The Fighting 29th

All about New York's 29th Congressional District

Reader Elmer sends today's Corning Leader Editorial Page [pdf], which includes Bob Rolfe's column on Randy Kuhl's voting record, as well as a couple Letters to the Editor on the 29th race.

Reader Justin sends a link to a Joe Spector blog post on the race. It concerns Charlie Rangel, who held a fundraiser for Massa earlier this year.

Spector also posts on today's Kuhl ad and Kuhl's refusal to debate in Bath.

Reader Tom sends the Star-Gazette and Corning Leader [gif] (jump [gif]) stories on the Bath debate cancellation.

Susan Multer of the League of Women Voters is quoted in the Star-Gazette:

"It's a sad day for democracy when elected officials are unwilling to
participate in local candidate forums," Multer said. "It shows great
disrespect for the public for a congressman to take five months and a
state senator to take six weeks to tell the sponsoring organization
that they will not participate and give no reason."

Update: WETM also has a debate story.

I wasn't able to make today's Massa press conference, but WXXI already has a story up.

Reader Elmer sends today's Corning Leader story [pdf] on Randy Kuhl's new health care plan. The text of the entire plan is posted on his campaign website.

Today is primary day. There is no primary in the 29th Congressional District, but on the off chance that some of my political junkie readers missed it, there are New York State Senate primary contests in two districts in the 29th.

There are Republican and Democratic primaries in New York State Senate District 59, which contains all of Wyoming County, and parts of Erie, Livingston and Ontario Counties. Democrats Kathy Konst and Timothy Pawarski are running, as are Republican incumbent Dale Volker and challenger David DiPietro.

There are Republican and Conservative primaries in SD-62, which covers Gates, a tiny bit of Rochester, Orleans County and part of Niagara County. Republican Brian Grear is doubling down by challenging incumbent George Maziarz in the primary, as well as in the general: Grear also filed petitions for the Democratic line. Conservative Donald Hobel is challenging Maziarz for that line.

I'll be appearing with some other local bloggers on Rochester CW-16's primary night show tonight between 10 and 11 P.M. The show is a combination of primary-night reporting and pre-general analysis, and the bloggers will be talking about the impact of blogs on local politics. I will probably also be writing a post on the impact of primary results on the election in the 29th. 13-WHAM and CW-16 share the same news team.

As reported earlier, Greenpeace is bringing a solar demonstration vehicle to the Southern Tier. The vehicle will be on display at Watkins Glen, Clute Park/Lakeside (by Route 414) tomorrow, between 4-6 P.M.

Reader Elmer sends today's Corning Leader Opinion Page [pdf] with Bob Rolfe's Insider column. Rolfe mentions the Massa point that only the President can recall Congress, as well as Randy Kuhl's votes against renewable energy.

The Leader also give Kuhl and Massa a "grin" for talking about Social Security.

Despite promises to the contrary, the House leadership has decided that it won't bring another Supplemental Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) vote to the floor before the election.

If you search for S-CHIP on this blog, you'll find that discussion of an increase in funding and coverage for that program dominated the press last Fall. Eric Massa and Randy Kuhl battled over the bill with press releases and mailers. President Bush vetoed it twice, and the House failed to override those vetoes.

The S-CHIP "compromise" that finally passed at the end of last year extended the current program until March, 2009. Though it was promoted as a temporary measure, today's move by the House leadership indicates that last year's vote was a surrender, not a compromise.

S-CHIP began as a modest increase to a popular program which had some bi-partisan support (at least in the Senate). It morphed into a major ideological fight that dragged in issues of immigration and fiscal responsibility. I don't see it as a "win" for anyone. Democrats look impotent, Republicans look like obstructionists, and a huge amount of time and voter attention was wasted on an issue that ultimately wasn't solved.

S-CHIP is also a cautionary tale. Despite almost certain Democratic gains in the House and Senate, it's highly unlikely that either body will have a veto-proof majority. Unless Democrats also win the White House, we could be looking at four more years of S-CHIP style stalemate on issues of health care, energy and the economy.

The Messenger-Post has a tough editorial about the Massa campaign's attempt to tie the demise of a trucking company to Randy Kuhl. It also calls Kuhl's energy plan a "fantasy plan".

Reader Tom sends a story from 13-WHAM's Sean Carroll, who reports on how politicians in numerous races in the area are ducking debates. Randy Kuhl apparently initially turned down an invitation for 13-WHAM, but has since reconsidered.