(I grew up in the hinterlands of Upstate, and it was GOOD (then)).
As for the rest, I think there are enough conservatives living in the Mohawk Valley to give a conservative a halfway-decent chance to stand for office, and a voice in public affairs. Which is drowned out now by the downstaters.
What would be fun is watching the Big Apple and Boston wither, after their blood-funnels into American life and business are finally cut off. No more vamping on the rest of the country, so sad.