One Less Vote For Jim Tedisco

Tens of thousands of voters in the 20th District will come out to choose their next Congressman today. After a few short weeks of campaigning the day of reckoning has come and the once-runaway candidate Jim Tedisco is fighting off his Democratic challenger in a toss-up race. Imagine for a moment that in this close battle, Tedisco loses by one vote. If that rare scenario would occur, it would come down to the fact that Jim doesn't live in the district and he won't be casting a ballot today because of it.

From The NYT Cityroom:

Photos of political candidates voting (presumably) for themselves are an Election Day staple. But that’s one small way in which Assemblyman James N. Tedisco, the Republican running for Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand’s old seat in the House, is at a disadvantage: He doesn’t live in the district.

Who lives where became an issue when the candidates emerged for the 20th Congressional District special election, which is Tuesday. Scott Murphy, the Democratic contender, was a newcomer who grew up in Missouri, relocated to Manhattan, still owns an apartment on Central Park West, and only moved to Glens Falls a few years ago. (His wife, Jennifer Hogan, is part of a large and politically prominent family there.)

Although you can argue that Tedisco has lived in the region for decades and Murphy has only been here a few years, there is a much bigger picture to take in. Murphy for one was diligent enough to be aware of such details. Meanwhile Tedisco was just one that saw an opportunity to jump from one minority position in Albany to one in Washington.

Tedisco is busy with a new house in the district though:

But Mr. Tedisco, who bought a house last August in Glenville — a few blocks from the Saratoga County line, he has said — remains a registered voter in Schenectady County. So, while his wife will be able to cast a ballot on Tuesday, he will not.

And with the way things are going, Tedisco can rest assure that next month he'll have a competent Congressman in Scott Murphy representing his house in Glenville while he keeps busy in Albany.