Nov 16, 2006 — This week, Brian Mann has been looking at the struggles of the Republican Party in New York state. The GOP lost every statewide race last week. Even here in the North Country, Republicans faced a stiff challenge, losing two House seats. Gerald Benjamin is dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Science and a political science professor at SUNY New Paltz. He's also a St. Lawrence University alum. Benjamin says New York could evolve to resemble Massachusetts, where Democrats dominate the state's political culture.