Democrat Dan Maffei, who is making his second attempt at winning the 25th CD seat, is up on the air with his first TV ad - a spot his campaign says is also the first of any 2008 House Democratic candidate. (Not having paid all that much attention to races outside of New York, I'm going to have to take their word on that one). A Syracuse native and former aide to Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Bill Bradley, Maffei lost to GOP Rep. Jim Walsh in 2006 by just under 4,000 votes. This time around, Walsh isn't seeking re-election (he's one of three incumbent New York House Republicans retiring this year, along with Vito Fossella and Tom Reynolds). After Walsh announced he wouldn't run again, there was a brief flurry of activity during which it was unclear whether some other Democrat, (most likely Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll) might challenge Maffei. But Driscoll decided not to run, and the party is backing Maffei, who will face former GOP Onondaga County Legislator Dale Sweetland (who also emerged from a field of possible primary challengers) in the general election. Maffei's campaign also outlined its fund-raising totals to date: $1.3 million through June 30, some $470,000 from April 1 to the end of last month, and roughly $950,000 cash on hand. ...
Anytime
