NY-20: Tedisco, Duck

It has been notable to see the President and the Vice President get fairly involved in the special election in NY-20 over the last week or two, despite the dynamics of the district presumably favoring a Republican. Obviously something flipped and they feel like Scott Murphy can take the seat (incidentally, liberal netrooters, Murphy has announced his intention to join the Blue Dogs, so caveat emptor). And if you want to know why, just check out what Eric Sundwall, the Libertarian candidate who was kicked off the ballot at the last minute after having his signatures challenged, had to say about Republican Jim Tedisco:

Mr. Tedisco denies any involvement with the concerted effort by his supporters to knock me off the ballot. I don't believe him. The ruthless effort by his supporters to knock me off the ballot without a word of protest by him proves his unfitness for any office let alone Congress in these critical times.

I will be voting for Scott Murphy on Tuesday. While we disagree on some important issues, I find him to be a man of honor, a good family man and successful businessman. Unlike Tedisco, he actually lives in the District. And, unlike Mr. Tedisco, I view Scott's business success as a virtue, not a vice.

I urge my supporters and all those who believe in open and free elections to show their disgust at the tactics of the Republican political machine to win at all costs. Please join me in voting for Scott Murphy on Tuesday.

Obviously, the Libertarian candidate dropping from the ballot and throwing his support to the Democrat means little on a practical level. But the fact that Tedisco's tactics so angered him that he decided to blast him clearly shows how Tedisco is making friends and influencing people in the district. And the slow-motion winnowing of the GOP into a small regional party in the South continues apace.