News stories tagged with "house"

(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.

(09/23/10) Carl Paladino may be surging in the polls, but other Republicans in the state still haven't decided whether to embrace him.

Chris Gibson is the Republican candidate in the 20th district House race, hoping to unseat Democrat Scott Murphy from Glens Falls. Gibson spoke this week on the public radio program Capital Pressroom, with WCNY's Susan Arbetter.

(09/21/10) Exactly six weeks remain until election day. Here in northern New York, Republicans are pushing hard to unseat three sitting Democrats, congressmen Mike Arcuri, Scott Murphy, and Bill Owens. These races could help decide which party holds a majority in the House of Representatives.

But new polls published over the last few days by the Siena Research Institute show that in two of these races the Republican candidates are struggling to catch up.

Brian Mann spoke in-depth with Siena pollster Steven Greenberg, who says Republicans Chris Gibson and Richard Hanna need to lock down the loyalty of GOP voters. "It is key for both of the Republican candidates...to bring the base back home," Greenberg says.

He calls the 24th district House race "incredibly competitive," but says the 20th district race will be more of a struggle for Gibson. "I think the 20th definitely has the potential to be a competitive race," he adds.

(09/02/10) Matt Doheny and Doug Hoffman slugged it out last night in Plattsburgh, when the two Republicans met for their first debate.

They're fighting for the chance to face Democratic Representative Bill Owens in the November election.

With the primary just two weeks away, both men agreed on most of the issues.

But they spent ninety minutes questioning each other's integrity and arguing over who has the best shot to reclaim a House seat that was once a Republican stronghold.

As Brian Mann reports, more than 200 people turned out to hear what the two men had to say. more

(10/28/09) This evening, two of the three candidates for the 23rd congressional district house seat will take part in a debate in the E. Glenn Giltz auditorium. That's in Hawkins Hall at SUNY Plattsburgh. The forum begins at 5 pm and North Country Public Radio will broadcast the program beginning at 7 o'clock, following All Things Considered. Martha Foley talks with NCPR Adirondack bureau chief, Brian Mann, who is one of the debate co-moderators.

(10/15/09) A new poll out this morning by the independent Siena Research Institute finds that Democrat Bill Owens, the newcomer from Plattsburgh, has taken the lead over Republican Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava. Owens now leads 33%-29%, with Conservative Doug Hoffman trailing with 23%.

Meanwhile, two of the most influential political journals in Washington are reporting that Republican Dede Scozzafava is struggling in the final weeks of the special election. Roll Call and Politico say Scozzafava has been seriously damaged by political attacks from Conservative candidate Doug Hoffman. They also report that she is being outspent significantly by Democrat Bill Owens. That's a surprising turn of events in a congressional district long dominated by the GOP. According to Politico, Scozzafava has spent less than $30,000 on TV spots in the campaign so far. Owens, meanwhile, has spent more than $300,000, launching a media blitz across the sprawling 23rd district.

Brian Mann checked in with Matt Burns, spokesman for the Scozzafava campaign. Burns acknowledged that Scozzafava is being outspent. But says the veteran Assemblywoman will have enough money to compete in the final weeks of the race.

(09/10/09) A poll released yesterday by Conservative candidate Doug Hoffman is offering a first snapshot of the congressional race to replace John McHugh. The survey, paid for by Hoffman's campaign, shows Republican Dede Scozzafava with 30% of the vote. That compares with 20% for Democrat Bill Owens and 19% for Hoffman. Brian Mann has our report.

(09/01/09) Conservative candidate Doug Hoffman from Lake Placid was out on the campaign trail yesterday, stumping for the seat that will soon be vacated by Congressman John McHugh. He'll face Republican Dede Scozzafava and Democrat Bill Owens when the election is scheduled in the fall. Hoffman's message was all about cutting taxes and shrinking Federal spending. As Brian Mann reports, the Conservative hopes his "anti-pork" crusade will appeal to rank-and-file Republicans.

(08/12/09) Plattsburgh attorney and former Air Force captain Bill Owens has won the Democratic Party nod in the race to fill John McHugh's House seat. Owens was a law partner to former Republican state Senator Ron Stafford and has described himself as a lifelong independent. He told Brian Mann that he is comfortable taking up the Democratic banner, though he differs with state Democratic officials on some issues, including same-sex marriage.

(04/21/09) Republican Jim Tedisco was back in court yesterday. He's hoping to prove that hundreds of ballots cast during last month's special House election should be disqualified. Tedisco's legal team says public documents show that hundreds of people who voter live primarily outside the 20th congressional district. Brian Mann has this update.