Peter King

[ElectionsGuy]

This is one thing that I've never been able to understand. How does a Congressman who is the most hardcore neoconservative get elected by huge majorities in a moderate Long Island district? He just won 68% of the vote in a district Obama won (narrowly, but still). Why can he never be defeated?

[KCDem]

Because NYC suburbanites hate black people just like Peter King.

[DrScholl]

Long Island, not Staten Island. And second, Democrats never field a credible challenger against him, which is a big mistake.

[publicunofficial]

1) Long Island, but it might as well be Staten Island.

2) Democrats run nobodies against him.

3) The district is very R-leaning down-ballot.

[Smash255]

I think you mean moderate Long Island district.  I'm in his district (the Nassau portion).  Following 2000 he got a fairly gerrymandered district as the State Assembly Democrats and State Senate Republicans drew a Incumbent protection map that made his district and Steve Israel (who at the time was a Freshman who won the open seat vacated by Republican Rick Lazio) districts safer.

His district now is more of a swing district, and he has taken a more moderate tone (on some issues) over the last few years (blasting his party on Sandy, the shutdown, etc).  However, as a whole is still quite conservative.  This year the Democrats didn't put up much of a fight for his district and turnout in the more Democratic portions of the district was very low.

[IceSpear]

It's strange how Democrats never even try to win this district. Did he even face credible opponents in 2006 or 2008?

[ElectionsGuy]

I was thinking Long Island but typed Staten Island, for some reason.

[MalaspinaGold]

I've heard that him and Steve Israel are good friends, so Israel blocks any potential challengers from getting funds. Might that change now that Israel is leaving the DCCC?

[Smash255]

I've heard that him and Steve Israel are good friends, so Israel blocks any potential challengers from getting funds. Might that change now that Israel is leaving the DCCC?

Doubt any relationship Israel has or doesn't have with King have anything to do with it.  Patricia Maher was his opponent this year and was a perennial candidate that has never gotten off the ground or much support no matter what she has run for.   This wasn't going to be the year to go after King anyway, even if someone stronger and was given $$ (such as Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer) came along, King wasn't going to be vulnerable.  A higher turnout Presidential Election with a strong well funded candidate is possible to at least make it competitive.

[Lief 🗽]

The ugly truth is that Peter King is a pretty good representation of the views of a sizable portion of NY-02's electorate.

[The Other Castro]

I've heard that him and Steve Israel are good friends, so Israel blocks any potential challengers from getting funds. Might that change now that Israel is leaving the DCCC?

I guess you could say this is another situation where Republicans use Israel to get elected. Ba dum tss

[rbt48]

Peter King won't be defeated unless he keeps running into his senior years and becomes soft in the mind.  He is an outspoken guy and a good fit for eastern Nassau/western Suffolk.  If he retires in a Democratic year, his seat would probably flip.  Otherwise, he could well be replaced by a Republican state senator within his district.

Underlying his success is that New York State voters seem to have a stronger affinity for reelecting incumbents than is the case in other parts of the nation.

[Smash255]

Peter King won't be defeated unless he keeps running into his senior years and becomes soft in the mind.  He is an outspoken guy and a good fit for eastern Nassau/western Suffolk.  If he retires in a Democratic year, his seat would probably flip.  Otherwise, he could well be replaced by a Republican state senator within his district.

Underlying his success is that New York State voters seem to have a stronger affinity for reelecting incumbents than is the case in other parts of the nation.

Dems bench is deeper in the Suffolk portion of the district, GOP bench is deeper in the Nassau portion.  Obviously depends on the candidates, but in an open race in a Presidential year the Democrats probably have an edge.  In a Midterm year, the GOP probably has an edge due to turnout dropoff in the Dem heavy portions of the district (unless its a 2006 type year)

[Filuwaúrdjan]

King is awful, but he's a good fit for his district in most respects.

[Türkisblau]

I think you mean moderate Long Island district.  I'm in his district (the Nassau portion).  Following 2000 he got a fairly gerrymandered district as the State Assembly Democrats and State Senate Republicans drew a Incumbent protection map that made his district and Steve Israel (who at the time was a Freshman who won the open seat vacated by Republican Rick Lazio) districts safer.

His district now is more of a swing district, and he has taken a more moderate tone (on some issues) over the last few years (blasting his party on Sandy, the shutdown, etc).  However, as a whole is still quite conservative.  This year the Democrats didn't put up much of a fight for his district and turnout in the more Democratic portions of the district was very low.

I hate how going against people shutting down the government and blocking hurricane aid is now a moderate position. What a descent in politics and discourse we've had in the last 6 years...

[Ebowed]

I hate how going against people shutting down the government and blocking hurricane aid is now a moderate position. What a descent in politics and discourse we've had in the last 6 years...

Yeah, the idea that Peter King is a 'moderate' in today's political environment just about says it all.