And then there were five

Rep. James Walsh, R-NY-25 has announced he will forgo seeking a hard re-election battle and retire at the end of his term. This now brings the total number of Republican Congressional members from New York state to five; Rep. King, McHugh, Reynolds, Kuhl, and Fossella. Out of 29 Congressional seats 23 are controlled by Democrats (Walsh's has no incumbent), all but two practically safe from any challenge. Walsh's district is even more Democratic leaning than Fossella's at a PVI D+3 meaning this is a likely pick up for Dan Maffei the 2006 challenger, giving Democrats 24 of 29 seats easily. In 2006 Democrats picked up three seats with Rep. Hall, Gilibrand and Arcuri. Republicans could not mount a serious candidate against either Spitzer or Clinton statewide. It is a good trend that does not bode well for Fossella. New York State is trending blue and proving to be a difficult place to be a Republican. New Yorkers just are not buying their policies and realizing substantively they have little in common with them.

Republican Congressman comes out against war

Rochester Turning brings up the update that yes indeed, Rep. Walsh (R-NY) has now come out in opposition to the war in Iraq after being a long time supporter. From the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle;

Rep. Jim Walsh, in a dramatic break with the White House, returned Monday from a trip to Iraq saying it's time to bring troops home and stop funding the war.

snip

"Before I went, I was not prepared to say it's time to start bringing our troops home," Walsh said. "I am prepared to say that now. It's time."

snip

But Walsh said he saw little evidence that much has changed in Iraq since he last visited four years ago. He said he hopes to meet with President Bush to convey his change of heart.

Apparently Vito legislating from the comfort of DC prevents him from having a realistic understanding of what our troops are involved in on the ground in Iraq. Maybe it is time to send Vito to Iraq.

NY Republican congressman supporting troop withdraw

The blog upstate, Rochester Turning is reporting that the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle will be breaking news that Rep. Walsh (R) has changed his mind after visiting Iraq and supports full troop withdraw and potentially will no longer support funding the war.

The relevance of this shift is that Rep. Walsh, should he come out in opposition to the war will join the ranks of many other Republicans who are showing that voters can be conservative in their ideology and oppose this war.

While Vito Fossella continues to support anything President Bush can think of, maybe its time for voters of this district to look around at other options and candidates.

The Democratic Challengers, where are they?

Upstate!

There are six Republican held Congressional seats in New York state. Thus far three have declared candidates with websites and ground games up and running 18 months prior to the election. Here in the thirteenth we have possibly three great challengers but no declarations and zero ground game. Is this going to be a repeat of the disasterous effects of '06 where candidates sat around and played games before clearing the way for Harrison to run on a very condensed schedule?

NY-03, held by Rep. Peter King (R), no candidates
NY-13, held by Rep. Vito Fossella (R), no candidates
NY-23, held by Rep. McHugh (R), no candidates
NY-25, held by Rep. James Walsh (R), Dan Maffei Democratic Challenger
NY-26, held by Rep. Tom Reynolds (R), Jon Powers Democratic Challenger
NY-29, held by Rep. Randy Kuhl (R), Eric Massa Democratic Challenger

A while back we looked in the PVI, Party Voter Index system that Cook Reports uses to judge the political leanings of Congressional Districts. Rep. Fossella by their measure is in the 12th most Democratic district held by a Republican. He is the third most vulnerable member of Congress in terms of PVI from NY State, behind on Rep. King (NY-03) and Rep. Walsh (NY-25) [who has a challenger]. So you can see that in less Democratic friendly districts we already have optimistic candidates working hard on winning and here we sit idly by without anyone to keep on the offensive against Fossella.

So my question is when are we going to have a candidate running and a ground game in operation? When are we going to start building off the work of challengers like Manny Innamorato and bring our message to the South Shore? When do we start working with Mike Ryan, Democratic Candidate for DA this fall and go door to door offering solutions and possibly more important an interest to listen to the residents of Staten Island (and all of the 13th).

It is June already.

Why did Fossella vote to allow oil companies to gouge prices at the pump?

via ABC News;

With average U.S. pump prices at an all-time, inflation-adjusted high of $3.22 a gallon, the House voted 284-141 for the "Federal Price Gouging Protection Act," which bans sellers from charging prices that are "unconscionably excessive," or take "unfair advantage" of consumers.

HR 1252, Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act, received 56 Republican votes (in addition to 228 Democrats) as well as being co-sponsored be fellow NY Republicans Rep. Kuhl and Rep. Walsh. So why did Rep. Vito Fossella decide to oppose this and support Oil Companies should they decide to excessively raising gas prices?