Republicans confer to pick a candidate

Next week is the week the region’s Republican Party tries to learn from the past. Many criticized the way Jim Tedisco was quickly annointed candidate for the 20th Congressional district special election last spring, with little input from rank and file party members. (Tedisco, of course, lost.)

As Republicans prepare for a furious 23rd district race once John McHugh is confirmed as Secretary of the Army, the GOP is holding four meetings to vet the potential candidates. The meetings are for committee members only:

7/7 Southern Area Meeting: Counties of Fulton, Hamilton, 6:00 at Zeiser Restaurant, Speculator
7/9 Western Area Meeting: Counties of Madison, Oswego, and Oneida, 6:30 at Schneibles Restaurant, Verona Beach
7/14 Central Area Meeting: Counties of Lewis, Jefferson, and St Lawrence, 6:00 at VFW, Gouverneur
7/16 Northern Area Meeting: Counties of Clinton, Essex and Franklin, 6:00 at Plattsburgh Town Hall, Plattsburgh.

The field is thick; eight people has expressed interest in running for the seat under the GOP flag. One of them, longtime moderate Assemblywoman Dee Dee Scozzafava of Gouverneur, is reportedly hiring Tedisco’s chief fundraiser, Howard Decker.