GOP Sees Comeback in New York Congressional Race
Monday, February 23, 2009 2:50 PM
By: Rick Pedraza

Tedisco, currently the minority leader of the New York State Assembly, is a vocal conservative who advocate fiscal responsibility and lower taxes. He also is a social conservative on issues like abortion.

The GOP is bringing in some heavy hitters to stump for New York Assemblyman Jim Tedisco in hopes of taking back the 20th Congressional District seat left vacant when Kirsten Gillibrand was tapped to fill Hillary Clinton’s former Senate seat.

The New York congressional race is shaping up to be a national contest, with Republicans turning the special election into a referendum on President Obama and his economic policies.

Several top Republicans — including newly named Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, House Minority Leader John Boehner, and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani — have lined up to campaign for Tedisco this month in Albany.

Tedisco, who is challenging businessman and venture capitalist Scott Murphy, a Democrat, in the March 31 special election, is minority leader in the State Assembly. He been a vocal conservative advocating fiscal responsibility and lower taxes, and also is a social conservative on issues like abortion.

The sprawling upstate New York district, about two hours north of New York City, has a history of conservative leaning. The district has had a Republican congressman 18 of the past 24 years.

RNC Chairman Steele recently told CNN that the congressional contest is of “serious symbolic importance,â€