From the House Race Hotline for Tuesday, May 6,2008

NEW YORK 25 (R/SYRACUSE -- WALSH)

Oaks Falls

Tue. May 6, 2008


Ex-Onondaga Co. Legislature Chair Dale Sweetland's (R) camp "picked up steam" 5/5 as his "most formidable" opponent, Assemb. Bob Oaks (R) "withdrew" and endorsed him. And Sweetland "also pocketed the endorsement" of Rep. Jim Walsh (R). Sweetland: "This is a winnable race" (McAndrew, Syracuse Post Standard, 5/6). And Monroe Co. GOP Chair Stephen Minarik also said he'd support the winner of the Onondaga Co. GOP Cmte endorsement (Terreri, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, 5/6).

At an a.m. presser, Walsh and Oaks "said it's time" for GOPers to "get behind" Sweetland and to help him defeat '06 nominee Dan Maffei (D). Walsh "urged" punk rocker/Ron Paul local coord. David Gay (R) and Manilus village trustee/artist Mark-Paul Serafin (R) "to withdraw from the race." Both, however, have said they'll "continue campaigning." Oaks said he "considered running in a primary" against Sweetland, "but decided it was not in the party's interest." He'll instead run for re-election.

Sweetland said donors "have been steadily calling him" since 5/1, when the Onondaga Co. GOP endorsed him. Onondaga Co. GOP Chair John DeSpirito said Sweetland's goal is to raise $500K by July, and Walsh "pledged to hold a fundraiser" for Sweetland in DC. Maffei has already raised $855K for the campaign.

DCCC spokesperson Carrie James called Sweetland "a status quo career politician" who during the past 2 decades "sat idly and watched 20,000 Central New Yorkers leave the region" (McAndrew, Syracuse Post Standard, 5/6).

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