New York's 20th congressional district special election, 2009
Encyclopedia
The 2009 special election for the 20th congressional district of New York
was held on March 31, 2009 to fill the vacancy created in January 2009 when the district's representative, Congresswoman
Kirsten Gillibrand
, was appointed US senator from New York, replacing Hillary Clinton, who had been appointed Secretary of State
in the Obama administration. The two major-party candidates were Democrat Scott Murphy
, a private businessman, and Republican Jim Tedisco, the minority leader
of the New York State Assembly
. A third-party candidate, Libertarian
Eric Sundwall, was initially included in the race, but later removed from the ballot.
The 20th district has historically been conservative, and early polls favored Tedisco, but by February 2009 the race was considered a toss-up. The Republican Party considered the election to be a referendum on President Obama's economic policy and as such, injected significant funding into Tedisco's campaign, using well-known Republicans such as former Speaker of the House
Newt Gingritch, Congressional Minority Leader
John Boehner
, and former New York Governor
George Pataki
for support. Democrats used Senator Gillibrand, Vice President
Joe Biden
, and an endorsement from President
Barack Obama
to support the Murphy campaign.
Major issues brought up during the campaign were the candidates' positions on President Obama's stimulus plan
, which Tedisco did not take a stance on until late in the race. Murphy supported it while Tedisco eventually opposed it. Tedisco portrayed Murphy's support of the plan as a potential cause of the AIG bonus scandal
. Tedisco's campaign also brought up Murphy's failure to pay taxes on a company he founded in the 1990s. A frequent Murphy talking point
was that Tedisco's primary residence was not in the Congressional district.
The race was so close that one early vote count had the candidates tied at 77,225 votes each. Absentee ballots decided the election; ballots were accepted until April 13. While Tedisco had been ahead in early counts, by April 10 Murphy was leading, and by April 23 Murphy had a 401-vote advantage. Tedisco conceded the race the following day, and Murphy was sworn in on April 29. Democratic electoral successes in November 2008 and Murphy's clear support of the stimulus package
were credited for his success.
, Dutchess
, Delaware
, Essex
, Greene
, Otsego
, Rensselaer
, Saratoga
, Warren
, and Washington
counties. Traditionally conservative, it had been considered a safe seat
for Republicans until Blue Dog Democrat
Kirsten Gillibrand defeated incumbent
John E. Sweeney
in the 2006 election. In November 2008, the Republican Party held an enrollment advantage of 70,632 registered voters across the district, down from a 93,337-voter advantage when the district lines were drawn by the New York State Legislature in 2002. Although Republican George W. Bush
carried the district by an eight-point margin in the 2004 presidential election
, Democrat Barack Obama
won the district in 2008
by a three-point margin, or approximately 10,000 votes of over 330,000 cast. Gillibrand was reelected in 2008 by 24 points, a fourfold increase over her 2006 margin.
One of Barack Obama's first decisions as president-elect was to appoint Hillary Clinton, US Senator from New York and former Democratic presidential primary opponent
, as Secretary of State
. The district's seat became vacant in January 2009 when Governor
David Paterson
appointed Gillibrand to the United States Senate
to replace Clinton. On February 23, 2009, Governor Paterson issued a proclamation setting the date for the special election as March 31, 2009. Under state law, Paterson was not required to issue a proclamation for a special election until July 2010. Both the Rothenberg
Political Report and the Cook Political Report
listed the race as a toss-up.
primaries
, the party nominees were chosen by a weighted vote among the county committees. The weight of the vote depended on the population of registered party voters (Republican or Democrat) in a given county.
John Faso
had been in the running for the Republican nomination. Richard Wager, a former aide to New York City Mayor
Michael Bloomberg
, and State Senator Stephen Saland
had also been mentioned. Alexander "Sandy" Treadwell
, the former New York Secretary of State and 2008 U.S. House challenger
, had announced he would not run. On January 24, State Assembly
Minority Leader
Jim Tedisco received the endorsement of Saratoga County's Republican chairman, while the Greene County
GOP endorsed Faso.
Jim Tedisco was the eventual Republican nominee, winning the GOP nomination on January 27, 2009. Tedisco represents the 110th Assembly District, which includes a significant portion of Saratoga County. Tedisco's primary residence was not in the congressional district, although he did own a house in Saratoga Springs
and much of his assembly district overlapped the congressional district. This issue would become a major talking point during the campaign.
reported that the Democrats had narrowed the field of potential candidates from over two dozen applicants down to six. The Democratic chairpersons met with all six candidates at a diner
in Albany on February 1, and selected Scott Murphy
of Glens Falls
, president of the Upstate Venture Association of New York, as their candidate. Other confirmed candidates included Saratoga County Democratic Chairman Larry Bulman, former New York Rangers
goaltender Mike Richter
, Coxsackie
Town Supervisor Alex Betke, and Tracey Brooks, failed candidate for the nomination for the 21st district election in 2008.
, an arrangement allowing two or more qualified parties
to list the same candidate on a ballot. The Conservative Party chose to cross-endorse Tedisco on February 9, while the Working Families Party
gave its endorsement to Murphy on February 17. On March 1, the Independence Party
, the largest third party in the 20th district, gave its endorsement to Murphy. This was the first time the Independence Party had endorsed a Democrat in the district.
Eric Sundwall, Chair of the New York Libertarian Party
, was the Libertarian candidate for the seat. However, he was removed from the ballot on March 25, after 3,786 of the 6,730 signatures his campaign had collected were ruled invalid. Under state election law, independent congressional candidates must collect at least 3,500 valid signatures to be on the ballot. Two Saratoga County residents challenged over 6,000 of Sundwall's signatures; Sundwall blamed Tedisco for the effort to have him removed from the ballot. The vast majority of the rejected signatures were from voters who put down their mailing address instead of the municipality in which they physically lived. Votes for Sundwall on absentee ballots, which were mailed out before he was removed from the ballot, were voided. On March 27, Sundwall announced that he would vote for Murphy in the election and urged his supporters to join him.
and the Times Union, took place on March 19 between Murphy and Libertarian candidate Eric Sundwall. Jim Tedisco held a town hall meeting
rather than attend, claiming the debate was not one of the four originally agreed upon. The third debate took place on March 23 and the final debate was on March 26.
Strategists from both parties viewed the outcome of the race as a "referendum on President Obama's handling of the economy
". Chairman Michael Steele of the Republican National Committee
said the special election was the first of three elections that were "incredibly important" for the Republicans to win. The Republican leadership made this race a top priority, and Chairman Steele, former Governor George Pataki
, House Minority Leader John Boehner
, and former Speaker of the House
Newt Gingrich
helped Tedisco with fundraising. Steele visited the district twice. On the Democratic side, Senator Gillibrand appeared in commercials and robocalls for Murphy, and Senator Chuck Schumer helped Murphy's campaign with fundraising. Less than a week before the election, President Obama formally endorsed Murphy in a mass email to supporters and urged supporters to organize and vote for Murphy. A radio ad Vice President
Joe Biden
recorded for Murphy was released on March 25. That same day, Democratic National Committee
(DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine
emailed 500 of the party's top donors asking them to contribute to Murphy's campaign.
The RNC spent $100,000 on Tedisco's behalf. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
spent $150,000 and the Service Employees International Union
spent $315,000 for Murphy. The New York State United Teachers
made an effort to call its members on Murphy's behalf, while the National Right to Life, National Republican Trust
and New York State Rifle and Pistol Association
organizations paid for ads and mailings supporting Tedisco.
Each candidate aimed to discredit the other by pointing out his opponent's flaws or mistakes. Republicans called attention to Murphy's failure to pay taxes on a start-up computer software company he had founded in the 1990s, drawing comparison to three high-profile Obama administration nominees who failed to pay all of their taxes. Tedisco also called attention to Murphy's failure to regularly vote in elections after the National Republican Congressional Committee
(NRCC) announced that Murphy had failed to vote in the 2000 presidential election, along with seven other primaries and general elections between 2000 and 2003. Believing the negative ads run by the NRCC were responsible for his drop in the polls, Tedisco announced that he would take control of campaign advertising from the NRCC.
Murphy spent the first months of the campaign criticizing Tedisco's early refusal to disclose his position on President Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
. When Tedisco came out in opposition to the legislation on March 16, Murphy responded by writing, "it's just shameful it took well over a month for Assemblyman Tedisco to finally admit that he'd vote 'No'". Murphy's campaign described Tedisco as a career Albany politician.
By mid-March, a provision in the stimulus package that grandfathered in bonuses paid to executives at troubled insurance giant AIG
and other TARP
recipients became a campaign issue. Tedisco, who had been criticized by Murphy for opposing the package, used the outrage over the AIG bonuses
to reframe the debate. On March 19, Tedisco called for the resignation of Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner over the AIG controversy. Murphy responded by insisting that the stimulus package was necessary for job creation.
† Commissioned by Tedisco's campaign and the NRCC
‡ Commissioned by the DCCC
had listed the election at a zero-vote margin, with each candidate having exactly 77,225 votes. By April 2, Tedisco was ahead by 12 votes. He resigned the position of Assembly Minority Leader on April 5 in preparation for a transition to Congress, and was replaced by Brian Kolb
the following day. On April 7, Tedisco was ahead by 97 votes. The close tally meant that absentee ballots would decide the race.
All ballots, absentee ballot envelopes, and voting machines were impounded under a court injunction sought by state Republicans. Under the court order, absentee ballots were counted in central locations rather than individual precincts. Of the 10,000 absentee ballots sent out, 6,000 were returned. Absentee ballots mailed within the United States had to be received by April 7 to be counted. The deadline for overseas (including military) ballots was extended to April 13 after the United States Department of Justice
sued the state to ensure they would have a reasonable chance of being counted. Counting of the absentee ballots due by April 7 began on April 8 under a New York State Supreme Court ruling sought by Murphy's campaign.
The legality of about 600 absentee ballots were contested during the count, including Senator Gillibrand's ballot. By April 23, Murphy was ahead by 401 votes, and Tedisco conceded the following day. Murphy was sworn in on April 29. The official results came out in May and had Murphy winning the election with 80,833 votes (50.23%) against Tedisco's 80,107 votes (49.77%).
from Barack Obama's election in 2008
. His support of the stimulus package and Tedisco's failed attempt at clearly explaining his (Tedisco's) opposition to the package also had an impact. Further explanations for the Republican defeat ranged from accusations that Tedisco "dither on the stimulus bill", to intimations that Tedisco only became his party's nominee by manipulating the selection process. In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal
contended that being an "Albany careerist" and running confusing campaign ads had hurt Tedisco. Tedisco's loss immediately made him appear vulnerable to Democrats hoping to capture his seat in the Assembly.
The day after being sworn in, Murphy hired Todd Schulte, his campaign manager, as his new chief of staff. He also hired one of Governor Paterson's aides, Maggie McKeon, as his communications director. For his district director, Murphy turned to Rob Scholz, a Republican. Scholz had worked on Murphy's campaign and had received praise from Larry Bulman, the chairman of the Saratoga County Democratic Committee. Within a month of being elected, Murphy opened offices in Saratoga Springs and Hudson
. Murphy served the remainder of his term, but lost a reelection bid on November 2, 2010 to challenger Chris Gibson, a retired Army
colonel
.
New York's 20th congressional district
The 20th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in eastern New York. It includes all or parts of Columbia, Dutchess, Delaware, Essex, Greene, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties. It includes the...
was held on March 31, 2009 to fill the vacancy created in January 2009 when the district's representative, Congresswoman
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik Gillibrand is an attorney and the junior United States Senator from the state of New York and a member of the Democratic Party...
, was appointed US senator from New York, replacing Hillary Clinton, who had been appointed Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
in the Obama administration. The two major-party candidates were Democrat Scott Murphy
Scott Murphy
Matthew Scott Murphy is an entrepreneur and the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, a private businessman, and Republican Jim Tedisco, the minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
. A third-party candidate, Libertarian
Libertarian Party of New York
The Libertarian Party of New York is a political party in the United States active in the state of New York. It is the recognized affiliate of the national Libertarian Party....
Eric Sundwall, was initially included in the race, but later removed from the ballot.
The 20th district has historically been conservative, and early polls favored Tedisco, but by February 2009 the race was considered a toss-up. The Republican Party considered the election to be a referendum on President Obama's economic policy and as such, injected significant funding into Tedisco's campaign, using well-known Republicans such as former Speaker of the House
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
Newt Gingritch, Congressional Minority Leader
Minority leader of the United States House of Representatives
The House Minority Leader is one of the party leaders of the United States House of Representatives. This title is currently held by Democratic Representative Nancy Pelosi of California....
John Boehner
John Boehner
John Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991...
, and former New York Governor
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
for support. Democrats used Senator Gillibrand, Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
, and an endorsement from President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
to support the Murphy campaign.
Major issues brought up during the campaign were the candidates' positions on President Obama's stimulus plan
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...
, which Tedisco did not take a stance on until late in the race. Murphy supported it while Tedisco eventually opposed it. Tedisco portrayed Murphy's support of the plan as a potential cause of the AIG bonus scandal
AIG bonus payments controversy
The AIG bonus payments controversy began in March 2009, when it was publicly disclosed that the American International Group was to pay approximately $218 million in bonus payments to employees of its financial services division....
. Tedisco's campaign also brought up Murphy's failure to pay taxes on a company he founded in the 1990s. A frequent Murphy talking point
Talking point
A talking point in debate or discourse is a succinct statement designed to persuasively support one side taken on an issue. Such statements can either be free standing or created as retorts to the opposition's talking points and are frequently used in public relations, particularly in areas heavy...
was that Tedisco's primary residence was not in the Congressional district.
The race was so close that one early vote count had the candidates tied at 77,225 votes each. Absentee ballots decided the election; ballots were accepted until April 13. While Tedisco had been ahead in early counts, by April 10 Murphy was leading, and by April 23 Murphy had a 401-vote advantage. Tedisco conceded the race the following day, and Murphy was sworn in on April 29. Democratic electoral successes in November 2008 and Murphy's clear support of the stimulus package
Arra
Arra is a census town in Puruliya district in the state of West Bengal, India.-Demographics: India census, Arra had a population of 19,911. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Arra has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 59% of the...
were credited for his success.
Background
New York's 20th district encompasses all or part of ColumbiaColumbia County, New York
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
, Dutchess
Dutchess County, New York
Dutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
, Delaware
Delaware County, New York
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of 2010 the population was 47,980. The county seat is Delhi. It is named after the Delaware River, which was named in honor of Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, appointed governor of Virginia in 1609.-History:When counties...
, Essex
Essex County, New York
Essex County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 39,370. Its name is from the English county of Essex. Its county seat is Elizabethtown...
, Greene
Greene County, New York
Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Its name is in honor of the American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. Its county seat is Catskill...
, Otsego
Otsego County, New York
Otsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-History:...
, Rensselaer
Rensselaer County, New York
Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...
, Saratoga
Saratoga County, New York
Saratoga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 219,607. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Ballston Spa...
, Warren
Warren County, New York
Warren County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 65,707. It is named in honor of General Joseph Warren, an American Revolutionary War hero of the Battle of Bunker Hill...
, and Washington
Washington County, New York
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,216. It was named for the Revolutionary War general George Washington...
counties. Traditionally conservative, it had been considered a safe seat
Safe seat
A safe seat is a seat in a legislative body which is regarded as fully secured, either by a certain political party, the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both...
for Republicans until Blue Dog Democrat
Blue Dog Democrat
The Blue Dog Coalition, commonly known as the Blue Dogs, is a group of United States Congressional Representatives from the Democratic Party who identify themselves as moderates....
Kirsten Gillibrand defeated incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
John E. Sweeney
John E. Sweeney
John E. Sweeney is a politician from the U.S. state of New York. A Republican, he represented New York's 20th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from January 1999 to January 2007. He was defeated for reelection in November 2006 by Democrat Kirsten...
in the 2006 election. In November 2008, the Republican Party held an enrollment advantage of 70,632 registered voters across the district, down from a 93,337-voter advantage when the district lines were drawn by the New York State Legislature in 2002. Although Republican George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
carried the district by an eight-point margin in the 2004 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
won the district in 2008
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
by a three-point margin, or approximately 10,000 votes of over 330,000 cast. Gillibrand was reelected in 2008 by 24 points, a fourfold increase over her 2006 margin.
One of Barack Obama's first decisions as president-elect was to appoint Hillary Clinton, US Senator from New York and former Democratic presidential primary opponent
Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008
The 2008 Democratic presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...
, as Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
. The district's seat became vacant in January 2009 when Governor
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
David Paterson
David Paterson
David Alexander Paterson is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of New York, from 2008 to 2010. During his tenure he was the first governor of New York of African American heritage and also the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state after Bob C. Riley, who was Acting...
appointed Gillibrand to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
to replace Clinton. On February 23, 2009, Governor Paterson issued a proclamation setting the date for the special election as March 31, 2009. Under state law, Paterson was not required to issue a proclamation for a special election until July 2010. Both the Rothenberg
Stuart Rothenberg
Stuart Rothenberg is an American editor, publisher, and political analyst best known for his Washington-based, biweekly, self-proclaimed non-partisan political newsletter The Rothenberg Political Report...
Political Report and the Cook Political Report
Cook Political Report
The Cook Political Report is an independent, non-partisan online newsletter that analyzes elections and campaigns for the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, Governor's offices and the American Presidency. The Cook Political Report is led by a staff of five...
listed the race as a toss-up.
Candidates
In lieu of partyPolitical party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
primaries
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
, the party nominees were chosen by a weighted vote among the county committees. The weight of the vote depended on the population of registered party voters (Republican or Democrat) in a given county.
Republican Party
State Senator Betty Little and former state Assembly minority leader and 2006 Republican gubernatorial candidateNew York gubernatorial election, 2006
The New York gubernatorial election of 2006 was a race for the governorship of this U.S. state. Eliot Spitzer was elected on November 7, 2006, succeeding Governor George Pataki, the three-term incumbent, who did not run for a fourth term....
John Faso
John Faso
John Faso was the Republican nominee for Governor of New York in 2006, and was defeated by Democratic nominee Eliot Spitzer in the largest defeat for a Republican gubernatorial candidate in the state's history. This followed his loss to Alan Hevesi four years earlier in his run for State Comptroller...
had been in the running for the Republican nomination. Richard Wager, a former aide to New York City Mayor
Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
, and State Senator Stephen Saland
Stephen Saland
Stephen M. Saland is an American attorney and politician. He is currently a Republican member of the New York State Senate, representing the 41st District since 1990...
had also been mentioned. Alexander "Sandy" Treadwell
Alexander Treadwell
Alexander F. "Sandy" Treadwell is an American politician who is a longtime Republican Party political leader in New York. He is currently New York's National Committeeman on the Republican National Committee...
, the former New York Secretary of State and 2008 U.S. House challenger
New York's 20th congressional district election, 2008
The New York 20th congressional district election for the 111th Congress was held on November 4, 2008. It was incumbent Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand's first run for re-election, and was one of the most expensive House races in the nation, with both campaigns spending a total of more than $9 million...
, had announced he would not run. On January 24, State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
Minority Leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
Jim Tedisco received the endorsement of Saratoga County's Republican chairman, while the Greene County
Greene County, New York
Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Its name is in honor of the American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. Its county seat is Catskill...
GOP endorsed Faso.
Jim Tedisco was the eventual Republican nominee, winning the GOP nomination on January 27, 2009. Tedisco represents the 110th Assembly District, which includes a significant portion of Saratoga County. Tedisco's primary residence was not in the congressional district, although he did own a house in Saratoga Springs
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
and much of his assembly district overlapped the congressional district. This issue would become a major talking point during the campaign.
Democratic Party
On January 31, The Post-StarThe Post-Star
The Post-Star is a daily newspaper in Glens Falls, New York. Its circulation is approximately 35,000. It serves the counties of Warren, Washington and Saratoga in New York State including the cities of Glens Falls and Saratoga Springs. It is the only daily newspaper published in Warren County...
reported that the Democrats had narrowed the field of potential candidates from over two dozen applicants down to six. The Democratic chairpersons met with all six candidates at a diner
Diner
A diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
in Albany on February 1, and selected Scott Murphy
Scott Murphy
Matthew Scott Murphy is an entrepreneur and the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
of Glens Falls
Glens Falls, New York
Glens Falls is a city in Warren County, New York, United States. Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,700 at the 2010 census...
, president of the Upstate Venture Association of New York, as their candidate. Other confirmed candidates included Saratoga County Democratic Chairman Larry Bulman, former New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
goaltender Mike Richter
Mike Richter
Michael Thomas Richter is a former ice hockey goaltender. One of the most successful American-born goaltenders in history, he is best known for having led the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup title in 1994 and for repeatedly representing the United States in international play. Due to his...
, Coxsackie
Coxsackie (town), New York
Coxsackie is a town in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 8,918 at the 2010 census. The name of the town is said to derived from a Native American term, but it has various translations ....
Town Supervisor Alex Betke, and Tracey Brooks, failed candidate for the nomination for the 21st district election in 2008.
Third parties
New York allows electoral fusionElectoral fusion
Electoral fusion is an arrangement where two or more political parties on a ballot list the same candidate, pooling the votes for that candidate...
, an arrangement allowing two or more qualified parties
Qualified New York Parties
In New York State, to qualify for automatic ballot access, a party must have received at least 50,000 votes in the previous gubernatorial election. They need not run their own candidate, they can nominate a different party's nominee, and if 50,000 voters vote for that candidate on their party...
to list the same candidate on a ballot. The Conservative Party chose to cross-endorse Tedisco on February 9, while the Working Families Party
Working Families Party
The Working Families Party is a minor political party in the United States founded in New York in 1998. There are "sister" parties to the New York WFP in Connecticut, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Oregon, but there is as yet no national WFP...
gave its endorsement to Murphy on February 17. On March 1, the Independence Party
Independence Party of New York
The Independence Party is an affiliate in the U.S. state of New York of the Independence Party of America. The party was founded in 1991 by Dr. Gordon Black, Tom Golisano, and Laureen Oliver from Rochester, New York, and acquired ballot status in 1994...
, the largest third party in the 20th district, gave its endorsement to Murphy. This was the first time the Independence Party had endorsed a Democrat in the district.
Eric Sundwall, Chair of the New York Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party of New York
The Libertarian Party of New York is a political party in the United States active in the state of New York. It is the recognized affiliate of the national Libertarian Party....
, was the Libertarian candidate for the seat. However, he was removed from the ballot on March 25, after 3,786 of the 6,730 signatures his campaign had collected were ruled invalid. Under state election law, independent congressional candidates must collect at least 3,500 valid signatures to be on the ballot. Two Saratoga County residents challenged over 6,000 of Sundwall's signatures; Sundwall blamed Tedisco for the effort to have him removed from the ballot. The vast majority of the rejected signatures were from voters who put down their mailing address instead of the municipality in which they physically lived. Votes for Sundwall on absentee ballots, which were mailed out before he was removed from the ballot, were voided. On March 27, Sundwall announced that he would vote for Murphy in the election and urged his supporters to join him.
Campaign
The campaigns agreed to hold four debates. The first debate took place on March 2, between Tedisco and Murphy. The second debate, sponsored by WMHTWMHT (TV)
WMHT is the call sign for a television station and radio station in Schenectady, New York owned and operated by WMHT Educational Telecommunications A non-profit corporation...
and the Times Union, took place on March 19 between Murphy and Libertarian candidate Eric Sundwall. Jim Tedisco held a town hall meeting
Town hall meeting
A town hall meeting is an American English term given to an informal public meeting. Everybody in a town community is invited to attend, not always to voice their opinions, but to hear the responses from public figures and elected officials about shared subjects of interest. Attendees rarely voted...
rather than attend, claiming the debate was not one of the four originally agreed upon. The third debate took place on March 23 and the final debate was on March 26.
Strategists from both parties viewed the outcome of the race as a "referendum on President Obama's handling of the economy
Economy of the United States
The economy of the United States is the world's largest national economy. Its nominal GDP was estimated to be nearly $14.5 trillion in 2010, approximately a quarter of nominal global GDP. The European Union has a larger collective economy, but is not a single nation...
". Chairman Michael Steele of the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
said the special election was the first of three elections that were "incredibly important" for the Republicans to win. The Republican leadership made this race a top priority, and Chairman Steele, former Governor George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
, House Minority Leader John Boehner
John Boehner
John Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991...
, and former Speaker of the House
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
Newt Gingrich
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....
helped Tedisco with fundraising. Steele visited the district twice. On the Democratic side, Senator Gillibrand appeared in commercials and robocalls for Murphy, and Senator Chuck Schumer helped Murphy's campaign with fundraising. Less than a week before the election, President Obama formally endorsed Murphy in a mass email to supporters and urged supporters to organize and vote for Murphy. A radio ad Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
recorded for Murphy was released on March 25. That same day, Democratic National Committee
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee is the principal organization governing the United States Democratic Party on a day to day basis. While it is responsible for overseeing the process of writing a platform every four years, the DNC's central focus is on campaign and political activity in support...
(DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine
Tim Kaine
Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine is a Virginia politician. Kaine served as the 70th Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011...
emailed 500 of the party's top donors asking them to contribute to Murphy's campaign.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Democrats to that body. They play a critical role in recruiting candidates, raising funds, and organizing races in districts that are expected to yield...
spent $150,000 and the Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union
Service Employees International Union is a labor union representing about 1.8 million workers in over 100 occupations in the United States , and Canada...
spent $315,000 for Murphy. The New York State United Teachers
New York State United Teachers
New York State United Teachers is a 600,000-member New York state teachers union, affiliated since 2006 with the American Federation of Teachers , the AFL-CIO, and the National Education Association...
made an effort to call its members on Murphy's behalf, while the National Right to Life, National Republican Trust
National Republican Trust Political Action Group
The National Republican Trust Political Action Group is a third organization that supports Republican candidates for United States federal government positions through advertising...
and New York State Rifle and Pistol Association
New York State Rifle and Pistol Association
Established in 1871, the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association is the U.S. state of New York's largest and oldest firearms advocacy organization....
organizations paid for ads and mailings supporting Tedisco.
Each candidate aimed to discredit the other by pointing out his opponent's flaws or mistakes. Republicans called attention to Murphy's failure to pay taxes on a start-up computer software company he had founded in the 1990s, drawing comparison to three high-profile Obama administration nominees who failed to pay all of their taxes. Tedisco also called attention to Murphy's failure to regularly vote in elections after the National Republican Congressional Committee
National Republican Congressional Committee
The National Republican Congressional Committee is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives....
(NRCC) announced that Murphy had failed to vote in the 2000 presidential election, along with seven other primaries and general elections between 2000 and 2003. Believing the negative ads run by the NRCC were responsible for his drop in the polls, Tedisco announced that he would take control of campaign advertising from the NRCC.
Murphy spent the first months of the campaign criticizing Tedisco's early refusal to disclose his position on President Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...
. When Tedisco came out in opposition to the legislation on March 16, Murphy responded by writing, "it's just shameful it took well over a month for Assemblyman Tedisco to finally admit that he'd vote 'No'". Murphy's campaign described Tedisco as a career Albany politician.
By mid-March, a provision in the stimulus package that grandfathered in bonuses paid to executives at troubled insurance giant AIG
AIG
AIG is American International Group, a major American insurance corporation.AIG may also refer to:* And-inverter graph, a concept in computer theory* Answers in Genesis, a creationist organization in the U.S.* Arta Industrial Group in Iran...
and other TARP
Troubled Assets Relief Program
The Troubled Asset Relief Program is a program of the United States government to purchase assets and equity from financial institutions to strengthen its financial sector that was signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush on October 3, 2008...
recipients became a campaign issue. Tedisco, who had been criticized by Murphy for opposing the package, used the outrage over the AIG bonuses
AIG bonus payments controversy
The AIG bonus payments controversy began in March 2009, when it was publicly disclosed that the American International Group was to pay approximately $218 million in bonus payments to employees of its financial services division....
to reframe the debate. On March 19, Tedisco called for the resignation of Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner over the AIG controversy. Murphy responded by insisting that the stimulus package was necessary for job creation.
Endorsements
- March 22, 2009: Declaring "the upcoming special election in the 20th Congressional District nothing less than a referendum on the Obama economic stimulus plan", the KingstonKingston, New YorkKingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
-based Daily FreemanDaily FreemanThe Daily Freeman is a seven-day-a-week morning newspaper in Kingston, New York, the Ulster County seat. Serving all of Ulster County and parts of three other counties in the Mid-Hudson Valley, the broadsheet publication has a weekday circulation of approximately 22,000.In addition to its Uptown...
endorsed Murphy for his support of the plan. - March 22, 2009: Expressing a desire for "having candid, dissenting voices in any political body to keep the majority from going astray", the Poughkeepsie JournalPoughkeepsie JournalThe Poughkeepsie Journal is a newspaper based in Poughkeepsie, New York owned by the Gannett Company, who bought the paper in 1977. Founded in 1785 , the Journal is the oldest paper in New York state, and is the third-oldest in the nation...
endorsed Tedisco. - March 26, 2009: Calling him " ideal... the better candidate", the Glens Falls-based The Chronicle gave Jim Tedisco its endorsement.
- March 26, 2009: The New York PostNew York PostThe New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
gave its support to Jim Tedisco, calling him "a far better fit for the largely conservative district". - March 29, 2009: While acknowledging Tedisco's role in creating the STAR ProgramNew York State School Tax Relief ProgramThe New York State School Tax Relief Program , or New York State Real Property Tax Law §425, is a school tax rebate program offered in New York State aimed at reducing school district property taxes on the primary residences of New York residents...
and his vocal support for a property tax cap, The Times Union endorsed Murphy as "a candidate who would work with Mr. Obama to achieve his goals". - March 29, 2009: Citing the need for "an experienced, effective representative in Congress", The Post-StarThe Post-StarThe Post-Star is a daily newspaper in Glens Falls, New York. Its circulation is approximately 35,000. It serves the counties of Warren, Washington and Saratoga in New York State including the cities of Glens Falls and Saratoga Springs. It is the only daily newspaper published in Warren County...
endorsed Tedisco. - March 29, 2009: Impressed by his "public service, experience and political philosophy", as well has his opposition to a union card check billEmployee Free Choice ActThe Employee Free Choice Act was a legislative bill that was introduced into both chambers of the U.S. Congress on March 10, 2009. The bill's purpose was to,...
, The SaratogianThe SaratogianThe Saratogian is a broadsheet-style daily newspaper published in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. The paper has been published regularly since 1855. It covers all of Saratoga County, New York and specifically the city of Saratoga Springs....
endorsed Tedisco. - March 29, 2009: Claiming that "Tedisco has the track record that will make him a solid check and balance in Washington", the Troy Record endorsed Tedisco.
Polling
| Poll Source | Date administered | Scott Murphy (D) | Jim Tedisco (R) | Eric Sundwall (L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Siena Research Institute | March 25–26 | 47% | 43% | 2% |
| Siena Research Institute | March 9–10 | 41% | 45% | 1% |
| Benenson Strategy Group‡ | February 24–25 | 37% | 44% | 4% |
| Siena Research Institute | February 18–19 | 34% | 46% | |
| Public Opinion Strategies† | February 3–4 | 29% | 50% |
† Commissioned by Tedisco's campaign and the NRCC
National Republican Congressional Committee
The National Republican Congressional Committee is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives....
‡ Commissioned by the DCCC
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Democrats to that body. They play a critical role in recruiting candidates, raising funds, and organizing races in districts that are expected to yield...
Election
With 100 percent of precincts reporting, initial counts from the election had Murphy leading by about 60 votes out of over 150,000 cast. Columbia County's Board of Elections amended its tally the following day, reducing Murphy's lead to 25 votes. The lead alternated between the two candidates throughout early recanvassing; at one point the New York State Board of ElectionsNew York State Board of Elections
The New York State Board of Elections is a bipartisan agency of the state of New York responsible for enforcement and administration of election-related laws of the state.- External links :*...
had listed the election at a zero-vote margin, with each candidate having exactly 77,225 votes. By April 2, Tedisco was ahead by 12 votes. He resigned the position of Assembly Minority Leader on April 5 in preparation for a transition to Congress, and was replaced by Brian Kolb
Brian Kolb
Brian M. Kolb is the New York State assemblyman from the 129th District, and is the minority leader of the Assembly. He was unanimously chosen as minority leader in April 2009, following the resignation of Jim Tedisco....
the following day. On April 7, Tedisco was ahead by 97 votes. The close tally meant that absentee ballots would decide the race.
All ballots, absentee ballot envelopes, and voting machines were impounded under a court injunction sought by state Republicans. Under the court order, absentee ballots were counted in central locations rather than individual precincts. Of the 10,000 absentee ballots sent out, 6,000 were returned. Absentee ballots mailed within the United States had to be received by April 7 to be counted. The deadline for overseas (including military) ballots was extended to April 13 after the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
sued the state to ensure they would have a reasonable chance of being counted. Counting of the absentee ballots due by April 7 began on April 8 under a New York State Supreme Court ruling sought by Murphy's campaign.
The legality of about 600 absentee ballots were contested during the count, including Senator Gillibrand's ballot. By April 23, Murphy was ahead by 401 votes, and Tedisco conceded the following day. Murphy was sworn in on April 29. The official results came out in May and had Murphy winning the election with 80,833 votes (50.23%) against Tedisco's 80,107 votes (49.77%).
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Aftermath
Murphy's victory was credited to a coattail effectCoattail effect
The coattail effect is the tendency for a popular political party leader to attract votes for other candidates of the same party in an election...
from Barack Obama's election in 2008
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
. His support of the stimulus package and Tedisco's failed attempt at clearly explaining his (Tedisco's) opposition to the package also had an impact. Further explanations for the Republican defeat ranged from accusations that Tedisco "dither on the stimulus bill", to intimations that Tedisco only became his party's nominee by manipulating the selection process. In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
contended that being an "Albany careerist" and running confusing campaign ads had hurt Tedisco. Tedisco's loss immediately made him appear vulnerable to Democrats hoping to capture his seat in the Assembly.
The day after being sworn in, Murphy hired Todd Schulte, his campaign manager, as his new chief of staff. He also hired one of Governor Paterson's aides, Maggie McKeon, as his communications director. For his district director, Murphy turned to Rob Scholz, a Republican. Scholz had worked on Murphy's campaign and had received praise from Larry Bulman, the chairman of the Saratoga County Democratic Committee. Within a month of being elected, Murphy opened offices in Saratoga Springs and Hudson
Hudson, New York
Hudson is a city located along the west border of Columbia County, New York, United States. The city is named after the adjacent Hudson River and ultimately after the explorer Henry Hudson.Hudson is the county seat of Columbia County...
. Murphy served the remainder of his term, but lost a reelection bid on November 2, 2010 to challenger Chris Gibson, a retired Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
.
See also
- Special elections to the 111th United States CongressSpecial elections to the 111th United States Congress- Senate :There were five special elections to the United States Senate; however, all but one will take place on the same date as the 2010 general election.- Massachusetts :...