I am glad to see that Mike Arcuri has picked up the pace of his campaign for Congress. If he keeps up this pace for the rest of the summer, and then accelerates in the fall, he just might stand a chance of catching up to Ray Meier.
In one area, however, both candidates need to work a great deal more: Reaching out beyond Utica and Rome. The northeastern corner of the district is home to both Arcuri and Meier, but it does not hold a majority of our district's residents. Let's face it: In Oneida County, voters have probably already settled their opinions about Meier and Arcuri, due to long-term exposure. It's in the rest of the district that opinion is still fluid. Besides, in Utica, the hometown factor is canceled out, with no special advantage there for either.
When I see the candidates spending a lot of time on the NYRI power line issue, all I can think is that most people in most of the district don't care about the issue, and probably haven't even heard about it. That may be hard for political junkies in Oneida County to imagine, but then again, I've foound that many things about the outside world are hard for political junkies in Oneida County to imagine.
Address the NYRI issue, by all means, but there's not much to gain by going back to it over and over again while neglecting other issues that are of concern to the entire district. Practically everyone in Utica is against the NYRI. Okay. We get it.
They're yawning in Auburn, Cortland, and Geneva. So, let's move on.
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Mike needs to concentrate on the power centers of the district and those are fringe areas at best. The left-wingers are going to vote for him anyway, so why not concentrate on the centrists and wavering Republicans that really matter?
Fringe areas at best. Power centers. Hmm. Lots of hardworking, astute politicos down here in the fringe areas. Not about to work hard (or at all) for anyone who considers us a fringe area, though. Boehlert didn't make that mistake. Doubt whether his acolyte Meier will, either. Bad mistake moneywise.
And why do you suppose the left-wingers will automatically vote for MA??? Most left-wingers--by which I suppose you mean Tasini voters?--will leave that line blank and work toward 2008. Bad mistake strategy-wise, if that's the campaign's "thinking." I truly hope 9:14 isn't speaking for the campaign.
If Auburn, Cortland an dGeneva are fringe areas to Arcuri, he won't care about those areas after election either. Maybe Tytler or Roberts needs to get back into the race after all.
I think General Spitzer's been to Cortland more than DA Arcuri...
BTW, here's an issue that affects fringe and power center alike: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/18/opinion/18sun3.html?th&emc=th
And it won't be solved with a letter. It will, in fact, require a plan.
Instead of whining, why don't you people start hosting some local fundraising parties for Mike? Get together with other Democrats, trade ideas, and help raise funds for a tough fight. You could even pass out some of those "Ike & Mike" candies as part of the theme.
That's a sarcastic comment, right, 9:56? It's clearly absurd, and yet so very close to the attitude Oneida County Democrats pull with the rest of us Democrats in District 24...
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