special election

The Albany Times Union reports Governor Paterson is expected to set March 31 as the special election date for NY 20.

Let's hope the joke isn;t on us the next day in the national press.

County leaders in NY 20 have chosen a Republican nominee to replace now U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. They have chosen Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco.

Tedisco is best known as having been a fierce critic of former Governor Eliot Spitzer. , especially over Spitzer's disasterous plan to give driver's licenses to illegal aliens. ( a position, incidentally, shared by Ms. Gillibrand).

He's also a former special ed teacher, which may give him a leg up with the suburban soccer mom vote who deserted the McCain ticket here as in other Blue State suburbs,

Who the Democrats name is anyone's guess, as I've seen names floated of local county committee chairs, lawyer/activist types, an Independence Party state rep. from outside the 20th District, and a recently laid off Channel 10 news anchor.

It's also unknown when Governor Paterson will sign the writ of election and schedule a vote. When the unknowns are known, I'll announce "game on".