While analysts are debating whether Mitt Romney's choice of conservative Rep. Paul Ryan for his vice presidential running mate will help the GOP tip the scales in key battleground states, Republicans in New York told Patch the move might galvanize the party, but not enough to win this traditionally blue state.
Of the 25 political insiders who answered our Red Empire snap poll this weekend, more than two-thirds said the Wisconsin congressman will energize Republicans in the state, so much so that the same percentage thought having Ryan on the ticket will sway undecided voters to vote red.
But don't confuse that with optimism.
"New York is a lost cause ... no matter who Romney had picked. Too many NY'ers willing to accept Government handouts, kick the problems down the road and live on the next generation's wealth," one respondent said.
"New York is a flyover state, and Romney would lose even if Hillary Clinton was his running mate," said another.
Overall, most of the survey answers we received pointed to Romney having a stronger ticket with Ryan as his running mate, specifically because of Ryan's budget approach. More than two-thirds disagreed that a shift by the Democrats to campaign aggressively against Ryan's budget philosophy, which focuses on heavy cuts to government programs such as Medicare, would help them win a second term in the White House. Although, as of Sunday, President Barack Obama's senior campaign adviser David Axelrod had already dubbed Ryan's budget plans "the Ryan-Romney Plan," according to the Huffington Post, to link the presidential candidate with Ryan's controversial stance.
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Streamlining wasteful government spending, reforming government programs and trimming the deficit were all priorities for respondents, with most lauding Ryan for appealing to those.
"His budget positions, while imperfect, contain some interesting ideas. Spending will be a big issue this year and the GOP can do better with fiscally conservative voters because of Ryan's presence," one respondent said.
Another dubbed Ryan, "An articulate, energetic expert on solving the dire fiscal/employment problems that the Democrats have failed at for the past 4 years."
The Red Empire Survey
Our surveys are not a scientific random sample of any larger population but rather an effort to listen to a swath of influential local Republican activists, party leaders and elected officials in New York. All of these individuals have agreed to participate in the surveys, although not all responded to this week's questions. Surveys were conducted between July 23 and July 31, 2012.
Patch will be conducting Red Empire State and Blue Empire State surveys throughout 2012 in hopes of determining the true sentiment of conservatives and liberals on the ground in New York. If you are an activist, party leader or elected official and would like to take part in a weekly survey that lasts just a few minutes, please email Henry@patch.com.
Red Empire Roster: Linda Cabral Marrero, Village of Ossining Mayoral Candidate, Pete Tripodi, Town of Ossining Councilman, Kim Izzarelli, 95th New York State Assembly District Candidate, Bob Terilli, Former Village of Ossining Trustee Candidate, Steve Dewey, Former Town of Ossining Councilman Candidate, John Murphy, Rockand County Legislator, Denis Troy, Orangetown Councilman, Paul Valentine, Orangetown Councilman, Tom Diviny, Orangetown Councilman, Tom Morr, Orangetown Councilman, Quinton Van Wynen, Pearl River Schools, Richie Bell, Head of the Pelham Republican Committee, Michael Recca, Westchester County Young Republicans, Michele Em, Activist, Steve Fuchs, Republican Town Committee Chairman, Elizabeth Bermel, Director of the Scarsdale Library, Jim Maisano, County Legislator, Ilyse Spertus, Former City Council Candidate, Peter Parente, Former Mayoral Candidate, Dennis Starr, Activist, Denise Ward, Attorney, Norm Rosenblum, Village of Mamaroneck Mayor, Lou Santoro, Village of Mamaroneck Deputy Mayor/Trustee, Maryanne Genovese, Party Chairwoman, Don Derrico, Party Chairman, Donald Sutherland, Republican Committee Secretary, Marlane Amelio, Councilwoman, Steve Malfitano, Councilman/Former Supervisor, Joe Cannella, Councilman, Luke Vander Linden, Bedford GOP Member, Robert Castelli, State Assemblyman, Lee Roberts, Bedford Town Supervisor, Don Scott, Bedford GOP Chair, Nan Hayworth, Congresswoman, Ed Day, Rockland County Legislator, Bob Axelrod, Clarkstown Republican Committee Chair, Christopher Carey, Rockland County Legislator, Frank Borelli, Clarkstown Town Councilman, Vincent Reda, Rockland County GOP Chair and Mitt Romney Lower Hudson Valley Campaign Coordinator, Matthew Slater, Vice President of Yorktown GOP, Terrence Murphy, Yorktown Councilman, Jennie Menton-Grasso, Community Member, Tony Grasso, Former Yorktown Councilman, Elizabeth Hudak, Southeast Councilwoman, Will Stephens, Former State Assemblyman, Jim Schoenig, Mayor for the Village of Brewster, Eric Cyprus, Vice Chair of Southeast Republican Committee, Terri Patton Stockburger, Village of Brewster Trustee, Bob Cullen, Southeast Councilman, Edwin Alvarez, Southeast Councilman, Michael Bartolotti, Chairman of Southeast Republicans, Robert Kirkwood, Former New Castle Supervisor Candidate, Gary Murphy, Activist, Judy McGrath, Activist, Robert Castelli, State Assemblyman, Robin Murphy, Activist, Christine Miscioscia, Former Tarrytown Trustee Candidate, Eleanor Miscioscia, Former Tarrytown Trustee Candidate, Philip E. Zegarelli, Former Sleepy Hollow Mayor, Jennifer Lobato-Church, Sleepy Hollow Trustee, George Lence, GOP Donor, Michael Smith, County Legislator, Terence Guerriere, White Plains Republican District Leader, Iris Pagan, Westchester County Women’s Republican Club, Bob Jackson, Former County Legislator, Ed Romaine, Suffolk County Legislator, Chris Talbot, Southold Town Councilman, John Galla, Riverhead GOP Chairman, Denis Noncarrow, Southold GOP Chairman, George Gabrielesen, Riverhead Town Councilman, Jim Wooten, Riverhead Town Councilman, Jesse Garcia, Chairman of Brookhaven GOP, Angelo Lomonte, Long Beach Zoning Board Member, Chris Wendt, Republican Supporter, Frank Scaturro, 4th Distruct Congressional Candidate, David McDonough, State Assemblyman, Gary Hudes, Hempstead Town Councilman, Jogi Giglio, Riverhead Town Councilwoman, Mark Epley, Southampton Village Mayor, William Wright, Southampton Town Republican Committee Chairman, Jane Bonner, Brookhaven Town Councilwoman, Joan Adams Owner of Pierian Consulting, Ari Kirschenbaum, Director of Chabad Prospect Heights & Fort Greene, Juan Reyes, Supporter, Vince Tabone, Supporter, Louis Perrotta III, Supporter, Christopher Allred, Supporter, Scott Russell, Southold Town Supervisor, Robert Creighton, Smithtown Town Councilman, Peter McGreevy, Commodore at Orient Yacht Club, Ralph Ekstrand, Farmingdale Mayor, Dina DeGiorgio, North Hempstead Councilwoman, Dave Franklin, Port Washington Police Commissioner, Thomas J. Kehoe, Northport Village Trustee, Warren Church, Syosset American Legion Commander, Linda Manning-Koziatek, Realtor, Glenn Nocera, President of the Brooklyn Young Republican Club, Joe Bloecker, East Hampton Town Trustee, Don Derham, Federalist's Society of Long Island, Betty Manzella, Vice Chair of the Brookhaven Republicans, Dan Panico, Town of Brookhaven Councilman.
No serious economist would blame Obama for the current deficit, that is completely silly. Maybe he could have done a better job catching the falling knife, but he sure as heck did not throw it.
Hey, I think Obama will win, and this country will spiral downward faster and faster, look at the people voting for him.
Agree on no single source of news but the problem is that nobody takes the time, and frankly they shouldnt have to.
Paul Ryan is not a moderate republican. He is an extreme right wing, Tea Party candidate and he's not even honest about that. I fully expect that President Obama will serve another four years.
Where has the deficit been reduced during his term? 15.8 trillion and climbing. This one is a real beauty [He vigorously and singlemindedly pursued terrorists and got the one that atacked our country.] You don't seem to think that the Bush policies that were in place had anything to do with that? Show me where the Obama heath care plan was built on the Heritage Foundation plan? Show me where he has proposed a budget that was passed by the democrats. Please also show me where the EPA has helped our economy. Obama is left of Bill Clinton, who was smart enough to move to the center when the going got tough. By the way with the help of the republicans. He has NOT worked with anybody on the right during his term in office. To say he has, is a LIE!!! From his own mouth, I won. Remember him saying that?<,http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/01/23/obama-to-gop-i-won/ >