For decades, Upstate Republicans have based a big part of their message on opposition to New York City. <\/p>\n
The GOP’s candidates still work hard to tie their Democratic opponents (be they Kirsten Gillibrand or Darrel Aubertine) to pols and party flacks from the Five Boroughs.<\/p>\n
Republican challenger Sandy Treadwell has issued a flurry of press releases this fall linking Gillibrand to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel.<\/p>\n
Rangel faces a slough of criticism for ethics lapses, from Republicans and independent editorial page writers, a fact that Treadwell’s campaign has tried to keep front and center.<\/p>\n
Do voters in the 20th Congressional District care?<\/p>\n
And does the old Upstate-Downstate rivalry still have the kind of edge that made the North Country a dependable power base for Republicans?<\/p>\n
I think an argument can be made that the impact has been blunted. <\/p>\n
Part of the problem may be the efforts made by downstate Republicans to build connections in the region. Governor David Paterson has drawn generally strong reviews in the region.<\/p>\n
Senators Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton have both worked to establish a presence here.<\/p>\n
I’d argue that New York City also has a less toxic image, thanks (ironically) to a series of Republican mayors.<\/p>\n
In the final equation, it’s hard to imagine that the GOP can rebuild its infrastructure around an anti-urban message — in one of the most urban- and suburban states in the nation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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