Politics of upstate New York: Difference between revisions
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{{POV-section|date=March 2008}} |
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{{Multiple issues| |
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{{Refimprovesect|date=November 2006}} |
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{{original research|date=March 2018}} |
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{{Update|date=March 2009}} |
{{Update|date=March 2009}} |
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{{More citations needed section|date=November 2006}} |
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The prevailing political ethos of the residents of [[Upstate New York]] varies from that of their [[Downstate New York|Downstate]] fellows. |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} |
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The prevailing political ethos of the residents of [[upstate New York]] varies from that of their [[Downstate New York|downstate]] counterparts. |
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==Voting patterns== |
==Voting patterns== |
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Often attributed to the region's rural to semi-rural character, it is more reactionary in culture and politics than the more urban downstate area, and it is the power base of the state's [[New York Republican State Committee|Republican Party]]. Upstate New York, however, has several pockets of [[New York State Democratic Committee|Democratic]] influence. Western New York, particularly [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], has been a Democratic stronghold for over a century. The [[Capital District, New York|Capital District]], particularly [[Albany, New York|Albany]], [[Schenectady, New York|Schenectady]] and [[Troy, New York|Troy]], was long the only Democratic bastion in the eastern upstate. Other pockets of Democratic strength are [[Monroe County, New York|Monroe County]] (Rochester), [[Onondaga County, New York|Onondaga County]] (Syracuse), and [[Tompkins County, New York|Tompkins County]] (Ithaca). |
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As a whole, upstate New York is roughly equally divided in federal elections between Democrats and Republicans. In [[U.S. presidential election, 2004, in New York|2004]], [[John Kerry]] defeated [[George W. Bush]] by less than 1,500 votes (1,553,246 votes to 1,551,971) in the upstate region. |
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Often attributed to the region's semi-rural character, there is more [[conservatism]] in culture and politics than found in the more urban downstate area, and is the power base of the state's [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]. Upstate New York does however have several [[Democratic Party (USA)|Democratic]] counties including [[Erie County, New York|Erie County]] (Buffalo), [[Monroe County, New York|Monroe County]] (Rochester), [[Onondaga County, New York|Onondaga County]] (Syracuse), [[Tompkins County, New York|Tompkins County]] (Ithaca), [[Albany County, New York|Albany County]] (Albany), [[Niagara County, New York|Niagara County]] (Niagara Falls), [[Broome County, New York|Broome County]] (Binghamton), [[Clinton County, New York|Clinton]] (Plattsburgh), [[Franklin County, New York|Franklin County]] (Malone), [[St. Lawrence County, New York|St. Lawrence County]] (Massena, Potsdam, Ogdensburg) and [[Ulster County, New York|Ulster County]] (Kingston, Woodstock, New Paltz). |
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Historically, the Republicans in the region more closely resemble [[Rockefeller Republicans]], who were pro-business but socially liberal Republicans who supported the policies of former Governor [[Nelson Rockefeller]]. Others are [[libertarianism|libertarians]] like Republicans in [[Vermont]], [[New Hampshire]], [[Maine]], and some [[Western United States|western states]], instead of the [[social conservatism]] of the [[Southern United States|southern states]] and the [[Christian right|Religious Right]]. However, the Religious Right is still influential in the area, mainly in the Central New York and Tug Hill Plateau regions. |
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As a whole, Upstate New York is roughly equally divided in Federal elections between Democrats and Republicans. In [[U.S. presidential election, 2004, in New York|2004]], [[John Kerry]] defeated [[George W. Bush]] by less than 1,500 votes (1,553,246 votes to 1,551,971) in the Upstate Region. |
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The influence of [[civil service|public service]] [[labor union]]s is a factor in the Democratic Party's continued strength in the region. Hospitals and [[public school (government funded)|public schools]] are among the area's largest employers, and the agencies have unionized workers. Unionized workers as a whole make up one fourth of New York workers, the most in the nation.<ref>Bureau of Labor Statistics data via [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0882960.html Information Please]</ref> The unions, most notably the [[Service Employees International Union]] and [[New York State United Teachers]], make large purchases of television air time on local television and radio stations during budget negotiations and prior to school budget votes to air commercials featuring [[scare tactics]] threatening the closure of hospitals or emergency rooms, larger class sizes, and reduced care unless they receive more money.<ref>[http://www.abetterchoiceforny.org/ A Better Choice For NY] - A typical example of a union-backed organization that pushes for a more progressive tax scheme for funding health care and education spending.</ref> Organized rebuttals have been few and far between although more frequent in recent years. [[Eliot Spitzer]]'s use of his personal campaign funds to push through his 2007 reforms was the first, and more recent movements include the Rochester businessman [[Tom Golisano]]'s [https://web.archive.org/web/20101231053623/http://responsiblenewyork.com/ Responsible New York] campaign and the Buffalo developer [[Carl Paladino]]'s calls for a constitutional convention directly to quash union-friendly laws such as the "Wicks Law" and the [[Taylor Law]]. |
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The conservatism of the upstate region more closely resemble [[Rockefeller Republican]]s, pro-business and pro-taxation but socially liberal Republicans who supported the policies of former Governor [[Nelson Rockefeller]]. Others are [[libertarian]]s similarly to the conservatism of [[Vermont]], [[New Hampshire]] and some [[Western United States|western states]] instead of the social conservatism of the [[Southern United States|southern states]] and the [[Christian right|Religious Right]]. |
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Upstate politicians have sometimes taken the leading role in the moves that give the state its liberal reputation. It was [[George Michaels]], an assemblyman from the [[Finger Lakes]], who in 1970 asked that his vote of "no" on the bill to legalize [[abortion]] in New York be changed to "yes," causing the bill to pass by one vote. Nearly three decades later, voters in [[Plattsburgh]] elected Daniel L. Stewart, the state's first openly-[[gay]] [[mayor]], a Republican. Another upstate mayor, [[Jason West]] of [[New Paltz (village), New York|New Paltz]], drew national attention in early 2004 when [[Same-sex marriage in New York#New Paltz marriages|he officiated at the state's first gay weddings]]. |
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The influence of [[civil service|public service]] [[labor union]]s is a factor in the Democratic Party's continued strength in the region. Hospitals and [[Public school (government funded)|public schools]] are among the area's largest employers, and these agencies have unionized workers. Unionized workers as a whole make up 1 in 4 New York workers, the most in the nation.<ref>Bureau of Labor Statistics data via [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0882960.html Information Please]</ref> These unions, most notably the [[Service Employees International Union]] and [[New York State United Teachers]], make large purchases of television air time on local television and radio stations during budget negotiations and prior to school budget votes to air commercials featuring [[scare tactic]]s threatening the closure of hospitals or emergency rooms, larger class sizes, and reduced care if they don't receive more money.<ref>[http://www.abetterchoiceforny.org/ A Better Choice For NY] - A typical example of a union-backed organization that pushes for a more progressive tax scheme for funding health care and education spending.</ref> Organized rebuttals have been few and far between, although more frequent in recent years; [[Eliot Spitzer]]'s use of his personal campaign funds to push through his 2007 reforms was the first, more recent movements include Rochester businessman [[Tom Golisano]]'s [http://www.responsiblenewyork.com/ Responsible New York] campaign, and Buffalo developer [[Carl Paladino]]'s calls for a constitutional convention directly to address union-friendly laws such as the "Wicks Law" and the [[Taylor Law]]. |
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Upstate Democrats have traditionally leaned further to the right than downstate Democrats, particularly in Buffalo and Niagara Falls. [[Jack Quinn (politics)|Jack Quinn]], a Republican, was elected from a district that was 57 percent Democratic. Similarly, leading Democrats in the area, including [[Dennis Gorski]], [[Anthony Masiello]] and [[James D. Griffin]], were noted for their fiscal and social conservatism and were often cross-endorsed by the [[Conservative Party of New York]]. Other examples of moderate to conservative leaning Democrats include [[Michael McNulty]], [[John LaFalce]], [[Scott Murphy (politician)|Scott Murphy]], and [[Brian Higgins]]. |
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Upstate politicians have sometimes taken the leading role in the moves that give the state its liberal reputation. It was [[George Michaels]], an assemblyman from the [[Finger Lakes]], who in 1970 asked that his vote of "no" on the bill to legalize [[abortion]] in New York be changed to "yes," causing the bill to pass by one vote. Nearly three decades later, voters in [[Plattsburgh]] elected Daniel L. Stewart, the state's first openly [[gay]] [[mayor]], a Republican. Another upstate mayor, [[Jason West]] of [[New Paltz (village), New York|New Paltz]], drew national attention in early 2004 when [[Same-sex marriage in New York#New Paltz marriages|he officiated at the state's first gay weddings]]. |
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One example of the ideological divide between upstate and downstate Democrats was the reaction to Governor [[David Paterson]]'s appointment of Congresswoman [[Kirsten Gillibrand]], who represented the New York's [[New York's 20th congressional district|20th District]] in the Adirondacks, to the US Senate. Downstate Democrats were skeptical of Gillibrand's positions on [[gun control]] and [[immigration]], which while mainstream in upstate New York, were to the right of positions of downstate Democratic activists like Congresswoman [[Carolyn McCarthy]]. Paterson's appointment of Gillibrand was believed to be an effort to enhance his own chances in a general election by presenting a balanced ticket, which would appeal to moderates and upstate voters. The last time that New York has had a senator of either party from upstate was the Republican [[Charles E. Goodell]] in 1971; he was forced out by a more conservative downstate candidate ([[James L. Buckley|James Buckley]]) on a third-party challenge. |
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The Democratic Party in upstate cities, particularly in Buffalo, also has traditionally leaned further to the right than downstate Democrats. [[Jack Quinn (politics)|Jack Quinn]], a Republican, was elected from a district that was 57 percent Democratic. Similarly, leading Democrats in the area, including [[Dennis Gorski]], [[Anthony Masiello]] and [[James D. Griffin]], were noted for their fiscal and social conservatism and were often cross-endorsed by the [[Conservative Party of New York]]. Other examples of moderate to conservative leaning Democrats include [[Michael McNulty]], [[Scott Murphy (politician)|Scott Murphy]] and [[Brian Higgins]]. |
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Proponents of the 2008 presidential run by Senator [[Hillary Clinton]] have pointed to her relative success upstate (she lost the region by less than 10 percent of the vote in 2000) as an argument that she could succeed as a candidate in [[Red state vs. blue state divide|red states]]. Skeptics of such a bid have responded that upstate is not as conservative as what is now the leadership of the Republican Party.<ref>http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20060130&s=katz013006 {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> |
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One example of the ideological divide between upstate and downstate Democrats was the reaction to Governor [[David Paterson]]'s appointment of Congresswoman [[Kirsten Gillibrand]], who represented the New York's [[20th congressional district|20th District]] upstate, to the U.S. Senate. Downstate Democrats were skeptical of Gillibrand's positions on [[gun control]] and [[immigration]], which while mainstream in Upstate New York, were to the right of positions of downstate Democratic activists such as Congresswoman [[Carolyn McCarthy]]. Paterson's appointment of Gillibrand was believed to be an effort to enhance his own chances in a general election by presenting a balanced ticket whch would appeal to moderates and Upstate voters. The last time that New York has had a senator of either party from upstate was Republican [[Charles E. Goodell]] in 1971; he was forced out by a more conservative downstate candidate ([[James L. Buckley|James Buckley]]) on a third-party challenge. |
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Most of New York State's most successful Republican politicians, however, such as Rockefeller, [[George Pataki]], [[Thomas Dewey]], [[Fiorello La Guardia]], [[Jacob Javits]] and [[Alfonse D'Amato]], came from downstate. Most upstate Republicans are politically unacceptable to even downstate Republican voters, and most of the party's financial backers are based downstate. That was a key factor in forcing the Buffalo politician [[Chris Collins (county executive)|Chris Collins]] out of a potential [[New York gubernatorial election, 2010|run for governor in 2010]].<ref>McCarthy, Robert (2010-01-26). [http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/936045.html Collins ends run for governor]. ''[[The Buffalo News]]''. Retrieved 2010-01-25.</ref> |
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Proponents of the 2008 presidential run by Sen. [[Hillary Clinton]] have pointed to her relative success upstate (she lost the region by less than 10 percent of the vote in 2000) as an argument that she could succeed as a candidate in [[Red state vs. blue state divide|red states]]. Skeptics of such a bid have responded that upstate is not as conservative as what is now the leadership of the Republican Party. [http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20060130&s=katz013006]. |
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Nevertheless, Republican attempts upstate to court votes by openly appealing to suspicion of New York City have usually backfired. In 1998, the incumbent and [[Long Island]] native Republican Senator [[Al D'Amato]]'s Senate campaign ran television ads in some upstate markets attempting to link his opponent, [[Charles Schumer]], to a flock of hungry [[shark]]s that were released from New York City to fleece upstate. Schumer went on to win the election and did well in upstate areas. |
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Most of New York State's most successful Republican politicians, however, such as Rockefeller, [[George Pataki]], [[Thomas Dewey]], [[Fiorello La Guardia]], [[Jacob Javits]] and [[Alfonse D'Amato]], came from the downstate region. Most upstate Republicans are politically unacceptable to even downstate Republican voters, and the party's financial backers are mostly based downstate. This was a key factor in forcing Buffalo politician [[Chris Collins (county executive)|Chris Collins]] out of a potential [[New York gubernatorial election, 2010|run for governor in 2010]].<ref>McCarthy, Robert (2010-01-26). [http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/936045.html Collins ends run for governor]. ''[[The Buffalo News]]''. Retrieved 2010-01-25.</ref> |
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Politicians based upstate rarely win elections for governor or senator, but some have been elected to other lesser state-wide offices, such as [[Lieutenant Governor of New York|lieutenant governor]] ([[Stan Lundine]], [[Maryanne Krupsak]], [[Mary Donohue]], [[Robert Duffy (politician)|Robert Duffy]] and [[Kathy Hochul]] for instance), [[comptroller]] ([[Edward Regan]]) and [[List of New York State Attorneys General|attorney general]] ([[Dennis Vacco]]). |
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Nevertheless, Republican attempts upstate to court votes by openly appealing to suspicion of New York City have usually backfired. In 1998 incumbent (and [[Long Island]] native) Republican Senator [[Al D'Amato]]'s Senate campaign ran television ads in some upstate markets attempting to link his opponent, [[Charles Schumer]], to a flock of hungry [[shark]]s released from New York City to fleece upstate. Schumer went on to win the election and did well in upstate areas. |
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The sharp differences in ideology have historically fueled many political struggles by upstate conservatives with largely downstate-based Democrats in the [[New York Legislature]], but the feuds quite often tend to be more on regional lines than on party lines. The most recent major examples were the failed attempt by the Syracuse-area assemblyman [[Michael Bragman]], the [[majority leader]] of that body, to seize control of the downstate-dominated state Democratic Party in 2000. That was immediately followed by a strong retaliatory backlash against all upstate politicians in state government and the attempt by both Republicans and Democrats to cater to upstate voters by promising to disband the [[New York State Thruway]], whose toll portions are entirely upstate. Both candidates in the 2006 gubernatorial election (Democrat [[Eliot Spitzer]] and Republican [[John Faso]]) pledged to eliminate the tolls. However, so far, only an eight-mile stretch of [[Interstate 190 (New York)|I-190]] in downtown [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], which had been collecting tolls so that [[Interstate 84 (east)|I-84]] downstate would remain a free highway, has been made toll-free. In fact, the thruway authority has steadily increased tolls annually since 2006. Critics upstate feel that it is unlikely that either party would genuinely be willing to give up such a significant source of revenue, despite promises to the contrary, particularly since it that does not draw its funding from the population core downstate. |
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But while politicians based upstate rarely win elections for governor or U.S. Senator, some have been elected to other lesser statewide offices, such as [[Lieutenant Governor of New York|lieutenant governor]] ([[Stan Lundine]], [[Maryanne Krupsak]] and [[Mary Donohue]], for instance), [[comptroller]] ([[Edward Regan]]) and [[List of New York State Attorneys General|attorney general]] ([[Dennis Vacco]]). |
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Republicans have traditionally controlled the State Senate by virtue of holding most seats upstate, even if the state as a whole swung Democratic. However, the leadership has often been split between upstate senators, such as [[Joseph Bruno]], and Long Islanders such as the former majority leader, [[Dean Skelos]]. |
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The sharp differences in ideology have historically fueled many political struggles by upstate conservatives with largely downstate-based Democrats in the [[New York Legislature]]; however the feuds quite often tend to be more on regional lines than on party lines. The most recent major examples were the failed attempt by Syracuse-area assemblyman [[Michael Bragman]], the [[majority leader]] of that body to seize control of the downstate-dominated state Democratic party in 2000, which was immediately followed by a strong retaliatory backlash against all upstate politicians in state government and the attempt by both Republicans and Democrats to cater to upstate voters by promising to disband the [[New York State Thruway]], whose toll portions are entirely upstate. Both candidates in the 2006 gubernatorial election (Democrat [[Eliot Spitzer]] and Republican [[John Faso]]) pledged to eliminate the tolls. However, at the present time, only an eight mile stretch of [[Interstate 190 (New York)|I-190]] in downtown [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], which had been collecting tolls to be used to keep [[Interstate 84 (east)|I-84]] downstate a free highway, has been made toll-free. In fact, the thruway authority has steadily increased tolls annually since 2006. Critics upstate feel that it is unlikely that either party would genuinely be willing to give up such a significant source of revenue, despite promises to the contrary, particularly one that does not draw its funding from the population core downstate. |
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The 2008 State Senate elections shifted political power in the chamber from the upstate-heavy Republicans to the New York City-centered Democrats. However, as evidence of continued Republican strength in the upstate, the Democrats won all but three seats in New York City but only five seats north of Westchester County. Skelos, a Long Island native, hatched a plan to lure four conservative New York City Democrats (known collectively as the "Gang of Four") to vote for Skelos as leader of the Senate in exchange for committee assignments, but the move backfired since the Democrats in question got the committee assignments ahead of the upstate senators who were expected to get them, but they turned and announced their support for Senate Democratic leader [[Malcolm Smith (U.S. politician)|Malcolm Smith]], as part of a deal that had been ironically hatched by upstate politicians Steven Pigeon and Tom Golisano. As a result, several State Senate Republicans have considered reaching out to the five upstate Democrats, compared to 27 downstate Democrats, in the chamber to form a coalition, including the Buffalo Democrat [[William Stachowski]], who would have earned a powerful committee leadership position had it not been for the Gang of Four deal. Stachowski and the others have so far rebuffed any suggestions they would break ranks.<ref>Karlin, Rick. [http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=747372&category=REGION Upstate senators weigh future: Power flows to downstate Democrats in wake of deal]. Albany ''Times-Union''. 6 December 2008.</ref> In an effort to retain the upstate Democrats, Smith nominated Syracuse Senator [[David Valesky]] as his second-in-command. Upstate Democrats such as Valesky, Stachowski, and [[Darrel Aubertine]] often face significant pressure from constituents and other upstate lawmakers to hold more conservative positions than their downstate counterparts. |
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While Republicans have traditionally controlled the State Senate by virtue of holding most seats upstate, the leadership has often been split between upstate senators such as [[Joseph Bruno]] and Long Islanders such as the current leader, [[Dean Skelos]]. |
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In the congressional elections of 2006 and 2008, many upstate seats that had been historically held by Republicans came under serious challenge by Democratic contenders, and some (such as the [[New York's 20th congressional district|20th]], [[New York's 24th congressional district|24th]], and [[New York's 29th congressional district|29th]] districts) were lost to Democrats even with Republican voter enrollment advantages remaining in place. The seats went back to the Republicans in 2010. Slow population growth in the 1990s led legislators to eliminate two upstate House districts in the 2002 [[reapportionment]] and to leave all downstate districts alone, and so the influence of upstate in Congress has faded from the days in which [[Jack Kemp]], [[Barber Conable]], and [[Sam Stratton]] were prominent House leaders. Two more districts, at least one of which is certain to be upstate, were to be eliminated in the 2012 reapportionment. However, current upstate house members such as [[Kathy Hochul]], [[Tom Reed (politician)|Tom Reed]], and [[Ann Marie Buerkle]] have earned significant notoriety (both positive and negative) for their accomplishments on Capitol Hill. |
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The 2008 state senate elections shifted political power in the chamber from the upstate-heavy Republicans to the New York City-centered Democrats. Skelos, a Long Island native, hatched a plan to lure four conservative New York City Democrats (known collectively as the "Gang of Four") to vote for Skelos as leader of the Senate in exchange for committee assignments, but the move backfired: the Democrats in question got the committee assignments (ahead of the upstate senators who were expected to get them) but instead turned and announced their support for Senate Democratic leader [[Malcolm Smith (U.S. politician)|Malcolm Smith]], as part of a deal ironically hatched by upstate politicians Steven Pigeon and Tom Golisano. As a result, several state Senate Republicans have considered reaching out to the five upstate Democrats (compared to 27 downstate Democrats) in the chamber to form a coalition, including Buffalo Democrat [[William Stachowski]], who would have earned a powerful committee leadership position had it not been for the Gang of Four deal. Stachowski and the others have so far rebuffed any suggestions they would break ranks.<ref>Karlin, Rick. [http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=747372&category=REGION Upstate senators weigh future: Power flows to downstate Democrats in wake of deal]. Albany ''Times-Union''. 6 December 2008.</ref> In an effort to retain the upstate Democrats, Smith nominated Syracuse senator [[David Valesky]] as his second-in-command. Upstate Democrats such as Valesky, Stachowski and [[Darrel Aubertine]] often face significant pressure from constituents and other upstate lawmakers to hold more conservative positions than their downstate counterparts. |
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A growing movement exists among New York City residents to buy summer homes in upstate tourist communities and vote in elections there, where their vote would have more influence, a move that has drawn significant enmity from local residents.<ref>[http://www.wten.com/Global/story.asp?S=11833359&nav=menu30_2 NY Republicans lose against influx of Dems]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}. Associated Press. Retrieved 2010-01-17.</ref> |
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In the congressional elections of 2006 and 2008, many upstate Congressional seats historically held by Republicans came under serious challenge by Democratic contenders, and some (such as the [[New York's 20th congressional district|20th]], [[New York's 24th congressional district|24th]] and [[New York's 29th congressional district|29th]] districts) were lost to Democrats, even with Republican voter enrollment advantages remaining in place. Slow population growth in the 1990s led legislators to eliminate two upstate House districts in the 2002 [[reapportionment]] and leave all downstate districts alone, hence, the influence of upstate in Congress has faded from the days in which [[Jack Kemp]], [[Barber Conable]], and [[Sam Stratton]] were prominent House leaders. |
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Upstate New York showed an unusual amount of electoral strength when Buffalo's [[Carl Paladino]] and Panama's Greg Edwards defeated downstate candidates [[Rick Lazio]] and [[Thomas Ognibene]] for the Republican nomination in the [[New York gubernatorial election, 2010]], largely by their overwhelming support upstate and in Western New York (as high as 93% for Paladino in his home county of Erie County). Both gubernatorial candidates had picked a candidate from the other side of the state as their running mate (Lazio with Edwards and Paladino with Ognibene), but voters were free to combine their own ticket [[à la carte]] in the primary elections, which resulted in native favorites winning both races. Paladino, in particular, completed a near-sweep of upstate counties, but the downstate counties voted heavily for Lazio. Paladino and Edwards went on to lose the general election to the downstate Democrat [[Andrew Cuomo]] and his running mate, Rochester's [[Robert Duffy (politician)|Bob Duffy]]. Paladino and Edwards won the eight counties of the Buffalo media market (including their home counties), the rural counties in the Southern Tier, and two other rural counties upstate. Cuomo won the rest of the region in addition to a complete sweep of downstate New York. Upstate also showed strength in the 2012 [[United States Senate election in New York, 2012|senatorial Republican primary]] in which the Manhattan attorney [[Wendy E. Long]] campaigned heavily upstate and rode it to victory over her Republican primary opponent, the favorite, Brooklyn Congressman [[Bob Turner (New York politician)|Bob Turner]]. None of the candidates in the primary was from the upstate region. Long was even less successful than Paladino by winning only two counties en route to a 45% loss to Gillbrand. |
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A growing movement exists among New York City residents to buy summer homes in upstate tourist communities and vote in elections there (where their vote would have more of an influence), a move that has drawn significant enmity from local residents.<ref>[http://www.wten.com/Global/story.asp?S=11833359&nav=menu30_2 NY Republicans lose against influx of Dems]. Associated Press. Retrieved 2010-01-17.</ref> |
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In 2014, the downstate Republican [[Rob Astorino]], running with Chemung County Sheriff Christopher Moss, lost the [[New York gubernatorial election, 2014|gubernatorial election]] but performed better than usual in upstate by winning several counties, including [[St. Lawrence County, New York|Saint Lawrence]] and [[Monroe County, New York|Monroe]] Counties, that traditionally vote Democrat. |
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==Presidentital voting patterns== |
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==Presidential voting patterns== |
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These results are fashioned from the following counties being within downstate New York: [[Bronx]], [[Brooklyn|Kings (Brooklyn)]], [[Manhattan|New York (Manhattan)]], [[Queens]], [[Staten Island|Richmond (Staten Island)]] [encompassing [[New York City]]], [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau]], [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk]] [encompassing the majority of [[Long Island]]], [[Westchester County, New York|Westchester]], and [[Rockland County, New York|Rockland]] counties. The remainder (including [[Putnam County, New York|Putnam County]]) belong to upstate New York. |
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|+'''Upstate New York<br />Presidential elections results''' |
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!Year |
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![[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] |
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![[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] |
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!Independent |
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!Others |
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|[[2024 United States presidential election in New York|2024]] |
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|48.76% ''1,682,301'' |
||
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|'''49.36%''' ''1,703,057'' |
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| |
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|1.88% ''64,695'' |
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|- |
|- |
||
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[2020 United States presidential election in New York|2020]] |
||
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''50.76%''' ''1,757,363'' |
||
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|47.21% ''1,634,429'' |
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|0.40% ''14,023'' |
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|1.62% ''56,203'' |
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|- |
|- |
||
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|[[2016 United States presidential election in New York|2016]] |
||
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|45.24% ''1,413,176'' |
||
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|'''47.71%''' ''1,490,242'' |
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|3.60% ''112,887'' |
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|3.69% ''115,463'' |
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|- |
|- |
||
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[2012 United States presidential election in New York|2012]] |
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.50%''' ''1,577,284'' |
||
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|44.49% ''1,311,618'' |
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|0.95% ''28,152'' |
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|2.07% ''61,686'' |
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|- |
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[2008 United States presidential election in New York|2008]] |
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|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.18%''' ''1,708,772'' |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|46.82% ''1,504,543'' |
||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|0.84% ''27,217'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|1.90% ''61,282'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[2004 United States presidential election in New York|2004]] |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''49.23%''' ''1,553,246'' |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|49.19% ''1,551,971'' |
||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|1.76% ''56,205'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|0.92% ''29,336'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[2000 United States presidential election in New York|2000]] |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''49.33%''' ''1,469,087'' |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|45.30% ''1,348,930'' |
||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|4.10% ''123,617'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|2.41% ''72,565'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[1996 United States presidential election in New York|1996]] |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''49.66%''' ''1,419,077'' |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|36.76% ''1,050,511'' |
||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|11.30% ''325,684'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|3.01% ''86,790'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[1992 United States presidential election in New York|1992]] |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''39.31%''' ''1,241,203'' |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|36.72% ''1,159,280'' |
||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|22.53% ''704,182'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|0.69% ''21,420'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|[[1988 United States presidential election in New York|1988]] |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|46.71% ''1,340,248'' |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|'''52.49%''' ''1,506,011'' |
||
| |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|0.80% ''22,992'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|[[1984 United States presidential election in New York|1984]] |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|34.49% ''1,158,830'' |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|'''60.17%''' ''1,765,919'' |
||
| |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|0.34% ''10,087'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|[[1980 United States presidential election in New York|1980]] |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|41.65% ''1,153,234'' |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|'''47.93%''' ''1,327,072'' |
||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|8.51% ''235,627'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|1.90% ''52,516'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|[[1976 United States presidential election in New York|1976]] |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|44.06% ''1,233,220'' |
||
| |
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|'''55.57%''' ''1,555,430'' |
||
| |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|0.69% ''19,429'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|[[1972 United States presidential election in New York|1972]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|36.30% ''1,032,633'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|'''63.45%''' ''1,805,076'' |
|||
| |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|0.25% ''7,174'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|[[1968 United States presidential election in New York|1968]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|44.12% ''1,183,698'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|'''49.60%''' ''1,330,622'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|5.53% ''147,776'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|0.46% ''12,280'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[1964 United States presidential election in New York|1964]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''68.18%''' ''1,876,429'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|31.73% ''873,257'' |
|||
| |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|0.10% ''2,664'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|[[1960 United States presidential election in New York|1960]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|45.87% ''1,317,838'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|'''54.05%''' ''1,552,646'' |
|||
| |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|0.07% ''2,058'' |
|||
|} |
|} |
||
</div><div style="float:right; width:48%;"> |
</div><div style="float:right; width:48%;"> |
||
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="float:left; font-size:95%;" |
|||
{| align="left" border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" |
|||
|+ |
|+'''Downstate New York<br />Presidential elections results''' |
||
|- |
|-style="background:lightgrey;" |
||
! |
!Year |
||
! |
![[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] |
||
! |
![[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] |
||
!Independent |
|||
!Others |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[2024 United States presidential election in New York|2024]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''59.57%''' ''2,936,894'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|38.04% ''1,875,842'' |
|||
| |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|2.39% ''117,669'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[2020 United States presidential election in New York|2020]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''67.66%''' ''3,487,523'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|31.38% ''1,617,568'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|0.17% ''8,633'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|0.80% ''41,119'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[2016 United States presidential election in New York|2016]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''68.35%''' ''3,142,948'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|28.91% ''1,329,292'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''63,711'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''121,358'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[2012 United States presidential election in New York|2012]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''70.37%''' ''2,908,593'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|28.52% ''1,178,878'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''19,104'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''59,460'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[2008 United States presidential election in New York|2008]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''69.86%''' ''3,060,928'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|30.14% ''1,320,570'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''14,034'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''65,400'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[2004 United States presidential election in New York|2004]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''65.42%''' ''2,761,973'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|33.39% ''1,409,657'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''43,668'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''42,915'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[2000 United States presidential election in New York|2000]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''68.64%''' ''2,638,820'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|27.42% ''1,054,391'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''120,781'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''132,964'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[1996 United States presidential election in New York|1996]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''67.58%''' ''2,337,100'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|25.53% ''882,981'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''177,774'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''159,212'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[1992 United States presidential election in New York|1992]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''57.97%''' ''2,203,247'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|31.24% ''1,187,369'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''386,539'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''23,685'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[1988 United States presidential election in New York|1988]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''55.51%''' ''2,007,634'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|43.57% ''1,575,860'' |
|||
| |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''32,938'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[1984 United States presidential election in New York|1984]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''50.64%''' ''1,960,779'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|49.04% ''1,898,844'' |
|||
| |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''12,351'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[1980 United States presidential election in New York|1980]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''45.88%''' ''1,575,138'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|45.64% ''1,566,759'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''232,174'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''59,153'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[1976 United States presidential election in New York|1976]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''57.87%''' ''2,156,338'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|41.47% ''1,545,361'' |
|||
| |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''24,642'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|[[1972 United States presidential election in New York|1972]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|44.44% ''1,918,451'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|'''55.31%''' ''2,387,702'' |
|||
| |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''10,794'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[1968 United States presidential election in New York|1968]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.44%''' ''2,194,772'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|40.84% ''1,677,310'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''211,088'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''32,520'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[1964 United States presidential election in New York|1964]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''68.80%''' ''3,036,727'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|31.05% ''1,370,302'' |
|||
| |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''6,636'' |
|||
|- |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|[[1960 United States presidential election in New York|1960]] |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Democratic}}|'''56.86%''' ''2,512,247'' |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Republican}}|42.86% ''1,893,773'' |
|||
| |
|||
|style="text-align:center;" {{party shading/Others}}|''12,261'' |
|||
|} |
|||
</div>{{Clear}} |
|||
== Gubernatorial voting patterns == |
|||
{| class="wikitable sortable" |
|||
|+Upstate Results |
|||
!Year |
|||
!Democratic |
|||
!Republican |
|||
!Independent |
|||
!Others |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''[[2022 New York gubernatorial election|2022]]''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 2008|2008]] |
|||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|''1,172,345'' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|30.14% ''1,320,570 |
|||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''''1,412,410''''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''69.86%''' ''3,060,928 |
|||
| |
|||
| |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''[[2018 New York gubernatorial election|2018]]''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 2004|2004]] |
|||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|''1,096,661'' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|33.39% ''1,409,657 |
|||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''''1,291,834''''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''65.42%''' ''2,761,973 |
|||
|{{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''48,087'' |
|||
|{{party shading/Others}}|''177,259'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''[[2014 New York gubernatorial election|2014]]''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 2000|2000]] |
|||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|''802,498'' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|27.42% ''1,054,391 |
|||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''''936,881''''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''68.64%''' ''2,638,820 |
|||
|{{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''109,951'' |
|||
|{{party shading/Others}}|''71,055'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2010 New York gubernatorial election|2010]]''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1996|1996]] |
|||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''''1,126,281''''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|25.53% ''882,981 |
|||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|''930,596'' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''67.58%''' ''2,337,100 |
|||
|{{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''40,238'' |
|||
|{{party shading/Others}}|''158,283'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2006 New York gubernatorial election|2006]]''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1992|1992]] |
|||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''''1,352,108''''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|31.24% ''1,187,369 |
|||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|''752,870'' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''57.97%''' ''2,203,247 |
|||
|{{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''19,602'' |
|||
|{{party shading/Others}}|''118,915'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''[[2002 New York gubernatorial election|2002]]''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1988|1988]] |
|||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|''515,094'' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|43.57 ''1,575,860 |
|||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''''1,093,191''''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''55.51%''' ''2,007,634 |
|||
|{{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''462,636'' |
|||
|{{party shading/Others}}|''113,609'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1998 New York gubernatorial election|1998]]''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1984|1984]] |
|||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|''406,531'' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|49.04% ''1,898,844 |
|||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''''1,399,994''''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''50.64%''' ''1,960,779 |
|||
|{{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''277,243'' |
|||
|{{party shading/Others}}|''191,980'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1994 New York gubernatorial election|1994]]''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1980|1980]] |
|||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|''774,609'' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|45.64% ''1,566,759 |
|||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''''1,451,591''''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''45.88%''' ''1,575,138 |
|||
|{{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''176,559'' |
|||
|{{party shading/Others}}|''85,498'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[1990 New York gubernatorial election|1990]]''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1976|1976]] |
|||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''''896,989''''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|41.47% ''1,545,361 |
|||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|''498,151'' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''57.87%''' ''2,156,338 |
|||
|{{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''511,536'' |
|||
|{{party shading/Others}}|''212,520'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[1986 New York gubernatorial election|1986]]''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1972|1972]] |
|||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''''1,254,381''''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|'''55.31%''' ''2,387,702 |
|||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|''741,716'' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|44.44% ''1,918,451 |
|||
|{{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''49,840'' |
|||
|{{party shading/Others}}|''76,307'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1982 New York gubernatorial election|1982]]''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1968|1968]] |
|||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|''996,503'' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|40.84% ''1,677,310 |
|||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''''1,338,091''''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''53.44%''' ''2,194,772 |
|||
|{{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''16,236'' |
|||
|{{party shading/Others}}|''101,815'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1978 New York gubernatorial election|1978]]''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1964|1964]] |
|||
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|''949,971'' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|31.05% ''1,370,302 |
|||
|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''''1,102,523''''' |
|||
|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''68.80%''' ''3,036,727 |
|||
|{{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''63,581'' |
|||
|{{party shading/Others}}|''84,204'' |
|||
|- |
|- |
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|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[1974 New York gubernatorial election|1974]]''' |
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|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|[[U.S. presidential election, 1960|1960]] |
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|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''''1,178,268''''' |
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|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|42.86% ''1,893,773 |
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|{{party shading/Republican}}|''1,081,943'' |
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|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|'''56.86%''' ''2,512,247 |
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| |
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|{{party shading/Others}}|''129,195'' |
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|- |
|- |
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|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1970 New York gubernatorial election|1970]]''' |
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|{{party shading/Democratic}}|''875,735'' |
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|{{party shading/Republican}}|'''''1,254,971''''' |
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|{{party shading/Independent (United States)}}|''188,586'' |
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|} |
|} |
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</div><br clear="all"> |
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==See also |
==See also== |
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* [[ |
* [[Politics of New York (state)]] |
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* [[Politics of New York]] |
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* [[New York State Legislature]] |
* [[New York State Legislature]] |
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* [[Secession in New |
* [[Secession in New York]] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Politics Of Upstate New York}} |
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[[Category:Politics of New York (state)|*]] |
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{{US-politics-stub}} |
Latest revision as of 01:51, 12 December 2024
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The prevailing political ethos of the residents of upstate New York varies from that of their downstate counterparts.
Voting patterns
[edit]Often attributed to the region's rural to semi-rural character, it is more reactionary in culture and politics than the more urban downstate area, and it is the power base of the state's Republican Party. Upstate New York, however, has several pockets of Democratic influence. Western New York, particularly Buffalo, has been a Democratic stronghold for over a century. The Capital District, particularly Albany, Schenectady and Troy, was long the only Democratic bastion in the eastern upstate. Other pockets of Democratic strength are Monroe County (Rochester), Onondaga County (Syracuse), and Tompkins County (Ithaca).
As a whole, upstate New York is roughly equally divided in federal elections between Democrats and Republicans. In 2004, John Kerry defeated George W. Bush by less than 1,500 votes (1,553,246 votes to 1,551,971) in the upstate region.
Historically, the Republicans in the region more closely resemble Rockefeller Republicans, who were pro-business but socially liberal Republicans who supported the policies of former Governor Nelson Rockefeller. Others are libertarians like Republicans in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and some western states, instead of the social conservatism of the southern states and the Religious Right. However, the Religious Right is still influential in the area, mainly in the Central New York and Tug Hill Plateau regions.
The influence of public service labor unions is a factor in the Democratic Party's continued strength in the region. Hospitals and public schools are among the area's largest employers, and the agencies have unionized workers. Unionized workers as a whole make up one fourth of New York workers, the most in the nation.[1] The unions, most notably the Service Employees International Union and New York State United Teachers, make large purchases of television air time on local television and radio stations during budget negotiations and prior to school budget votes to air commercials featuring scare tactics threatening the closure of hospitals or emergency rooms, larger class sizes, and reduced care unless they receive more money.[2] Organized rebuttals have been few and far between although more frequent in recent years. Eliot Spitzer's use of his personal campaign funds to push through his 2007 reforms was the first, and more recent movements include the Rochester businessman Tom Golisano's Responsible New York campaign and the Buffalo developer Carl Paladino's calls for a constitutional convention directly to quash union-friendly laws such as the "Wicks Law" and the Taylor Law.
Upstate politicians have sometimes taken the leading role in the moves that give the state its liberal reputation. It was George Michaels, an assemblyman from the Finger Lakes, who in 1970 asked that his vote of "no" on the bill to legalize abortion in New York be changed to "yes," causing the bill to pass by one vote. Nearly three decades later, voters in Plattsburgh elected Daniel L. Stewart, the state's first openly-gay mayor, a Republican. Another upstate mayor, Jason West of New Paltz, drew national attention in early 2004 when he officiated at the state's first gay weddings.
Upstate Democrats have traditionally leaned further to the right than downstate Democrats, particularly in Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Jack Quinn, a Republican, was elected from a district that was 57 percent Democratic. Similarly, leading Democrats in the area, including Dennis Gorski, Anthony Masiello and James D. Griffin, were noted for their fiscal and social conservatism and were often cross-endorsed by the Conservative Party of New York. Other examples of moderate to conservative leaning Democrats include Michael McNulty, John LaFalce, Scott Murphy, and Brian Higgins.
One example of the ideological divide between upstate and downstate Democrats was the reaction to Governor David Paterson's appointment of Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand, who represented the New York's 20th District in the Adirondacks, to the US Senate. Downstate Democrats were skeptical of Gillibrand's positions on gun control and immigration, which while mainstream in upstate New York, were to the right of positions of downstate Democratic activists like Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy. Paterson's appointment of Gillibrand was believed to be an effort to enhance his own chances in a general election by presenting a balanced ticket, which would appeal to moderates and upstate voters. The last time that New York has had a senator of either party from upstate was the Republican Charles E. Goodell in 1971; he was forced out by a more conservative downstate candidate (James Buckley) on a third-party challenge.
Proponents of the 2008 presidential run by Senator Hillary Clinton have pointed to her relative success upstate (she lost the region by less than 10 percent of the vote in 2000) as an argument that she could succeed as a candidate in red states. Skeptics of such a bid have responded that upstate is not as conservative as what is now the leadership of the Republican Party.[3]
Most of New York State's most successful Republican politicians, however, such as Rockefeller, George Pataki, Thomas Dewey, Fiorello La Guardia, Jacob Javits and Alfonse D'Amato, came from downstate. Most upstate Republicans are politically unacceptable to even downstate Republican voters, and most of the party's financial backers are based downstate. That was a key factor in forcing the Buffalo politician Chris Collins out of a potential run for governor in 2010.[4]
Nevertheless, Republican attempts upstate to court votes by openly appealing to suspicion of New York City have usually backfired. In 1998, the incumbent and Long Island native Republican Senator Al D'Amato's Senate campaign ran television ads in some upstate markets attempting to link his opponent, Charles Schumer, to a flock of hungry sharks that were released from New York City to fleece upstate. Schumer went on to win the election and did well in upstate areas.
Politicians based upstate rarely win elections for governor or senator, but some have been elected to other lesser state-wide offices, such as lieutenant governor (Stan Lundine, Maryanne Krupsak, Mary Donohue, Robert Duffy and Kathy Hochul for instance), comptroller (Edward Regan) and attorney general (Dennis Vacco).
The sharp differences in ideology have historically fueled many political struggles by upstate conservatives with largely downstate-based Democrats in the New York Legislature, but the feuds quite often tend to be more on regional lines than on party lines. The most recent major examples were the failed attempt by the Syracuse-area assemblyman Michael Bragman, the majority leader of that body, to seize control of the downstate-dominated state Democratic Party in 2000. That was immediately followed by a strong retaliatory backlash against all upstate politicians in state government and the attempt by both Republicans and Democrats to cater to upstate voters by promising to disband the New York State Thruway, whose toll portions are entirely upstate. Both candidates in the 2006 gubernatorial election (Democrat Eliot Spitzer and Republican John Faso) pledged to eliminate the tolls. However, so far, only an eight-mile stretch of I-190 in downtown Buffalo, which had been collecting tolls so that I-84 downstate would remain a free highway, has been made toll-free. In fact, the thruway authority has steadily increased tolls annually since 2006. Critics upstate feel that it is unlikely that either party would genuinely be willing to give up such a significant source of revenue, despite promises to the contrary, particularly since it that does not draw its funding from the population core downstate.
Republicans have traditionally controlled the State Senate by virtue of holding most seats upstate, even if the state as a whole swung Democratic. However, the leadership has often been split between upstate senators, such as Joseph Bruno, and Long Islanders such as the former majority leader, Dean Skelos.
The 2008 State Senate elections shifted political power in the chamber from the upstate-heavy Republicans to the New York City-centered Democrats. However, as evidence of continued Republican strength in the upstate, the Democrats won all but three seats in New York City but only five seats north of Westchester County. Skelos, a Long Island native, hatched a plan to lure four conservative New York City Democrats (known collectively as the "Gang of Four") to vote for Skelos as leader of the Senate in exchange for committee assignments, but the move backfired since the Democrats in question got the committee assignments ahead of the upstate senators who were expected to get them, but they turned and announced their support for Senate Democratic leader Malcolm Smith, as part of a deal that had been ironically hatched by upstate politicians Steven Pigeon and Tom Golisano. As a result, several State Senate Republicans have considered reaching out to the five upstate Democrats, compared to 27 downstate Democrats, in the chamber to form a coalition, including the Buffalo Democrat William Stachowski, who would have earned a powerful committee leadership position had it not been for the Gang of Four deal. Stachowski and the others have so far rebuffed any suggestions they would break ranks.[5] In an effort to retain the upstate Democrats, Smith nominated Syracuse Senator David Valesky as his second-in-command. Upstate Democrats such as Valesky, Stachowski, and Darrel Aubertine often face significant pressure from constituents and other upstate lawmakers to hold more conservative positions than their downstate counterparts.
In the congressional elections of 2006 and 2008, many upstate seats that had been historically held by Republicans came under serious challenge by Democratic contenders, and some (such as the 20th, 24th, and 29th districts) were lost to Democrats even with Republican voter enrollment advantages remaining in place. The seats went back to the Republicans in 2010. Slow population growth in the 1990s led legislators to eliminate two upstate House districts in the 2002 reapportionment and to leave all downstate districts alone, and so the influence of upstate in Congress has faded from the days in which Jack Kemp, Barber Conable, and Sam Stratton were prominent House leaders. Two more districts, at least one of which is certain to be upstate, were to be eliminated in the 2012 reapportionment. However, current upstate house members such as Kathy Hochul, Tom Reed, and Ann Marie Buerkle have earned significant notoriety (both positive and negative) for their accomplishments on Capitol Hill.
A growing movement exists among New York City residents to buy summer homes in upstate tourist communities and vote in elections there, where their vote would have more influence, a move that has drawn significant enmity from local residents.[6]
Upstate New York showed an unusual amount of electoral strength when Buffalo's Carl Paladino and Panama's Greg Edwards defeated downstate candidates Rick Lazio and Thomas Ognibene for the Republican nomination in the New York gubernatorial election, 2010, largely by their overwhelming support upstate and in Western New York (as high as 93% for Paladino in his home county of Erie County). Both gubernatorial candidates had picked a candidate from the other side of the state as their running mate (Lazio with Edwards and Paladino with Ognibene), but voters were free to combine their own ticket à la carte in the primary elections, which resulted in native favorites winning both races. Paladino, in particular, completed a near-sweep of upstate counties, but the downstate counties voted heavily for Lazio. Paladino and Edwards went on to lose the general election to the downstate Democrat Andrew Cuomo and his running mate, Rochester's Bob Duffy. Paladino and Edwards won the eight counties of the Buffalo media market (including their home counties), the rural counties in the Southern Tier, and two other rural counties upstate. Cuomo won the rest of the region in addition to a complete sweep of downstate New York. Upstate also showed strength in the 2012 senatorial Republican primary in which the Manhattan attorney Wendy E. Long campaigned heavily upstate and rode it to victory over her Republican primary opponent, the favorite, Brooklyn Congressman Bob Turner. None of the candidates in the primary was from the upstate region. Long was even less successful than Paladino by winning only two counties en route to a 45% loss to Gillbrand.
In 2014, the downstate Republican Rob Astorino, running with Chemung County Sheriff Christopher Moss, lost the gubernatorial election but performed better than usual in upstate by winning several counties, including Saint Lawrence and Monroe Counties, that traditionally vote Democrat.
Presidential voting patterns
[edit]These results are fashioned from the following counties being within downstate New York: Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), New York (Manhattan), Queens, Richmond (Staten Island) [encompassing New York City], Nassau, Suffolk [encompassing the majority of Long Island], Westchester, and Rockland counties. The remainder (including Putnam County) belong to upstate New York.
Year | Democratic | Republican | Independent | Others |
---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | 48.76% 1,682,301 | 49.36% 1,703,057 | 1.88% 64,695 | |
2020 | 50.76% 1,757,363 | 47.21% 1,634,429 | 0.40% 14,023 | 1.62% 56,203 |
2016 | 45.24% 1,413,176 | 47.71% 1,490,242 | 3.60% 112,887 | 3.69% 115,463 |
2012 | 53.50% 1,577,284 | 44.49% 1,311,618 | 0.95% 28,152 | 2.07% 61,686 |
2008 | 53.18% 1,708,772 | 46.82% 1,504,543 | 0.84% 27,217 | 1.90% 61,282 |
2004 | 49.23% 1,553,246 | 49.19% 1,551,971 | 1.76% 56,205 | 0.92% 29,336 |
2000 | 49.33% 1,469,087 | 45.30% 1,348,930 | 4.10% 123,617 | 2.41% 72,565 |
1996 | 49.66% 1,419,077 | 36.76% 1,050,511 | 11.30% 325,684 | 3.01% 86,790 |
1992 | 39.31% 1,241,203 | 36.72% 1,159,280 | 22.53% 704,182 | 0.69% 21,420 |
1988 | 46.71% 1,340,248 | 52.49% 1,506,011 | 0.80% 22,992 | |
1984 | 34.49% 1,158,830 | 60.17% 1,765,919 | 0.34% 10,087 | |
1980 | 41.65% 1,153,234 | 47.93% 1,327,072 | 8.51% 235,627 | 1.90% 52,516 |
1976 | 44.06% 1,233,220 | 55.57% 1,555,430 | 0.69% 19,429 | |
1972 | 36.30% 1,032,633 | 63.45% 1,805,076 | 0.25% 7,174 | |
1968 | 44.12% 1,183,698 | 49.60% 1,330,622 | 5.53% 147,776 | 0.46% 12,280 |
1964 | 68.18% 1,876,429 | 31.73% 873,257 | 0.10% 2,664 | |
1960 | 45.87% 1,317,838 | 54.05% 1,552,646 | 0.07% 2,058 |
Year | Democratic | Republican | Independent | Others |
---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | 59.57% 2,936,894 | 38.04% 1,875,842 | 2.39% 117,669 | |
2020 | 67.66% 3,487,523 | 31.38% 1,617,568 | 0.17% 8,633 | 0.80% 41,119 |
2016 | 68.35% 3,142,948 | 28.91% 1,329,292 | 63,711 | 121,358 |
2012 | 70.37% 2,908,593 | 28.52% 1,178,878 | 19,104 | 59,460 |
2008 | 69.86% 3,060,928 | 30.14% 1,320,570 | 14,034 | 65,400 |
2004 | 65.42% 2,761,973 | 33.39% 1,409,657 | 43,668 | 42,915 |
2000 | 68.64% 2,638,820 | 27.42% 1,054,391 | 120,781 | 132,964 |
1996 | 67.58% 2,337,100 | 25.53% 882,981 | 177,774 | 159,212 |
1992 | 57.97% 2,203,247 | 31.24% 1,187,369 | 386,539 | 23,685 |
1988 | 55.51% 2,007,634 | 43.57% 1,575,860 | 32,938 | |
1984 | 50.64% 1,960,779 | 49.04% 1,898,844 | 12,351 | |
1980 | 45.88% 1,575,138 | 45.64% 1,566,759 | 232,174 | 59,153 |
1976 | 57.87% 2,156,338 | 41.47% 1,545,361 | 24,642 | |
1972 | 44.44% 1,918,451 | 55.31% 2,387,702 | 10,794 | |
1968 | 53.44% 2,194,772 | 40.84% 1,677,310 | 211,088 | 32,520 |
1964 | 68.80% 3,036,727 | 31.05% 1,370,302 | 6,636 | |
1960 | 56.86% 2,512,247 | 42.86% 1,893,773 | 12,261 |
Gubernatorial voting patterns
[edit]Year | Democratic | Republican | Independent | Others |
---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | 1,172,345 | 1,412,410 | ||
2018 | 1,096,661 | 1,291,834 | 48,087 | 177,259 |
2014 | 802,498 | 936,881 | 109,951 | 71,055 |
2010 | 1,126,281 | 930,596 | 40,238 | 158,283 |
2006 | 1,352,108 | 752,870 | 19,602 | 118,915 |
2002 | 515,094 | 1,093,191 | 462,636 | 113,609 |
1998 | 406,531 | 1,399,994 | 277,243 | 191,980 |
1994 | 774,609 | 1,451,591 | 176,559 | 85,498 |
1990 | 896,989 | 498,151 | 511,536 | 212,520 |
1986 | 1,254,381 | 741,716 | 49,840 | 76,307 |
1982 | 996,503 | 1,338,091 | 16,236 | 101,815 |
1978 | 949,971 | 1,102,523 | 63,581 | 84,204 |
1974 | 1,178,268 | 1,081,943 | 129,195 | |
1970 | 875,735 | 1,254,971 | 188,586 |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Bureau of Labor Statistics data via Information Please
- ^ A Better Choice For NY - A typical example of a union-backed organization that pushes for a more progressive tax scheme for funding health care and education spending.
- ^ http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20060130&s=katz013006 [dead link ]
- ^ McCarthy, Robert (2010-01-26). Collins ends run for governor. The Buffalo News. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ Karlin, Rick. Upstate senators weigh future: Power flows to downstate Democrats in wake of deal. Albany Times-Union. 6 December 2008.
- ^ NY Republicans lose against influx of Dems[permanent dead link ]. Associated Press. Retrieved 2010-01-17.