the nomination to the State Senate seat I held for 20 years. I won the primary, but the other guy kept up the attack, and pulled 13,000 votes on the Conservative and Independence Party lines, letting a Democrat win by 700 votes. There would seem to be a lesson in that race. It appears, however, to have been missed by GOP bosses in the Syracuse area. They just prefer not to run moderate women with proven electablity.
Nancy Larraine Hoffmann | 03.28.08 01:33 AM
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