Brad Jones Drops Out of the 24th District Race

Today, Brad Jones dropped out of the race to gain the Republican nomination for New York's 24th District seat in the United States House of Representatives. On the Republican side, Ken Camera is a nominal candidate, but there is no indication that he has the power to actually get enough signatures on petitions this month to get on the ballot for the primary in September. Now, on both sides, for both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party, ordinary voters will have no role in choosing which candidate will represent them in the general election.

With a Ray Meier vs. Michael Arcuri race, regional loyalty should not be a factor. Both Ray Meier and Mike Arcuri are centered in Oneida County. Now, the determining factor in the general election will be which candidate will be able to reach out beyond the northeast corner of the district. Most voters don't live in Oneida County, after all.

The candidate who travels more to make personal connections across our rambling district will be the victor. Ray Meier starts ahead. If Michael Arcuri is to stand a chance, he needs to start moving outside of his comfortable home turf as soon as possible. With the demands of Arcuri's day job as Oneida County District Attorney, things don't look good for the Democrats.

Only through a dramatically energetic Arcuri campaign or through a a big mistake from the Meier campaign will the anti-Democratic dynamic be overcome. We're waiting, Mr. Arcuri. Monday would be a good start for a campaign re-launch. Are you up to the task?