Democrats Spinning New York Special Election Results

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the tea party drawing votes from republicans is the real story...similarly to greens draining votes from democrats except that the tea party is much stronger than the greens ever were....republicans have their work cut out especially if the tea party fields their own 3rd party candidate

EJD of OH 10:14PM May 29, 2011

Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Thank you, Wisconsin...

David of MO 12:58PM May 29, 2011

You post that someone else is wrong (with no factual evidence to the contrary) and then post a piece from one of the most biased left leaning organizations in existence this side of Mother Jones. You admit there were no exit polls done but use a poll that happened prior to the election. I think Bill Hedges of MO shared a bit of info with you that you should pay attention to. Then Ill add my 2 cents...
I find it odd that you dont mention the Tea Partier was previously a Democrat. Hmmmmmm neither does anyone else. The fact that the previous occupant of the seat decided to share his libido on Craigslist is the reason for the election to begin with, not some refutation of Ryans plan. Democrats are trying to make something out of nothing and they look about as stupid doing it as they ever have. There is definitely a lesson to be learned for the GOP and that is to support your positions and to make sure you stick with the message that resonates, which Corwin obviously did not do.
The left is foolish to think this one seat is some sort of refutation of the Ryan Plan. It will hurt you to do so, so I really hope the left keeps it up. Youd be better served to work together to come up with a plan of your own right now your side simply looks like a bunch of lemmings running with whatever idea is put forth by Daily Kos and calling it factual. Your sides lack of a plan is the biggest elephant in the room(well maybe the second largest next to the fact that the plan the POTUS put forth got shot down 0-97......where is that in the news). You should hope that your boys/girls can think of a plan because Ryans Plan does 2 things to you guys:
1.) It makes you scramble incredibly because a sizeable portion of the Ryan plan has elements of the Democrats more recent proposals within it.
2.) Forces you to put forth a real plan (something only the Repubs have done to this point).
Im wont sit here and tell you Ryans plan is the be all end all of plans and that no other reform or change will be needed. Its far from it. I will say that the Dems HAVE NOT offered a plan and there in lies the problem. They are simply reacting to Ryans plan instead. If they were so worried about deficits and spending then prior to last November they would have taken the time while they controlled the WH and both houses to do so. They are paper tigers until they do anything with substance in my eyes and I sincerely want them to because when they both come up with ideas then there is usually some reasoned middle ground we both can work with and thats how we move forward. Not special election spin.
http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2011/05/no-democrat-votes-any-budget-proposal
and this beautiful piece (from right leaning townhall.com) that shows the sheer joy and utter applause that ocurred when Obama released his plan in February. What a joke the characters are.
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2011/05/25/flashback_democrats_praise_obamas_2012_budget

Mike Steel of CA 11:13AM May 29, 2011

keep running "columnists" who are little more than propagandists from the last administration?
The idea that every single Davis vote would go to the elephant side of the street is not only absurd, it is intellectually dishonest. In fact, it is an outright lie.
As Davis voters peeled away with the election looming, as they always do with third party candidates, the trend was for them to favor the Democrat in the race. Cary knows this, but doesn't mention it. Why not? Because she is not writing a piece the tells her opinion. She is writing propaganda intended to form YOUR opinion.
Shame on you, Mary Kate Cary, and shame on US News & World Report, too.

dhonig of IN 9:16AM May 29, 2011

There was a reason for 4 year wait for most of barry's plan and for wavers for his buddies like unions, teachers, pelosi distrct, etc...obamacare is still buying votes.
Elderly lady pushed off cliff was a ad I believe against Ryan bill..
barry will take $ 15 trillion in payments away from medicare for Doctors and hospitals. They already are limiting medicare patients. Some refuse medicare.
That $ 15 trillion cut help give obamacare his CBO comments with doubt.
CBO report on Ryan’s plan failed to note $ 7500 more to help poorer folks. To say obamacare is better is false. barry plan has a death panel of non-elected members whose job it is to cut cost.
Pelosi & barry have yet to explain their plan. By election time prople will know both well. Will find out which really pushes old folks over the cliff.
http://www.lincolnclub.org/2011/04/paul-ryans-premium-support-plan-is-preferable-to-obamas-rationing-panel/
http://www.912superseniors.org/2011/05/why-paul-ryans-medicare-is-so-much-better-than-obamas/

Bill Hedges of MO 5:00AM May 29, 2011

Sorry Mary Kate, your assumption that all of Davis' votes would have gone to Corwin is just plain wrong and bad journalism at that (you gotta remember, Davis ran as a Democrat the last time around). There were no exit polls but previous polling showed that that ALL of Davis's votes going to Corwin is just wishful thinking. David Weigel says it much better over at Slate than you could ever; sorry there's a little more than "He's a Tea Partier, therefore he gets Republican votes" in this story.
http://www.slate.com/BLOGS/blogs/weigel/archive/2011/05/25/ny-26-jack-davis-and-the-spoiler-effect.aspx
Read it and weep for the GOP.

Nicholas of FL 4:14AM May 29, 2011

Jack Davis, a quasi-Democrat strongly opposed to RyanCare who ran on the Tea Party line, is splitting the Republican vote in NY-26? And this is what you are hanging your hat on in spinning away the results?
Actually, the anti-RyanCare vote in NY-26 comes to 56%--which is still below where nearly all polling shows the American sweet spot on the issue. If anything, Davis cost Hochul votes Tuesday.
If you can't win running on RyanCare in NY-26, where, pray tell, do you expect to win with it? It's not the message, it's not the money, it's the issue. The American people aren't going to reward "political courage" (and what's so courageous about passing a bill that is DOA the second the vote is finished? How many times has ObamaCare been 'repealed' by the House...?)--they are going to send packing anyone who tries to mess with it. Starting with Corwin in NY-26.
Nearly 300 Republicans have that stain on their voting record. It's a disastrous miscalculation that will probably swing the House back to Nancy Pelosi in 2012...

David of MO 3:51AM May 29, 2011

Only the delusional Dems could crow about one single House seat after suffering the second largest landslide defeat in US history less than a year ago. The vast majority of American voters clearly REJECTED the policies and agenda of the "progressives" (Socialists) who have hijacked the Democrat Party. They will do so again next year. Denying reality is not a strategy.

SamAdams25 of VA 2:56AM May 29, 2011

Wow, is USN&WR tilting back to the center? Let's hope so. I'd like to see a news organization that can honestly cover both sides.

Rob of CA 11:44PM May 28, 2011

Astounding ignorance by many commentors. Siena's poll right before the election showed that Medicare was the top issue for only 1/5 of the electorate and some percentage of those people were voting for the Republican. Polls also indicate that most of Davis's votes were siphoned from the Republican.
The blogger is not saying that 100% of Davis's vote would have absolutely gone to Corwin. She is saying IF it had all gone to Corwin, the total would be 52%. Now I agree it's a confusing and sloppy way of framing her argument, but really is a minor deviation from her main point. She is pointing out that Hochul's win cannot be considered that significant. Let's put it another way, more than 50% of voters didn't want the Democrat.
Nobody should doubt that Medicare did play some role. As did the other positions of the candidates. As did the competency of the campaigns. As did Davis's significant role in the election. Setting aside whether Davis is a "real" Tea Party candidate, the blogger's point stands: why didn't the media play up the role of the third party candidate? Why instead was the biggest issue Medicare (despite the fact that 80% of people identified other issues as more important)? The district that Hochul won was represented by a Democrat from 1993-2003. It is far from remarkable that a Democrat happened to win there again, especially with all the factors I identified at play.

Joe of NY 11:37PM May 28, 2011