Medicare key to shocking Dem win in NY House race (AP)

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 4:01 AM By dwi

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Kathy Hochul told her supporters they had picked the correct supply to fisticuffs a politico on long-held politico turf.

The Democrat rode a gesture of voter yearning over the domestic GOP's organisation to modify Medicare and overcame decades of GOP ascendency here to capture Tuesday's primary election in New York's 26th Congressional District.

Hochul foiled politico land Assemblywoman Jane Corwin on weekday night, capturing 47 proportionality of the vote to 43 proportionality for Corwin, to get the centre vacated by ashamed politico Chris Lee. A wealthy repast party candidate, Jack Davis, took 9 percent.

The primary election that became a referendum on the upbeat care organisation for the nation's seniors haw serve as a warning shot to further GOP efforts to revilement favourite entitlement programs.

"The threesome reasons a Democrat was elected to legislature in the regularise were Medicare, Medicare and Medicare," Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel, D-N.Y., said in an interview.

Hochul's supporters at a organization hall in Amherst, right Buffalo, chanted, "Medicare! Medicare!"

And she replied in kind.

"Did we not hit the correct issues on our side?" she exhorted. "We cannot equilibrise our budget on the backs of our seniors."

"How about success bounteous handouts for Big Oil?" she said. "How about making millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share? We can do all that and not decimate Medicare."

The rural-suburban regularise between metropolis and metropolis is digit of New York's most standpat and has been held by a politico — including domestic obloquy same Jack Kemp — for years. But Corwin saw her early lead dissolve after coming discover in souvenir of a politico budget organisation that would revilement zillions from Medicare.

Hochul's conclusion gave a lift to Democrats ease reeling from an electoral drubbing terminal November that cost the party curb of the House. It also bolstered their resolve to near backwards on GOP efforts to revilement Medicare and another entitlements — efforts that hit worn hold among whatever repast party members but are widely opposed by autarkical voters.

National leaders were hurried to react.

President Barack Obama, motion in Europe, issued a evidence locution he looked forward to working with Hochul.

"Kathy and I both conceive that we need to create jobs, grow our economy and turn the deficit in visit to compete with another nations," Obama said.

Vice President Joe Biden personally called Hochul to substance his congratulations.

Corwin conceded to supporters concentrated at a field paseo right Buffalo.

"The discourse of this election leaves me concerned. We cannot move to endeavor `gotcha' persuasion and avoid attempt the actual issues facing this country," Corwin said, her voice breaking.

The centre became vacant in February when Lee, a mated father, hopeless after shirtless photos he sent to a woman he'd flirted with on Craigslist surfaced online.

The district, which covers a swath of agricultural and suburban towns between metropolis and Rochester, was digit of only quaternary districts in the land — discover of 29 — that favored politico Evangelist McCain over Obama in 2008. It's also been mentioned as a doable target of redistricting, since the land must trim digit congressional districts incoming year as a termination of the 2010 census.

But the race emerged as a test of the viability of a budget organisation crafted by Rep. Apostle Ryan, R-Wis., that included comprehensive changes to Medicare. All but a containerful of House Republicans voted in souvenir of the budget plan, and Corwin said she would hit based it as well, insisting such cuts would preserve Medicare for seniors in the future.

Hochul seized on Corwin's function and apace cast herself as the protector of Medicare in a regularise with a large accumulation of voters over 55. Her television ads hammered the supply modify as Corwin tried to agitate her position, suggesting she'd souvenir dynamical the Ryan organisation if elected.

Both domestic parties and several autarkical fundraising groups spent more than $2 million to impact the election. They included a newborn Democratic group, House Majority PAC, and dweller Crossroads, a Republican-leaning assemble founded by GOP strategist Karl Rove.

Rep. Pete Sessions, the chair of the National politico Congressional Committee, warned that it was delusive to conceive the race was prophetic of the future.

But Crossroads spokesman Jonathan Collegio said Hochul's conclusion was a clew of a tough time for Republicans to come.

"What is country is that this election is a wake-up call for anyone who thinks that 2012 will be meet same 2010," he said. "It's feat to be a tougher environment, Democrats will be more competitive, and we need to endeavor at the top of our game."

___

Fouhy reported from New royalty City. Associated Press illustrator Ben Dobbin contributed to this inform from Amherst, N.Y.


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