At a time when dysfunction rules in both Washington, D.C., and Albany, when anti-incumbent sentiment is strong enough to have spawned a political movement, when merely being in office is considered a political liability—The Press strongly endorses the three incumbents: U.S. Representative Tim Bishop, a Democrat; State Senator Kenneth LaValle, a Republican; and Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., an Independent.
Here’s why:
Between them the three legislators have more than a half century of experience. Disgruntled voters will tell you that’s the problem. But that knee-jerk reaction ignores a simple fact: at both the state and national levels, experience equals power. Challengers regularly talk about change they will deliver, ignoring the fact that a freshman legislator barely has enough power to be heard, let alone listened to. Fair? Perhaps not—but it’s reality.
Voters should instead focus on dead wood—incumbents who have lost their edge, who are not earning their paychecks. We need thoughtful, energetic, passionate people—and when they lose that passion, that’s when they should get the hook.
Of the three incumbents, only Mr. LaValle appears to be losing some steam at 71. There have been times on the campaign trail where the 34-year veteran has seemed weary of the process. But there have also been flashes of real passion—and there’s no arguing that Mr. LaValle remains deeply committed to his district and responsive on so many issues. His social agenda is more conservative than his district’s, but voters have been willing to overlook that because his commitment has never been an issue.
His Democratic challenger, Jennifer Maertz, has run a commendable campaign. An aide to Regina Calcaterra, she stepped in when residency issues derailed Ms. Calcaterra. Instead of being a place-holder, Ms. Maertz rose to the occasion and has been a lively sparring partner, and has even bested Mr. LaValle at moments in the debates. But ultimately her reach exceeds her grasp: beyond a few fundamental issues, her criticisms have been roundhouse punches, and she struggles to provide alternatives. That’s not surprising for a neophyte; perhaps the seasoning of this campaign will produce a better candidate next time around. For now, Mr. LaValle’s experience and influence make him too valuable to send home.
Republican Richard Blumenthal, challenging Mr. Thiele, is a former educator whose candidacy was built around a criticism of the state’s expansion of the Regents curriculum and the need to provide something other than special education for students who struggle with it. He gets high marks for shining a light on an issue that deserves further discussion. The current system, with so many kids relegated to expensive special ed programs to try to help them keep pace with students headed to college, has the best intentions but is bankrupting some districts.
Still, Mr. Thiele is the easy choice in this race. Even his critics must acknowledge that the incumbent is a hardworking member of the Assembly, never far from any local issue, responsive to town and village officials when they need him, and impossible to shove into a political box. He truly is an independent, so his change in party barely feels like a change at all. Mr. Blumenthal is thoughtful, but he’s no match for the encyclopedic Mr. Thiele, who rarely is stumped and always provides a clear explanation for his positions. Agree with him or not, it’s impossible not to appreciate his energy, and that energy serves his constituents extremely well.
Ms. Maertz and Mr. Blumenthal ran respectable campaigns, and certainly Republican Randy Altschuler is as fundamentally sound a candidate as the party has come up with to challenge Mr. Bishop. He’s smart, polished and articulate, and his business background is a positive in this political climate.
The race between Mr. Altschuler and Mr. Bishop is truly the main event, and its importance cannot be overstated, both at the local and national levels. More important, though, is the impact on the district’s residents—and, in this case, those in the eastern half. There’s reason to believe that Mr. Altschuler is taking the same path as his predecessors, hoping to capture enough votes in the heavily conservative western half of the district to offset the goodwill Mr. Bishop enjoys on the East End. That would explain the cursory nods he’s given the region during the campaign.
Mr. Altschuler has memorized the talking points custom-designed for angry voters in a depressed economy, but his belief that government should stop trying to solve problems and get out of the way of the business community is exactly the thinking that created the crisis in the first place. Since he rules out cuts to Medicare or defense, and offers no viable way to deal with Social Security, his promise of reducing the deficit is meaningless. And at least one of his positions—a belief that climate change is a natural, not man-made, phenomenon—is simply indefensible.
Tim Bishop has represented the district admirably, knows the issues, stands by his positions, and has been an effective representative both in Washington and back home. Those who think a “message” vote against him is in order should think long and hard about what message such a vote would really send.
on Oct 28, 2010