Owens has early lead in 23rd

[brooklynite]

Source: The Press Republican

ALBANY (AP) -- With just 21 percent of precincts reporting in New York's 23rd House district, Democrat Bill Owens had an early lead of 51.5 percent, or 15,724 votes, to Conservative Doug Hoffman's 43.2 percent, or 13,195 votes.

Republican Dierdre Scozzafava, who withdrew from the race Saturday, still picked up 5.4 percent with 1,442 votes.

That's with 112 out of 606 precincts reporting in the heavily Republican district.

Read more: http://www.pressrepublican.com/breakingnews/local_story_307210329.html

---

After Virginia and New Jersey, imagine the reaction if this was the election we won...

[Justitia]

1. This is looking delicious. I'm licking my lips, but I haven't tied the bib on yet. -eom

[brooklynite]

2. Now 33% in; same margin

[ingac70]

3. ....

I could give a shit care less about the state government races. This is the one that matters.

[fujiyama]

4. To those of us outside of VA and NJ

this race matters more. House Reps vote on national legislation. I'm hoping Owens pulls it off. It would also make the Palin/Teabag crowd look even more stupid than they are.

VA and NJ were largely local and the candidates Dems ran weren't that great. People forget that in '01, Bush was still riding high on post 9/11 "patriotism". Dems won the VA governorship and some were saying it was an indication of the "emerging Democratic majority". A year later, they faced humiliating defeats all over.

I don't see how any of this makes a difference going into next year. Hopefully the House and Senate Dems will focus on actually getting more done now, because that's what will matter next year.

[NCDem60]

5. Wrong take I think.

A Hoffman win would encourage the far right to challenge their parties candidates all over the country. Its not important to make them feel stupid now. That's for 2010 & 12.

[fujiyama]

6. Well said

hopefully they'll keep at it in terms of challenging moderates.

But a win would be a win. I hope Owens pulls it off.

[wisteria]

8. Me to. n/t

[FarLeftFist]

12. True, but the majority of Americans don't think like that...

I agree with you, but voting a Dem into a position that hasn't been held by a Dem since 1852 is their way of saying F**k You conservatives. I like your strategy though because as much as Dems may dis-agree on certain issues, the one thing we all agree on is that we would NEVER vote republican. We believe in unity, organizing, equality and justice for all, which is the polar opposite of the republican ideology.

[New Dawn]

7. LOL, fuck Doug Hoffman.

[marybourg]

9. Not much in the msm about this race. NYT has nothing on its

web front page and the link to the local paper, given by the OP above hasn't updated in over 2 hours.

[FarLeftFist]

10. This race is more important...

NJ typically goes back and forth due to the fact that every Governor promises the same thing: I will bring businesses to NJ and create jobs. NJ ranks 50th for business atmosphere and that promise is always broken. Jersey tends to not care if you are a Dem or Repub as long as you can make them that near impossible promise of bringing more business there. Virginia wasn't a surprise, Deeds ran a somewhat of an awful campaign, esp. in these rough economic times, he practically gave that race away. On the other hand a NY district that hasn't had a Dem since 1852 is winnable and should show a more sweeping trend away from the lunatic fringe of the right wing. The fact that a whole entire political demographic may be changing, in my opinion, speaks much louder volumes. CA-10 is another interesting race.

[marybourg]

11. Had to dig down to Google News to find:

Democrat leads in House race in northern NY
By VALERIE BAUMAN (AP) – 12 minutes ago

ALBANY, N.Y. — Democrat Bill Owens is leading with about 49 percent of the vote in a special Congressional election in northern New York that has grabbed national headlines in its final days as it highlighted divisions within the Republican Party.

Owens led Tuesday over Conservative Doug Hoffman's 45 percent of the vote with about 71 percent of precincts reporting in New York's 23rd House district

[Endangered Specie]

13. Owens 49%, Nut job 45% with 86% reporting

http://elections.nytimes.com/2009/results/upstate.html

[rocktivity]

14. This really takes the sting out of Corzine losing

because if his loss can be considered a referedum on Obama's effectiveness, Owens' victory is can be considered a referendum on Sarah Palin's effectiveness! And since we picked up two more Dem seats in the House, we broke even at best.

:bounce:
rocktivity

[No Elephants]

15. Exit polls in VA and NJ showed voters approve of Obama and did not vote R because of Obama

The Republican spin on this issue is bullshit, as Republican spin almost invariably is.

That's the good news.


Now, the bad news.

This clown campaigned on being to the right of the Republican candidate; and, if posters here from that area are correct, he was not lying about how far right he is. They said she was the best candidate in the race and they might have voted for her over Owens.