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I suspect the Republicans were able to win because they did not run far-right candidates.
In New York Suburbs, Republicans Bounce Back (NYT)
Published: November 4, 2009
Voters across the New York suburbs, where Democrats had been making steady inroads in recent elections, surprised the party by repudiating incumbents in a series of surprising contests that reflected a national frustration with the economy and local anxiety over high property taxes.
In Westchester County, where Democrats have a solid advantage in voter registration, a Republican challenger, Rob Astorino, upset the incumbent Democratic County Executive, Andrew Spano, who was seeking his fourth term. Mr. Astorino, who is 42, defeated Mr. Spano, 73, by more than 21,000 votes — a margin of more than 15 percent — having promised to cut property taxes, among the highest in the nation, and reduce the size of government.
In Nassau County, Republicans recaptured the county legislature, and have come close to unseating the Democratic County Executive, Thomas R. Suozzi, in a race that remained too close to call on Wednesday morning. Mr. Suozzi was clinging to a narrow 237-vote lead over the Republican challenger, Edward Mangano. In 2001, Mr. Suozzi, then the mayor of Glen Cove, defeated a Republican machine that had dominated the county for decades; he later competed for the 2006 gubernatorial nomination against Eliot R. Spitzer.
“This is a tough time to be an incumbent, because the people are in a bad mood,†Mr. Suozzi told supporters Tuesday night, according to Newsday.
The suburban races echoed voters’ weariness with incumbents in two of the highest profile elections in the nation, the defeat of Gov. Jon S. Corzine in New Jersey and the surprisingly narrow re-election margin for Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York.
Mr. Spano captured the prevailing sentiment in his concession speech, when he said that he had, over 12 years in office, tried to “preserve the quality of life†in Westchester.
“But resonating throughout this county and throughout this nation is a dissatisfaction with the way things are,†Mr. Spano said, according to the Journal News. “My opponent was able to tap that feeling, and I do not begrudge his victory. I only caution him not to cut things that contribute to that quality of life.â€
In New York Suburbs, Republicans Bounce Back (NYT)
Published: November 4, 2009
Voters across the New York suburbs, where Democrats had been making steady inroads in recent elections, surprised the party by repudiating incumbents in a series of surprising contests that reflected a national frustration with the economy and local anxiety over high property taxes.
In Westchester County, where Democrats have a solid advantage in voter registration, a Republican challenger, Rob Astorino, upset the incumbent Democratic County Executive, Andrew Spano, who was seeking his fourth term. Mr. Astorino, who is 42, defeated Mr. Spano, 73, by more than 21,000 votes — a margin of more than 15 percent — having promised to cut property taxes, among the highest in the nation, and reduce the size of government.
In Nassau County, Republicans recaptured the county legislature, and have come close to unseating the Democratic County Executive, Thomas R. Suozzi, in a race that remained too close to call on Wednesday morning. Mr. Suozzi was clinging to a narrow 237-vote lead over the Republican challenger, Edward Mangano. In 2001, Mr. Suozzi, then the mayor of Glen Cove, defeated a Republican machine that had dominated the county for decades; he later competed for the 2006 gubernatorial nomination against Eliot R. Spitzer.
“This is a tough time to be an incumbent, because the people are in a bad mood,†Mr. Suozzi told supporters Tuesday night, according to Newsday.
The suburban races echoed voters’ weariness with incumbents in two of the highest profile elections in the nation, the defeat of Gov. Jon S. Corzine in New Jersey and the surprisingly narrow re-election margin for Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York.
Mr. Spano captured the prevailing sentiment in his concession speech, when he said that he had, over 12 years in office, tried to “preserve the quality of life†in Westchester.
“But resonating throughout this county and throughout this nation is a dissatisfaction with the way things are,†Mr. Spano said, according to the Journal News. “My opponent was able to tap that feeling, and I do not begrudge his victory. I only caution him not to cut things that contribute to that quality of life.â€
