New York State is already over-taxed, over-regulated, and being run into the ground by Democrats at all levels of state government. This article explains what is at stake in the 61st State Senate District election:

There’s no shortage of big, important political races this fall, but it’s hard to imagine a local contest where the choices are as clear and the implications as serious.

Voters in the largely suburban and rural, and mostly Republican, 61st State Senate District may very well decide the power structure of New York State politics.

In doing so, they will choose between a veteran Republican lawmaker with staunchly conservative credentials and a Democratic newcomer with ties to some of his party’s most liberal allies.

New York State cannot afford one-party rule. It is ruining Massachusetts as we speak… Let’s not make the same mistake.

Even the left-leaning Buffalo News recognizes that Baby Joe Mesi is “out of his element.”

61st District: Michael H. Ranzenhofer. Erie County Legislator Michael H. Ranzenhofer is the easy endorsement in this race to succeed the retiring Mary Lou Rath. Republican Ranzenhofer is well informed about the issues and understands the challenges facing residents of the nation’s highest-taxed state.

The Democrat in this race is boxer-turned-politician Joe Mesi, an instantly likable man who, despite his best efforts and good coaching, is out of his element at this point in his political development.

Vote Ranzenhofer.

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Listening to Mike Ranzenhofer and Baby Joe Mesi on WBEN with Kevin Hardwick… and it is quite clear why Baby Joe had previously been avoiding debating Ranzenhofer. While Mike is demonstrating a clear understanding of the issues and is giving definitive answers, Baby Joe is giving more wishy-washy answers about “looking into” this or “being open to” that. Baby Joe can’t commit to a tough position on an issue. Sad.

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It’s kind of funny how similar Jon Powers and Baby Joe Mesi are. Both have shady dealing with their respective charities. Jon Powers’ failed charity, War Kids Relief, according to disclosure forms, lined his wallet a lot better than it helped Iraqi children, and Joe Mesi’s Organ Donation Foundation similarly was more profitable for his family members than for the cause.

Another trait they share is they both have attracted a lot of political contributions from outside the districts they want (or wanted) to represent. The Buffalo News has a story revealing where Baby Joe’s political donations are coming from.

If all politics is local, Democrat Joe Mesi had some problems during the most recent fundraising period for his State Senate campaign.

Only $350 out of $140,000 he raised during a recent 14-day stretch came from voters or business interests from within the 61st Senate District — a showing his opponent, Republican Michael Ranzenhofer, immediately seized upon Monday.

“It’s kind of astonishing to see such a huge amount of money coming from outside the area,” said Ranzenhofer, an Erie County legislator who is locked in a battle with Mesi, a former boxer, for the seat being vacated by retiring State Sen. Mary Lou Rath, a Williamsville Republican.

Mesi was unavailable for an interview, but a campaign official said that since campaign efforts began earlier this year, Mesi has gotten donations from more than 350 local sources.

Russ Thompson at Albany’s Insanity made the following point:

Well apparently the people in the district don’t support or think Mesi has a chance of winning. If they did he would be pulling in more. What does bother me is the donations from New York City… Our biggest problem IS NY City influence and now we see it in the Mesi campaign? Independent my a$$…

He makes a good point. Russ also says that “Everyone should be worried when down state politicians and interests want to buy off any legislator and especially a candidate.” I agree. How can Baby Joe say he’ll fight for Western New York when they’re not the ones pushing him into the ring.

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A Siena poll released today shows good news for Dennis Delano (SD-61) and Dale Volker (SD-59).

First, here’s what the poll says about the 61st Senate District race:

In a district where Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than two-to-one, Delano holds a 49-36 percent lead over Stachowski. While Stachowski has the support of only about half of Democrats, Delano gets nearly two-thirds of Republicans and more than two-thirds of independent voters. Delano leads with men and women, with every age group and religion, and in every region of the district.

Stachowski is viewed favorably by 39 percent of voters and unfavorably by 14 percent, with 47 percent having no opinion. Delano has a 63-15 percent favorable rating, with only 23 percent having no opinion. Delano‟s favorable rating is 59 percent with Democrats – significantly higher than Stachowski‟s 44 percent – and at least 61 percent in every region of the district.

And here’s what Siena says about the 59th Senate District race:

Volker has a significant 17-point, 50-33 percent, lead over Konst. Volker has the support of two-thirds of Republicans, leading 67-25 percent, while Konst only wins among Democrats 51-33 percent. Volker leads 43-28 percent among independent voters. Volker has an eight-point lead in the Erie County portion of the district and a commanding 29-point lead in the Livingston/Ontario/Wyoming Counties portion of the district.

Volker is viewed favorably by 49 percent of voters and unfavorably by 32 percent. Democrats are nearly evenly divided on Volker. Konst has a 26-16 percent favorable rating, with 58 percent of voters having no opinion.

Voters support keeping Republicans in control of the Senate by a 49-35 percent margin, with independent voters voicing two-to-one support for Republican control. McCain has a 54-36 percent lead over Obama.

The Delano/Stachowski poll shocks many, as the Buffalo News notes “Stachowski had originally been viewed as a “sure thing” for the Democrats in their effort to tip the balance.” Konst, as we know hasn’t had a very easy couple weeks, with her failure to file to disclosure forms on time, and the revelation she voted twice back in 1996. A website called IVotedTwice.com has emerged featuring various documents and stories supporting the allegations made against her.

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Mike Ranzenhofer accepted seven invitations to debate Baby Joe Mesi.

But, apparently Baby Joe isn’t willing to step into the ring with Mike Ranzenhofer.

Ranzenhofer’s challenge to Joe Mesi on September 24th forced the Mesi campaign to commit to three overdue debate invitations. Mesi responded to WBEN Radio’s Hardline with Hardwick, a live debate on R News in Rochester, and to appear on the Financial Guys Forum on WBEN, although Mesi specifically requested to not be interviewed at the same time as Ranzenhofer.

“Last week Mike Ranzenhofer was invited to debate Joe Mesi at WGRZ-TV Channel 2 and St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute – two great opportunities to have the two candidates together,” said Molly Fitzpatrick, Director of Communications for Mike Ranzenhofer. “Mike readily accepted the invitations, but much to our disappointment Mesi has not.”

Mike Ranzenhofer is scheduled to talk to voters at the League of Women Voters of Buffalo/Niagara at the Town of Amherst Center for Senior Services on October 16th. Mesi has yet to respond to this invitation too. Ranzenhofer will participate in another debate for the Clarence League of Women Voters on October 27th.

“Mesi is out-of-touch with taxpayers,” said Ranzenhofer. Mesi’s proposal for state mandated health care run by Albany bureaucrats, opposing across-the-board spending cuts, opposing a “tax cap” and supporting a plan which causes Western New Yorkers to loose their STAR rebate checks, is bad for taxpayers. “Voters deserve to hear real answers to the tough questions.”

Baby Joe keep using his boxing career as a metaphor for his willingness to “to fight” Western New York. Well, how can Baby Joe “fight for” Western New York when he can’t even face his opponent.

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Buffalo 14228 makes this weak argument against Mike Ranzenhofer:

He’ll do what Mary Lou Rath, the current Republican state senator for 14 years, was unable or unwilling to do…get something done. No sense going through the list of all the previous ineffectve Republican predecessors. All you need to know is that the State Senate has been controlled by Ranzenhofer’s Republican Party for the last 75 years. Electing him won’t correct what amounts to a Republican institutional problem.

The fallacy of this argument is that the New York state government is by no means a Republican institution. If Republicans lose control of the state senate, then the Democrats will have control of the Assembly, the Senate, and the governorship. That, my friends, would mean the Democrats would have an unfettered rubber stamp to impose more regulations and higher taxes, which ultimately leads to driving out the population and driving out businesses. You don’t have to take my word for it… it’s happening right now in Massachusetts.

If that’s what the netroots want, then by all means they can vote for Baby Joe. But, I think this state deserves better than a dysfunctional one-party government.

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