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| Bill Owens |
Bill Owens has come out victorious in the race to represent New York’s 23rd Congressional District. Incumbent, Democrat candidate Owens had 76,204 votes (48%) compared to 72,435 votes (46%) for Republican candidate Doheny. Hoffman, whose name was on the ballot for the Conservative Party, got the remaining 9,536 votes (6%). About a month ago, Hoffman suspended his campaign and told his supporters to vote for Doheny in order not to split the Republican vote. In this toss-up race, Bill Owens came out victorious.
In Owens’ victoriy speech, he said that for the next two years his agenda would be “to your surprise, to bring more jobs to the North Country,” a common theme of his campaign. Clinton County Democratic Party Chairman Marty Mannix felt that Owens’ victory was large a result of him staying on the message about creating jobs and running a positive campaign. In Doheny’s concession speech, he told supporters that he had congratulated Owens on his victory and offered to help him.
Unlike last term, incumbent Owens will not be in the majority anymore since the Republicans have taken about 50 seats in the House, which gives them a slight majority. Owens said in his speech that he is confident that he can work with Republicans “just like [he] has been doing around her for 33 years.” He is said that working with a Republican-controlled Congress would depend on the “internal politics” of the GOP. He believed that “mainstream Republicans” might break from their more conservative colleagues in order to work with moderate Democrats, which Owens has said he is.
Doheny got more votes than Owens in Fulton, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida and Oswego counties, but Owens made up these deficits with big wins in Clinton, Franklin and St. Lawrence counties. Owens edged Doheny by 123 votes in the portion of Essex County in the district. Overall, Owens has been victorious by a slim margin in this year’s toss-up election for the House seat in New York 23rd District and it will be interesting to see how Owens will perform in the next two years.
Creating jobs was a big part of Owens' campaign and it proved to be an important platform for his success with the NY-23:
By taking a moderate stance, and making that stance known to his constituents, Owens seems to be making a smart move. Now, when he attempts to reach across the aisle to compromise on legislation with the new Republicans in Congress this action will not only be (hopefully) successful but also consistent with his campaign image. Owens seems to have set himself up well for the next two years.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that the incumbent advantage was enough for Owens to keep a hold of his seat this election! like stated above, his moderate views probably had something to do with this, and kept his afloat in this close race. Its a good move from his campaign for him to continue talking about job growth, a hot topic all over the country right now, and something all voters no matter their party affiliation have a stake in. I think most of the residents in this area will also feel good about his abilities to work with members of the Republican party because of his years of experience.
ReplyDeleteOwens' consistency with promoting his plan to increase jobs has clearly been a successful move as it is an issue all citizens are worried about in the current economy. I think that Owens' willingness to work with the Republicans given that the Republicans have the advantage now is also a smart move with redistricting coming up. I think that it will be interesting to see whether or not Republicans will be open to working with moderate Democrats such as Owens.
ReplyDeleteBy not sealing himself into a box of Liberalism, Owen's has allowed himself to not seem like a any enemy of the Republican party which is good even the out come of the 2010 elections. This will be very beneficial to him in the coming years an he will have to work with Republicans more so now than before.
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