The Tea Party Movement Gets It's Grip in New York

Paladino, Altschuler Wins Show a Clear Sign For Incumbents .....

A quick note about Primary Day up here in Yankeeville... We FINALLY had the primaries here on Tuesday, and there were plenty of surprises. In the local race for Congress, Randy Altschuler won the election to take on Prime Target Democrat Tim Bishop in November by getting 45% of the vote over George Demos (31%) and Chris Cox (24%). In a race exclusively made of carpetbaggers, Altschuler bag was the least carpeted - at least he's paid local taxes - so he got the nod. No, there is no runoff in New York State. You win with 21% in a six person race, you win. No, we don't get it either......

The bigger surprise was not that Buffalo business owner Carl Paladino beat former Congressman and Senate candidate Rick Lazio (he lost to Hillary in 2000), but that Paladino gave Lazio a 28-point total asswhipping. Polls two days before had it as a virtual dead heat, with Paladino having Big Mo on his side. So much for polls...

So, what can we learn from a primary? The main thing is that the Tea Party is not just a Southern, white , racist groundswell movement. Maybe it's a Northern, white, racist groundswell....... We're not sure. But, the fact is that there is an anti-incumbency movement like we've never seen in our lifetime, at least on our side of the aisle. Lazio was an experienced legislator, but the message was clear - if you served in DC before, then YOU are part of the problem, and we don't want you there again to to the same stuff.

Of course, the paths for Paladino and Altschuler are not clear. Altschuler needs cash to beat Bishop, and this IS New York, after all.... As for Paladino, he has a Herculian battle versus Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who is well-regarded, is the son of former Governor Mario "Sandbag Eyes" Cuomo - oh, and he has $23 MILLION in the bank as of last quarter. Good Luck, Carl. Paladino promises to lose... err, spend..... of his own money on the race. But, funnier things have happened in politics. We'll see......

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