Due to the intersection of Craiglist and shirtless photos; Chris Lee resigned so quickly he left vapor trails. Misrepresenting himself as a lobbyist in order to meet women, of all (bizarre) things.
It’s a pretty Republican district, so the special election – who’s willing to bet that Governor Cuomo* won’t delay the election the way that Paterson delayed Massa’s? – should prove to be interesting mostly for its potential to demonstrate which group has more congenital screwups: the DCCC, or the NY GOP. Normally I’d unkindly and reflexively say the latter, but the DCCC was $19 million in the hole as of the end of last year*.
So let’s try this ‘cautious optimism’ thing: I hear it’s all the rage.
Moe Lane
*The NRCC’s in the hole for $10.5 million, but that’s easier to work around when you’re on the sweet side of a sixty-three seat House shift.
Another issue: New York loses two seats by the 2012 election. Having to replace Lee in a special election means that his replacement will have the least Seniority in congress (for now). I think it makes it very likely that in redistricting upstate NY that this district will be split among neighboring ones.
Hmm, good point. I think that the CW is that the NY legislature is going to split the baby by having us lose one upstate and the Democrats lose one downstate; guess Lee just volunteered his district. Heh. Maybe that’s why he was gone so fast.