Written on Wednesday, April 1st, 2009 at 5:21am by Alan Bedenko | 10 Comments

NY-20: Murphy, for now, in a Nailbiter


The absentee ballots will matter in this race, but last night was not unlike watching a horse race at Aqueduct. Tedisco was leading by about 1,000 votes or so as the tally started coming in, but the gap narrowed as the last few precincts reported. Finally, at the last minute, Murphy eked out a miniscule lead. In the end, Murphy won but by less than 100 votes. Above are most of my Twitter updates from last night.

And I’d like to give a shout-out to #TCDOT today, who have produced this graphic. Because clearly, if a Democrat wins an election, it had to be ACORN-related voter fraud. Yeah. Up in the Adirondacks and along the Hudson Valley. Dishonest & ignorant assholes have a home in both parties, for sure. But this is award-winning.

Murphy came back from a double-digit deficit and zero name recognition to make it close with an established Albany hack who has been in office for a generation with little to show for it as far as results. Murphy was the successful businessman/fresh face/non-politician, yet the Republicans savaged him as if they were all a bunch of Jim Keane surrogates. I never understood the blind support for Tedisco, who deserves to go to Congress as much as Shelly Silver deserves to go to Congress. It was a fascinating race from that standpoint, and remains fascinating as the closeness of the race succumbs to the absentee count.

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10 Comments

  1. Ward says:
    April 1, 2009 at 6:28 am

    There–that’s better. No blog or tweet on NY-20 for several days; we felt vaguely uneasy.

    NY Congressional delegation going to stay 26-3 Dems or sadly slip to 25-4? Our children’s future lay in the balance.

    But wait–only a 25 vote margin before the absentee counting and the lawsuits begin! You’re right, BP–it’s craziness!

    Think I’ll stay home today. I’d be no use to anyone at the office.

  2. Byron says:
    April 1, 2009 at 7:15 am

    And don’t the Repubs have a 70,000 registered voter advantage in the district? (Sorry if that’s already posted; I missed it.)

    Yes, this is is significant.

    Maybe the Repubs can fight this in court for years, as they’re apparently planning to do in the Minn. Senate race. Repubs need their own “moveon.org”.

  3. Jim Ostrowski says:
    April 1, 2009 at 7:16 am

    I hope Murphy wins.

    At first, I thought T had the edge on military ballots.

    Then I realized that Sundwall’s name is on the paper ballots (I think).

    That should favor M.

    As for Sundwall’s endorsement of M, his county (Col.) voted for M by 2000.

    Note to M’s lawyers. Get the case out of Dutchess County at all costs!!!!!!!!!!!

    Been there; done that.

  4. Byron says:
    April 1, 2009 at 8:51 am

    Apparently there are over 5,000 absentee ballots not yet counted, so obviously it’s still up in the air.

  5. indabuff says:
    April 1, 2009 at 11:38 am

    Y a w n
    :-)

  6. hank says:
    April 1, 2009 at 12:16 pm

    Perhaps if Murphy’s flyers would have had information about Tedisco in them (part of the RINO NYS Assembly delegation) —the person who he was acutally running against, instead of pictures of GWB, Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin in the flyer, he may have made a landslide.

    I don’t think anyone would comment on the great record or loyalty to small government, etc of Tedisco—since he has none.

    Murphy couldn’t get Obama’s endorsement in person though. When your POTUS you just can’t take a chance on endorsing someone who could lose.

    Odd, I remember commentors saying Tedisco didn’t have a chance less than a week ago—what’s this “Nailbiter” shit?

  7. Starbuck says:
    April 1, 2009 at 12:40 pm

    On here (or somewhere, not sure) a few days ago, I wished for some way that both Tedisco and Murphy could lose.

    Having neither win for now is as close to that as can be, so I’m satisfied and hoping for as long and drawn out a controversy as possibe – recounts, re-recounts, suits and counter-suits.

    Best case scenario is if the seat stays empty most of the term then in 2010 a different Republican beats Tedisco in a primary and Murphy in the general.

    Far fetched, but so was the tie last night.

  8. Ward says:
    April 1, 2009 at 9:56 pm

    BP—that was irony. It’s a literary tool. Hello!

  9. Ward says:
    April 3, 2009 at 4:25 pm

    Update–Tedisco by 12 for now.

  10. Buffalopundit says:
    April 1, 2009 at 6:30 am

    Breathless, rapid, and detailed comments for something you find to be of no consequence. It’s like Byrd writing “yawn”. Pointless beyond belief.

 

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