News stories tagged with "20th-congressional-district"

(11/29/10) As we've been hearing, politicians in Albany will soon be redrawing many of the state's political boundaries. The North Country could see newly shaped state Senate and Congressional districts.

One House seat that is expected to receive close scrutiny is the 20th district, which stretches for nearly 230 miles from the lower Hudson Valley into the heart of the Adirondacks. Earlier this month, Republican Chris Gibson captured the seat from Democrat Scott Murphy in a decisive win.

But Democratic leaders, including Saratoga County chairman Larry Bulman, have long complained that the 20th district was specifically gerrymandered to favor Republicans. "We're 70,000 more Republicans in this sprawling district," Bulman told NCPR.

"[Former Republican Rep.] John Sweeney told me in 2001, 'We have this district so gerrymandered that you guys will never control, never win a House seat in this district.'"

So just how big and far-flung is the 20th congressional district? Brian Mann set off in his truck to find out and sent this audio postcard.

(02/26/09) With just over a month to go before the special election in New York's 20th congressional district, most of the media attention has focused on Republican Jim Tedisco and Democrat Scott Murphy. They're vying to replace Kirsten Gillibrand. But there's a third politician hoping to join the race. Eric Sundwall, a Libertarian who lives south of Albany, is scrambling to gather enough petition signatures to win a place on the March 31st ballot. As Brian Mann reports, Sundwall comes from a political tradition that doesn't win many elections in the North Country, but still enjoys a lot of influence.

(10/29/08) Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand and challenger Sandy Treadwell met for their final debate last night. The hour-long conversation was hosted by the Glens Falls Post-Star and WNYT television. As Brian Mann reports, the pair differed sharply over policy. But both politicians stepped back from the campaign's growing negativity.

(09/17/08) Less than two months before the November election, the Gillibrand and Treadwell campaigns are feuding over the timing and format of this fall's debates. New York's 20th congressional district is one of the most closely watched House races in the country. Brian Mann has an update.

(09/02/08) Republicans are struggling across the Northeast. The GOP suffered big losses in the region two years ago and polls suggest that 2008 could be even worse. One bright spot for the GOP is its rural base. Those same surveys show that small town voters still favor Republicans by wide margins. As Brian Mann reports, the rural advantage could make all the difference in key races, from New Hampshire to New York state.

(08/29/08) The candidates in the 20th congressional district say they'll hold at least one debate this fall. But Republican Sandy Treadwell says he hopes to face Democratic congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand at least 10 times before the November election. Treadwell says a debate should be held in each of district's 10 counties, which stretch from the Hudson River valley north to the outskirts of Saranac Lake. He issued his challenge on the day Gillibrand was speaking at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Brian Mann has more. more

(08/14/08) This year's race for the 20th congressional district is drawing national attention. The match-up between Democratic incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand and Republican challenger Sandy Treadwell promises to be one of the most expensive in the country. The stage was set two years ago, when Republican John Sweeney's campaign imploded following a series of scandals. Gillibrand won a decisive upset, with fifty-three percent of the vote. She even claimed victories in North Country counties that tend to be more conservative. The question now is whether a Democrat can hold the district, which stretches from the Hudson Valley to Saranac Lake. Republicans still hold a huge advantage in voter enrollment. But Gillibrand told Brian Mann that party labels won't decide the outcome in November.

(08/13/08) It's been a tough year for Republicans in New York state and around the country. The GOP could lose two more House seats in November, in western New York and on Long Island. The best chance for Republicans to win back a seat may be in the 20th district, which stretches from the Hudson Valley through the North Country to Lake Placid. The race between Democratic incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand and Republican challenger Sandy Treadwell is expected to be intense and expensive, with a price tag of at least six million dollars. Today and tomorrow we'll talk in-depth with the two candidates. We start with Sandy Treadwell, who lives in Essex County. Treadwell is a former Secretary of State and a former chairman of New York's Republican Party. He spoke with Brian Mann.

(02/14/08) New York's 20th Congressional district race is making headlines again around the country. North Country challenger Sandy Treadwell, a Republican, won the backing of Republican leaders. Meanwhile, Democratic incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand has emerged as one of the top fundraisers in the country. Brian Mann has details.

(11/06/06) Wes Clark, the former NATO general and presidential candidate, campaigned for Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand yesterday in the town of Catskill. New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and former President Bill Clinton will stump for Gillibrand at separate rallies today. Meanwhile, questions about Republican John Sweeney's involvement in a domestic dispute at his home last December continued to simmer through the weekend. In an editorial published Saturday, the Glens Falls Post-Star withdrew its endorsement of Sweeney. For the first time, an independent poll shows Gillibrand leading the race by 3 percentage points. Brian Mann has our story.