Latest blogosphere buzz on Boehlert

Here's the latest from around the blogosphere on Sherwood Boehlert's announcement, due to take place 30 minutes from now:

DavidNYC at the Swing State Project: "Man, there's no way you announce good news late on a Friday. I don't often make predictions, but I'm feeling pretty sure about this one - Boehlert is gonna retire. Start your engines, because this is going to be one hot race."

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Weblog quotes Elizabeth Cooper at the Utica Observer-Dispatch as writing: "Money is expected to pour into the 24th Congressional District race, regardless of whether U.S. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, announces today if he plans to run again, a political expert says. "This year, the Democrats smell an opportunity nationally to get back the House, and they will go great guns to get any seat," said Hamilton College government professor Philip Klinkner, "especially one in a marginal district like this."

Let me make a note about Elizabeth Cooper. I know I complained about newspaper coverage of this race by local papers earlier today - in the context of non-coverage by the Auburn Citizen. But Elizabeth Cooper is doing a fine job, and has gone out of her way to provide me with information that I could not otherwise get. We need more good reporters like her.

And how about the notice from the DCCC? When they give a nod to a congressional race, you know it's about to break wide open. All bets are off for the Republicans in the 24th now.

Finally, the Free Republic - a right wing blog (no link for you guys, sorry) - is citing "two Oneida County political bosses" as leaking the information that Boehlert will announce retirement. Oh, what a scoop! They refer to Boehlert as a RINO - Republican in name only, which only goes to show that the Republicans are eager to replace Boehlert with someone pretty far to the right - kind of our own little version of Rick Santorum, perhaps?