NY-20: GOP on the mend?

Certainly the GOP will do better by focusing on Obama, rather than trying to run on the (dismal) GOP record of the past eight years. But to portray this dead-heat as representing an opening for Republicans is rather optimistic.

Statistically, NY-20 is about 2% more Republican than the average nationwide. Tedisco is also a well known and respected politician in the state, relatively speaking, while his opponent was a complete unknown. Tedisco should have blown Murphy out of the water - the fact that a completely unknown Democrat could pull even with a prominent and long-serving GOP representative, and possibly end up taking the seat, does not speak well to GOP prospects.

This may not have been a “safe” seat for the GOP - but if this thesis on GOP openings is true, it should not have been this easy for the Democrats to compete.