NY21 — ‘Kick it up a notch!’
Who was the television celebrity chef known for saying, “Kick it up a notch?”
The sudden infusion of cash into Democratic challenger Tedra Cobb’s campaign, driven by the participation of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, in the House impeachment hearings, has kicked the 21st Congressional District race up several notches.
Cobb will now have the cash to mount a credible ground campaign and to air plenty of entertaining and hard-hitting television and digital campaign ads.
But it remains to be seen whether the race will be competitive.
The Democrats’ greatest chance of winning the election would be if Stefanik was to solidly renounce Trump.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a pollster to know that Trump voters, although perhaps not a majority, are a formidable voting block in the district.
Simply count heads at local Trump rallies or yard signs and banners evident on a Sunday afternoon drive.
The thing about Trump voters — a mix of Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians and independents — is that they are particular.
They will vote for a third-party candidate, write-in a name or leave the ballot line blank if they are disenchanted with Stefanik — which counts as a vote against Stefanik even though not a vote for Cobb.
Stefanik’s participation in the impeachment hearings strengthens her standing with Trump voters.
As one Trump activist said to me on Saturday, “Now I know that she is with us,” despite several questionable votes, from his perspective, on legislation.
On the other hand, Stefanik can tout her somewhat independent voting record to traditional Republicans and independents, the core of her support.
One of Stefanik’s political strengths has been having the best messaging money can buy and having an unusual ability to stick to it.
Cobb’s new-found campaign cash will provide her the resources to, if she wishes, match wits on messaging.
Maury Thompson covered 10 regional congressional races before he retired from The Post-Star in 2017. He still keeps an eye on the 21st Congressional District and occasionally offers his insight. He is a registered Democrat.
Click here to read his most recent previous NY21 post.
