GOP primary turnout was lowest in more than 30 years

[Judi Lynn]

GOP primary turnout was lowest in more than 30 years
By MARC HUMBERT
AP Political Writer

September 17, 2006

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Voter turnout for last week's Republican primary to choose a GOP challenger to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's re-election bid was just 5.6 percent, the lowest level in more than 30 years, according to state election officials.

The primary pitted little-known former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer against the even less well-known Kathleen Troia "KT" McFarland, a Reagan-era Pentagon official and political novice. Spencer won 61 percent of the GOP vote to 39 percent for McFarland.

Unofficial returns showed fewer than 180,000 of the state's more than 3.1 million Republicans bothered to vote.

Lee Daghlian, a spokesman for the state Board of Elections, said the GOP turnout was the lowest since 1975, when the state board began keeping primary turnout figures.
(snip/...)

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--newyorkprimary-tu0917sep17,0,1396023.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork

[GCP]

1. Not lowest in 30 years, lowest ever

[struggle4progress]

2. In the post-W era, almost nobody's gonna admit to havin been a Publican ..

.. during these terrible years ...

[KoKo]

3. Does this mean that Repugs like Hillary enough that they just stayed home?

Is she the "Crossover/Unity Candidate" for '08?

[patrice]

4. Or does it mean that they are encouraging her, because she activates

their Crazies?

[Journeyman]

5. Or does it mean they recognize the futility of running ANYONE against her.

n/t

[KoKo]

8. What you say is probably the truth of it. New Yorkers are happy with her

and...that's what it's all about. For NY she's not a bad Senator. Even if she's in the Schumer mode of Senators, instead of the Barney Frank/Charley Rangel mode of House Reps.

She's okay as a Senator. If I still lived in NY I'd probably like her too as a SENATOR not my HOUSE REP...but I'm way left of Ms. Clinton where I live "among the fundies," so Barney Frank and Rangel are more my kind of folks.

[WePurrsevere]

10. She truly is a very good Senator for NY & from what I've heard up in this

purple area of NY even with her over all rather liberal voting record she's managed to earn the respect of many of the old style Republicans as well as many skeptical Dems up here. Other then or aside from her stances I think what has impressed folks up here is she actually comes up here (many don't), listens to the people and actually tries to help with issues that are important to this area (border issues, passports, etc).

Hillary certainly is not perfect but she's more well liked and respected then I thought she would be.

[aquart]

12. But you don't live in New York so you weren't sick to your stomach

the day BOTH New York senators voted to give George his war. I never believed they could be such fools. Now I know.

[KingFlorez]

14. Now that's really reaching

[warrens]

15. I doubt that highly

There was just nothing to make them support one of two unknowns. And they know whichever wins is just going to be a lamb to the slaughter in November. I wouldn't read too much into this. I would love to see GOP turnout in other states...I have a feeling it's pretty low, although 5.6 percent is just ridiculous.

[truthisfreedom]

6. they're completely demoralized.

[cspanlovr]

7. Oh, how the mighty have fallen!

[NOLADEM]

9. Well, it's because they are all overseas serving in the armed forces....

Putting their butts on the line for the war of choice they elected to wage, because that is what the party of the War President demands!


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


Just kidding....


:rofl:

[HockeyMom]

11. I have written to Hillary

and she has personally answered me. No, not a form letter, she answered every single point I made to her.

I cannot say the same for Chuckie; not even the cursory form letter.

Yes, I am voting for her for Senator, again. As far as for President, I will just wait and see IF she runs, and who will be challenging her in the Primary.

By the way, from all reports I have heard, the word is that this year's elections in NY will be the biggest sweep of Democrats in decades.

[indepat]

13. It will be amazing how GOP votes will be juiced up come November with

all the Diebold-type machines a'humming.

[populistdriven]

16. We had more Republic than Democrats turn out in FL

[cybildisobedience]

17. thought the same thing

And the explanation will be that "security moms" and "values voters" and all these new voters discovered through the GOP's razor-sharp get out the vote effort turned out in droves to support the Repukes.