Republicans, Democrats hear key figures
McCain’s campaign chief cites ‘Palin effect’ as state leader of opposing party urges unity
Picture this:
John McCain will make the presidential race with Barack Obama extremely tight in the deeply blue state of New York.
Local Democrats will unite, putting aside party infighting, to retake control of the State Senate.
Those prospects were put forth Friday, as leaders from both parties visited Buffalo and explained their views — or perhaps wishes — of how the next 46 days will play out.
The “Palin effect” has given the McCain campaign a lift in the heavily Democratic state, putting it within reach, according to Edward Cox, McCain’s state campaign chief.
“We are doing much better among women and Democrats,” Cox said during a visit to Republican headquarters downtown. “These are Reagan Democrats and Hillary Democrats.”
Cox pointed to a Siena College poll, released Monday, that found McCain trailed Obama by 5 percentage points, compared with an 8-point gap last month and 13 points in July.
Sarah Palin, McCain’s running mate, has electrified many undecided voters, including local “hockey moms,” campaign officials said.
But other polls report a wider gap, and Obama campaign spokesman Blake Zeff dismissed the prediction of a close race as wishful thinking.
The last Republican presidential candidate to win New York was Ronald Reagan in 1984.
Cox’s prediction may help boost Republican turnout and energize campaign volunteers, who were disappointed at McCain’s lack of a public appearance when he visited Buffalo for a fundraiser in July.
But Cox fell short of pledging a serious campaign for the state. He wouldn’t predict that McCain will visit the area, and said the McCain campaign has no plans for a television advertising blitz in New York unless the poll gap narrows further.
Even voters from Democratic strongholds, however, are calling with support, drawn by the energy that Palin has brought to the ticket, local Republicans said.
“They don’t want McCain signs; they want McCain/Palin signs,” said Russ Gugino, regional campaign coordinator.
“There are an awful lot of hockey moms in Western New York who can relate to Gov. Palin,” said James Domagalski, chairman of the Erie County Republican Party.
A few blocks away, June O’Neill, chairwoman of the State Democratic Party, rallied supporters in Ellicott Square to urge party unity after the primaries.
About 80 to 100 people, including leaders from unions and the Working Families Party, cheered a lineup of 10 candidates, including ex-boxer and State Senate hopeful Joe Mesi, first-time congressional candidate Alice Kryzan and Assemblyman Sam Hoyt of Buffalo, who survived a tough primary challenge for the party’s nomination to retain his seat.
“If you’re tired of knocking on doors (and) making phone calls, know that you have to redouble your efforts,” O’Neill said.
State Sen. Antoine Thompson, a Buffalo Democrat and cochairman of the Senate Campaign Committee, said the party can recapture the Senate by winning two seats and that the crucial races may play out in Rochester and Western New York.
Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown, who is feuding with Leonard R. Lenihan, chairman of the Erie County Democratic Party, did not attend the event.
Lenihan said Brown was busy and that attention to the spat is “overblown.” Any party squabbling, and bruised feelings from primary battles, won’t weaken efforts toward the general election Nov. 4, he said.
“Once the people speak, the argument’s over,” Lenihan said of the primaries.
