2006.11.03: November 3, 2006: Headlines: Figures: COS - Nepal: Politics: Congress: Newday: Republican congressman Jim Walsh is battling a sour mood among upstate conservatives by charging his Democratic opponent is a carpetbagger from Washington
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2006.10.15: October 15, 2006: Headlines: Figures: COS - Nepal: Politics: Congress: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Why do Democrats suddenly think they have a chance to defeat veteran lawmaker James Walsh? :
2006.10.11: October 11, 2006: Headlines: Figures: COS - Nepal: Politics: Congress: Syracuse Post Standard: James Walsh, an 18-year Republican incumbent is facing his first serious challenge in a decade :
2006.11.03: November 3, 2006: Headlines: Figures: COS - Nepal: Politics: Congress: Newday: Republican congressman Jim Walsh is battling a sour mood among upstate conservatives by charging his Democratic opponent is a carpetbagger from Washington
Republican congressman Jim Walsh is battling a sour mood among upstate conservatives by charging his Democratic opponent is a carpetbagger from Washington
"I'm trying to let people know the guy that's running against me hasn't voted in a local election in 15 years," said Walsh. "How can you ask people to send you to Washington to represent you if you don't know the local issues, if you don't even vote in the local elections." Congressman James Walsh of New York served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal in the 1960's.
Republican congressman Jim Walsh is battling a sour mood among upstate conservatives by charging his Democratic opponent is a carpetbagger from Washington
Walsh hopes bringing dollars to district counters sour voter mood
By DEVLIN BARRETT
Associated Press Writer
November 3, 2006, 3:12 PM EST
SYRACUSE -- After years of political successes that seemed pre-ordained, Republican congressman Jim Walsh is battling a sour mood among upstate conservatives by charging his Democratic opponent is a carpetbagger from Washington.
Walsh, R-Onondaga, finds himself in a much different race than just two years ago, when he won by more than 90 percent.
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Most people looked at that number and decided Walsh was a shoo-in for years to come, but Walsh's opponent, Democrat Dan Maffei, saw something else: The district was the only one in the country that went for John Kerry over President Bush in 2004 even though there was no Democrat running for Congress.
Like many parts of upstate New York, conservatives this year are questioning their allegiance to the Republican party, even if they're not yet ready to pull the lever for a Democrat.
"This is a conservative area, but I think people are pretty unhappy with what's been going on in Washington," said 18-year-old North Syracuse firefighter Ben Lindenmayer, who is voting for the first time and still hasn't decided between Walsh and Maffei.
Lindenmayer said he was raised in a solidly Republican family, and expects his father to keep voting Republican this year. His mother, he said, "will probably go the other way," mostly because a relative was killed in Iraq.
"I liked Bush before, but I think he screwed up in the second term," he said. "The Republicans are always saying stay the course, and the Democrats are saying let's leave, but we can't just leave. I think we have to find a place in the middle."
Walsh, who picked up a manufacturing group's endorsement Friday, acknowledges voters are upset about Iraq, but said that is not translating into anger at him and his record.
"The war is on everyone's mind, but they're divided about it, and I feel that every day," said Walsh.
The 59-year-old congressman is seeking a tenth term, partly on his reputation for bringing home plenty of federal grant dollars to the 25th District, which runs from Syracuse to the Rochester suburbs. Walsh is what's known in Washington power circles as a "cardinal," one of the powerful House Appropriations subcommittee chairman who control a hefty share of the federal purse.
Democratic challenger Dan Maffei, considered a long shot at the beginning of the election season, recently got an infusion of hundreds of thousands of dollars from national Democrats who increasingly think upstate New York might be more welcoming to their anti-Bush message than in previous years.
Walsh said he is not worried about the national political climate for the GOP, but concedes it has at least boosted Maffei.
"If it was just me and this guy, it's over," said Walsh.
Maffei, 38, has a basic pitch, repeated over and over: "Send them a message," meaning, vote against GOP leaders and Bush.
Walsh dismisses that appeal as out of tune, because voters have known and trusted him far longer than they've known George W. Bush. He raps Maffei _ a former aide to the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Rep. Charles Rangel _ as an outsider.
"I'm trying to let people know the guy that's running against me hasn't voted in a local election in 15 years," said Walsh. "How can you ask people to send you to Washington to represent you if you don't know the local issues, if you don't even vote in the local elections."
Maffei, who grew up in Syracuse and moved back full-time in 2005, concedes he should have voted in the local elections, but argues the issue is a ruse.
The 38-year-old also says his own work history underlines a basic failing of the region since Walsh has been in office _ the inability to keep more of its young college-educated work force.
"We've been in a recession for twenty years! We need radical solutions," said Maffei, arguing that Walsh's record for bringing home grant money hasn't really fixed the local economy.
"It's not good enough to bring back dollars here and there," said Maffei.
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Story Source: Newday
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