Yes sir.
If Maffei couldn't beat Walsh in a bad year for Republicans, especially in the NE (when Clinton and Spitzer cleaned up), I don't see when he could beat him.
I will say this, Maffei's campaign wasn't really inspiring and only seemed to turn towards that direction in the last week. Given more time it could have happened.
But the possibility remains we may have reached a minimum on the number of seats for the GOP (under current) lines in Upstate NY...its not really a republican area...more 50-50 or 53-47 republican at best, but that means its gonna be really hard to eliminate every elephant up here.
Losing isn't always that bad. McNerney lost horribly to Pombo 2 years ago in CA-11. As for NY-25, it actually voted for Kerry, so a Presidential year might help the Democrats there.
It will probably go democrat presidentially again...unless a guliani or maybe mccain type run...but they seem to like Jim Walsh (voted against NAFTA etc) for some reason.
I will say this, it surprises me that he does so well here in Ononadoga County...with Syracuse as the big city (snicker)...the rest of the area doesn't look terribly affluent...
1)Maffei was a horrible candidate. He was an import. I'd love Syracusse City Council President Bea Gonzalez to run, but we'll see.
2)Yes Walsh is very well liked, but Walsh will not be reelected again. I'd be shocked if he ran. But now he is vulnerable, in a Dem district, and people found out he isn't really moderate.
3)Go to Manlius. We're affluent here. But wouldn't that mean Walsh would do better, not worse? Republicans do better with affluence for the most part.
4)25th will definitely go Democratic when Walsh leaves. There are no high level Republicans except Onondaga County Executive Nick Pirro, but his age will probably discourage a run.
