The GOP has a big problem on its hands. It's not just that 25 of their incumbent members of Congress have decided against running for re-election in 2026. Republicans who have already declared their candidacies for various races are dropping out, too.
The latest is New York State Assemblyman John Lemondes, who had been set to challenge Democratic Congressman John Mannion in NY-22, but who surprised everybody this past Friday by announcing he wouldn't run after all. Lemondes gave no reason for his change of heart — he just said he'd run to keep his seat in the state assembly instead.
Lemondes isn't saying, but he obviously figured out he couldn't possibly win this year with an "R" after his name. Republicans must be chagrined. NY-22 would have been a juicy win-back for them — it's a longtime GOP district that Mannion had only been able to flip in 2024 (a rare bright spot on an otherwise bad night).
Even setting aside the giant albatross that is Trump, by any reasonable logic, the Republicans should be contesting this seat. So state party chair Ed Cox has to at least get someone on the ballot, and he doesn't have a lot of time — federal filing opens in New York on March 30 and closes on April 6. His job will be made more difficult by the fact that the GOP can't promise any money to whatever candidate steps up. They've got to defend endangered Rep. Mike Lawler in NY-17, and spend heavily in four Long Island/Queens districts (both the ones they hold, and the ones they want to flip back) — plus NY-21, since Elise "Elsie" Stefanik called it quits herself a few weeks ago.
Whoever goes up against Mannion will be on his or her own. Sad! (Not really.) We cats PURR.
No comments:
Post a Comment