The biggest New York primary contest of its kind in decades has sent party operatives scouring results district by district for hints at what’s to come in next fall’s general election.
Numbers remain rough and unofficial, but it appears that more than 1.7 million Democrats voted in New York State’s presidential primary last week. Republican voters totalled just over 600,000, or 35 percent of Democratic turnout.
The major parties are already at war this year for control of the state Senate, where Majority Leader Joseph Bruno’s Republican conference holds a slim margin. In two weeks, there’s a special election for a vacant upstate seat, and the spin from both camps is well under way.
“The contrast between the two parties heading into November couldn't be more stark,” declared state Democratic committee spokesman Jonathan Rosen. “There is palpable excitement at the grassroots level among Democrats all over the state...The Republican party is depressed, divided and on the defensive.” State and Nassau GOP Chairman Joseph Mondello, in photo at right, who earlier pinned hopes on a Rudy Giuliani nomination, said: “With Senator McCain at the head of our ticket, Republicans in New York and across the nation can look forward to a bright future.”
By Friday, the Democratic vote was 998,749 for Hillary Clinton and 694,493 for Barack Obama. Adding in the totals for dropouts still on the ballot, turnout hit 1,715,006 or 32 percent of the official number of registered Democrats. John McCain won New York on Tuesday with more than half of the reported 607,011 GOP votes, marking an official 20 percent Republican turnout. (Turnout percentages are a bit blurry; for one thing, so-called motor-voter programs in the 1990’s signed up some who failed to vote).
Dan Janison
Comments (4)
RE: There is tension in Albany as GOP control of the state Senate appears in real jeopardy, in party because the 48th SD race is closer than expected - one insider said a loss there could lead Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno not to seek re-election.
NY State GOP has handed us Elmer Pataki along with Clueless (I Stand for Nothing) Chairman Sandy Treadwell as leaders who did not rebuild the Party.
The NY GOP has handed NY Howard Mills for US Senate. (Against Liberal Brooklyn Schumer)
The NY GOP has handed NY recent Lost GOP Controls of many Counties across the State.
The NY GOP has handed us Lost US Congressional Seats, NY Senate Seats & Assembly Seats.
The NY GOP has lead the Charge here in NY State of giving us Higher Taxes & More Spending.
The NY GOP has ran away from their base of 2A Issues and All forms of Social Conservatism.
The NY GOP has Lost there way on the Principles of what Republicans are supposed to stand for.
The NY GOP forced down the throats of New Yorkers candidates like Jean Pirro, Bill Weld, Howard Mills & Rudy Guiliani...without consulting the voting public or the grass roots.
The NY GOP is clueless and deserves everything that is happening to them.
The NY GOP should have listen to me and the others who knew better.
Jim Kelly - NY Conservative Campaigns
This whole Rudy Campaign and those backers in the NY GOP who were behind it (Hook, Line & Stinker) will always be remembered as one of the biggest disasters in American Political History.
This whole "Rudy the Liberal" ....
That he could win the GOP National Convention was joke from the start. The NY State GOP got exactly what they deserved!
They should have all taken my word last summer and dumped Rudy from the start and prevented this embarrassment.
Did any in the NY GOP read this blog on my comments?
Jim Kelly - NY Conservative Campaigns
RE: If Democrats take control of the state Senate, they would likely push issues like rent control, drug law reform and education aid.
I agree that if the Dems take over the NY State Senate, this State would be Officially listed as a Communist State. (IE…. Massachusetts)
As a Conservative myself I would NOT like to see it happen…..BUT…..
But CLEARLY….The NY State GOP deserves the mess they are in as they became Tax & Spend Liberals during & since the Pataki years. They have also abandoned the cause of ALL Social Issues.
NY GOP is now finding it hard to rile up the troops to vote for them as no one believes in their cause anymore. NY GOP have deceived the Party Base!
The NY GOP has for your many years lied to the grass roots and the New Yorkers who voted for them.
Jim Kelly - NY Conservative Campaigns
RE: Billionaire Mayor Bloomberg, who knows a thing or two about self-funded campaigns.
You heard it here first………
Bloomy is running for Governor of New York State. He is to the left of Spitz.
Bloomy will run on the Independent Line.
He will also “Buy” the Republican line and Revise the Liberal Line,
Jim Kelly - NY Conservative Campaigns