He's been working this campaign for 2 solid years now, and has built name recognition in parts of SI where McMahon's not well known, like the South Shore. I know you're going to claim that they're all Republicans down there, but not as much as you may think, and Steve's been courting them while McMahon was too dainty, or too comfy, to challenge Fossella last time.

I don't think the Yassky comparison is apt. First, Harrison's lived in the district his entire life, and much of his family lives on SI; it may stink for him that SIers don't want to acknowledge that part of the district's in Brooklyn, but it is. Yassky lived outside the 11th until after he decided he'd like to represent it. Then he moved two blocks, just over the district line. Second, Harrison was out there trying to deliver the seat for the Democrats when no one else (including the newly anointed) could be bothered; Yassky only decided to make his run after he was sure that a fragmented African American vote would give him the opportunity to corner the yuppie vote.

Harrison has more money than you think, and more than McMahon has in his secondary warchest. As of May 29, he had $200,000. I realize that won't help much once Vito and the SI County Committee start shoveling money McMahon's way, and singing his praises to Chris van Hollen, but facts are stubborn things. It also won't help if the all-powerful media decides that the primary's over, as the Times seems to have done; the last two Times articles didn't even bother to mention that Harrison is running (and they endorsed him in '06).