Many (GOP) incumbents face no major-party opponents (NY)

[Nambe]

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)

The Republican majority leader of the state Senate said he has no doubt that his GOP members will still be in command of the chamber after the upcoming elections.

"We will be in the majority when we get back together after November," Sen. Joseph Bruno said.

Bruno should be confident. He'll head into the general elections with 15 members assured of re-election because they have no Democratic opponents on the ballot. In most cases — including Bruno in his Albany-area district — the 15 have no opposition of any kind, even from third-party challengers.

Government reform advocates decry noncompetitive races, calling them a symptom of the larger disease that ails Albany. Sitting legislators are not performing their duties in Albany such as passing on-time state budgets because they are so entrenched in their districts they know they face few repercussions from poor job performance, said Common Cause-New York's Rachel Leon.

[oneighty]

1. I was the Democratic Candidate for the Senate long ago.

To be sure I was in a district overwhelmingly Republican with no chance of winning, and received absolutely no support from the state Democratic party. In subsequent years it was nearly impossible to find anyone to run as a Democrat. Why bother? Status Quo.

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[2Design]

2. This is what Dean wants to change....the DNC is not helping itself

pouring all the money into the president and nothing into other races is not going to help us at all levels....

Dean says no race should be uncontested.

[oneighty]

3. How true

My compatriots at the time helped as much as possible covering three counties, giving speeches trying to get mentioned in newspapers and on radio. In later years some of these same people refused to run for state office because of the way I was treated.

Every contest should have a Democratic Candidate regardless of the odds.

IMO.

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[bemildred]

4. The DNC likes this fine.

It is we who are getting screwed.
Dean is the man on this issue.

[djg21]

5. The most gerrymandered state in the Union.

It's absolutely disgraceful. Why bother running a dem in most counties. The districts are drawn to protect the Repugs. Especially upstate. How else to you explain that turd-blossom John Sweeney?