One of the stories not getting any coverage in this election season is the one about New York republican infighting, dissatisfaction, and institutional aimlessness. That's part of the systemic media bias against Progressives and Democrats, who are, to pull just one example out of a very full hat, favored with one story after another over how Obama's consistent lead in the polls over months is actually a worrying sign.
What makes this so remarkable is the snarling food fight over a shrinking slice of the pie taking place in the republican party. In Staten Island - part of the raft of once-safe seats up for grabs this time around - the most influential local party grandee has vowed to defeat his own party's candidate for Congress. Upstate, there's a simmering revolt brewing fueled by anger over "downstate liberal" Dean Skelos' apparent strategic decision to throw whatever resources he has into defeating Craig Johnson, along with other races in his immediate backyard. In Joe Bruno's former district, SD-43, some ominous signs - money disparities, candidate quality - point to a possible Democratic pickup that could be devastating for the morale of Bruno's party, while Joe Bruno's once-vaunted machine seems to have dissolved with his departure.
The fighting is probably worst in the Third Senatorial District, where republicans are in open revolt against Caesar Trunzo. The feud became public when dozens of Islip republicans turned out to demand Trunzo's resignation. Today, several younger republican candidates got knocked off the ballot for other races in that district due to ballot challenges; Islip republican dissidents are up in arms and apparently threatening to sit out the November elections in consequence.
There's no reason to be sympathetic to republicans. Their beliefs and policies have proven ruinous for our state and our country. But you can't help but have some empathy for some younger folks trying to wrench their party from the grasp of a septuagenarian octogenarian who spends most of his time in one of his two Florida homes.
