LaValle opts not to challenge Bishop in LI House race

Newsday ^ | February 24, 2004 | FRANK ELTMAN (AP)

[JohnnyZ]

Despite encouragement from national Republicans, Brookhaven Town Supervisor John Jay LaValle said Tuesday he will not challenge Rep. Timothy Bishop in the race for Congress on the east end of Long Island.

[snip]

LaValle, 36, who last year decided against running for Suffolk County Executive, was encouraged to run for the House seat by the leadership of the National Republican Congressional Committee. But he said in a statement Tuesday that his impending marriage this spring "and, hopefully soon, a new family are the foremost priorities in my life."

[more]

[JohnnyZ]

Too bad, 'cause LaValle would have been one of our best hopes to defeat an incumbent, maybe the best hope, outside of Texas.

It's hard to fault a guy, though, IMO, for not running for Congress while getting married.

[Clemenza]

It doesn't look like the GOP will take back the East End congressional district this year.

[cyborg]

Does the GOP even care? :( They're annoying me to no end. True can't fault the man for doing the right thing. That Spendtaki is another matter.

[JohnnyZ]

While LaValle was considered the best challenger, the race will be close no matter the nominee.

Suffolk Legislator Michael Caracciolo (R-Baiting Hollow) has expressed interest, and former Southampton Village Trustee and federal Transportation Department senior policy adviser Bill Manger has already raised $275,000 for the race.

County Republican Leader Patricia Acampora said more candidates are likely to come forward after LaValle's announcement.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/politics/ny-lilava253685218feb25,0,3219443.story?coll=ny-lipolitics-headlines

[AuH2ORepublican]

"It doesn't look like the GOP will take back the East End congressional district this year."

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It's a shame LaValle isn't running; I think it would have been difficult for Bishop to defeat him. But so long as we get a candidate who's better than Grucci was in 2002, we can still win the seat. While Bush only got 43.4% in the CD in 2000, congressional Republicans have been outperforming the GOP presidential vote in Long Island for the past decade, and in any event Bush could well carry the district this fall because of the national security issue and the fact that social issues such as abortion, gun control and the environment won't be in the forefront (and the one social issue likely to be important---gay marriage---will benefit the GOP).