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NY20 campaign

Submitted by tomllewis on Sun, 04/26/2009 - 12:19
in

As Jim Tedisco’s Finance Chairman I was in close proximity to some of the decisions that were made in the NY20 campaign. I’ve known Jim for well over a decade and was very pleased when he asked me to help him raise money for his campaign. I assumed, and was correct, that it would be relatively easy to get donors to give to his campaign since everyone who knew him assumed he would win. I certainly did. We raised over $1.5 million in eight weeks (more details on that in a later post). The Republican candidate in the 2008 race had only brought in $1.1 million in 16 months.

Here was a well-liked state legislator, who became the Minority Leader of the New York State Assembly. He earned some national attention in successfully challenging Governor Spitzer when he tried to float giving drivers licenses to illegal aliens, which had garnered him support as a strong leader. We all thought: how could he possibly lose to someone who hadn’t done a thing in the district and who had zero name recognition?

Because I consider him a friend, and have been friends with some members of his campaign staff, I don’t want to delve into who did what and point fingers. What I do want to write about, briefly, is my opinion of the two main reasons why he was defeated.

1) He should have come out against the Stimulus bill on day one. I had a few discussions with the campaign “leaders” to find out why he didn’t do this. The answer seemed to revolve around the polling that showed a 48-48 split. As the 20th CD has been trending more and more Democrat every year since Bush won in 2004, I understood their thinking. But personally, as a conservative, I wanted him to come out against it, and plainly say that the $787 billion wasn’t really a Stimulus bill, it was a big spending bill. WHICH IS WHAT IT IS.

2) He should have had his TV ads peppered with at least 50% positive ads. Jim had a great story to tell, as was shown by the overwhelming victory he had in Saratoga County (almost 1/3 of the district) where everyone knew him.   

Had he come out strongly against the Stimulus he would have been carrying the torch for most republicans and every conservative thinker in the country. It would have been the same message that propelled thousands of people to the Tea Parties. It would have defined him as the fighter that I have known him to be.

Once he took that middle road, taking no position, his opponent was able to define him as a “typical politician.”  Lesson learned: Sometimes you have to ignore the campaign professionals and act on principle.

It’s sad for many of us in the 20th district and sad for Jim who put his life into the race 100%.

I still believe that conservative ideas will win out in America, over time, because they are the best ideas to elevate the whole country.

(This item has been cross posted on RedState)

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Comments

Maybe, in retrospect

Submitted by NextRightNando on Sun, 04/26/2009 - 12:40.

Maybe, in retrospect, it wasn't such a good idea to try to turn this election into a referendum on Obama?

3. Obama Is Still Popular in the 20th

Submitted by ToddLuvsLounging on Sun, 04/26/2009 - 12:58.

Liberal ToddLuvsLounging Says:

Instead of waving the conservative flag, Tedisco could have waved the moderate flags in an obviously moderate district. Tedisco could have aligned himself more closely with the issues of the last popular congresswomen from the 20th, Gillibrand.

However, I understood the choice of emphasizing Tedisco's conservative credentials. Turning out the base is easier in a special election, but it looks like national interest and focus also increased general interest in the district, thus favoring more moderate issues.

As for the stimulus, paraphasing Obama, what do you think a stimulus plan is - it's spending. Plus, a third of the stimulus was tax cuts or credits which economists say is an inefficient form of stimulus, but Obama put in to placate the conservatives. Americans are worried about the deficit, but they are more worried about having jobs in the near future. In 2010, if the economy worsens, Tedisco will have another opportunity and would probably win easily.

Obama still popular

Submitted by tomllewis on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 09:25.

We don't agree on a few things.

For me, the Stimulus bill passed was much more a spending bill on social issues Dems have pushed for 30 years, that have nothing to do with stimulating the economy (i.e. health care and Cap & Trade) - even though that's how it's being sold.

Tactical Questions

Submitted by ToddLuvsLounging on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 12:40.

Thanks for the insider-ish look, Tom. I'd like to know if the tactics changed when the DC money started flowing in. I'm wondering if the Republican national party's obsession with party dicipline hurt your candidate in the end (at least in regards to the stimulus). I, as a Democrat, wondered if my party needed more dicipline, but now see being flexible as a benefit for the Democrats.

Or Strategy

Submitted by ToddLuvsLounging on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 13:47.

What I mean was Tedesco planning on fudging on the stimulus question, but was 'advised' to go strongly against the stimulus by the national party. Many observers, you included, have said not answering the question for two weeks cost him the election, but I think he should have fudged his answer. I saw a campaign commercial with Tedesco barking out, "No!" and it made it easier to paint Tedesco as belonging to the No Party.

Or Startegy

Submitted by tomllewis on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 17:51.

I understand why you would say he would have been better off not saying "No," but that's not how I see it. I like candidates to take positions on major issues, especially one that people on my side of the aisle would relate to.

Thanks for a different point of view.

tactical question

Submitted by tomllewis on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 17:47.

I wasn't on the inside of the strategy, but I'm fairly sure that money that came in from DC had no affect on any tactics. That was completely independent.

because the 66% writeoff on COBRA

Submitted by RisingTide on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 15:22.

makes me so much less likely to pay for insurance...

typical selfish republican bastard, can't be bothered to understand someone else's problems.

It would be UNCONSCIONABLE for me to spend half of my unemployment benefits on COBRA. I'd go without, and you'd die -- as my household, among others, would serve as a wellspring of contagious disease (I have a severely immune compromised person at home).

But, hell, we can't be giving poor lazy unemployed people insurance now can we? Because they were too stupid to know that grant funding ends, eventually...

more to come!!!

Submitted by bluejoni2525 on Sun, 04/26/2009 - 15:04.

Get use to the idea of relegation.Twenty per cent (being generous)does not a party make.!!

Face it, typical conservatism is kinda unpopular

Submitted by skayne on Sun, 04/26/2009 - 18:36.

The usual excuse for losing conservatives: conservatism can't fail, it can only be failed.

You ran a typically shrill conservative campaign in a district that's becoming increasingly moderate. Tedisco allied himself with congressional republicans who in some polls rate worse than Russia, China, Venezuela, and legalizing marijuana.

Yet, once again, you think the reason you lost is because you weren't conservative enough. When are conservatives going to learn that after 8 years of an abject disaster, you have to present yourself as something different than what currently represents the republican party?

What about Steele?

Submitted by BWall on Sun, 04/26/2009 - 20:40.

 Thanks to the writer of this post for your insight.  Here's a question for you: Michael Steele promised early that this election would be a national referendum.  As an insider, did you observe Steele or anyone else from the NRC coming in to assist Tedisco, and, if so, would you say his involvement helped or hindered the campaign?

Steele

Submitted by tomllewis on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 09:30.

From where I sat (and I wasn't invited to any "strategy" meetings - my role was just raising $) Steele and his team DID try to help - but I can't verify that accurately. I know the lead person from RNC was totally commited to the race.

I think any attacks on Steele's leadership are very very misplaced.

Very interesting points

Submitted by Ironman on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 05:52.

I was going to make some of them myself---and will get around to it-- but I spent yesterday at a surprise birthday party at my in-laws in Rennselaer County.

There I read in the Times Union that you had quit your post with the Saratoga County GOP.

I'm going to spell this out in more detail in my "after-action report"; but the NY GOP is a horrendously dysfunctional bunch that has lost the trust of many rank-and-file supporters.

That said, I see little evidence herein that you are part of the problem. What was it about punishing the innocent for failure? 

NY GOP

Submitted by tomllewis on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 09:39.

Iromnan: I'll be interesting in reading your post when it comes.  I always like to learn from the past.

What Are You Talking About

Submitted by Allen on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 13:21.

If you read this thoughtful post you would have seen that Tedesico ran away from conservatism on the most important issue in the race: TARP. He waffled and showed that he lacked conviction on free markets, the size of government and government intervention. So on character and principle he whimped out and paid a price.

Meanwhile his Democrat opponent ran ads that depicted him as a conservative. He marketed himself as a family man with family values and a small businessman.

Given this set-up conservative activists had no stake in the Tedesico campaign and many stayed home on election day. The candidate clearly miscalculated. Poll after poll is showing that Oabama's popularity is not increasing support for his policies. Most Americans disagree with his economic and security policies.

 

What Are You Talking About

Submitted by tomllewis on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 17:56.

Thanks for the comment Allen.

I'm with you on every point you made.

Such a missed opportunity!

Nope - he should not have waited

Submitted by GWMustGo on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 13:41.

I could not believe that a conservative politician in a national race (which was what NY20 was, to some extent) did not come out immediately and state that he was against the stimulus if he was against it.  At that point, he lost. 

There is nothing to be ashamed of in being a True Conservative (my ID is GWMustGo, not ConservativesSuck), just as there is nothing to be ashamed of in being a True Liberal.  Sadly for Mr. Tedisco, he and/or his handlers forgot that, and he lost.

here here!

Submitted by RisingTide on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 15:25.

yeah, the corrupt part of the GOP needs to go, not conservatism in general.

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