Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy

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Long Island GOP Targets Gun Foe McCarthy

By Suzanne Dougherty
Congressional Quarterly
Wednesday, April 19, 2000
Propelled into politics by the gun control issue after her family was shattered by a spree killer, Democrat Carolyn McCarthy ousted one-term Republican Rep. Daniel Frisa in 1996 by an astounding 17 percentage-point margin. An overwhelming 1998 re-election in New York's 4th District seemed assured after NBC broadcast a TV movie based on McCarthy's dramatic life story.
So when Republican state Rep. Greg Becker surprised by coming within 6 percentage points of her in the election two years ago, it got Long Island Republican strategists thinking that McCarthy was not yet entrenched in her Republican-leaning district – and got Becker seeking a rematch this year.
The result may be another closely contested race. Congressional Quarterly currently ranks the race in the competitive "Leans Democratic" category.
Healing Through Politics


McCarthy is a former nurse who says she used to regularly vote Republican before her life drastically changed in 1993.
It was then that a crazed gunman opened fire on a Long Island Rail Road commuter train. Among the victims were McCarthy's husband, who was killed, and her son, who was seriously injured.
That tragedy spurred her to become an ardent supporter of stricter gun control laws. And when the conservative Frisa, elected as part of the huge Republican House Class of 1994, voted with most of his colleagues for a provision to repeal a ban on certain semiautomatic firearms, McCarthy jumped to the Democratic Party – and into congressional politics.
Her victory over Frisa placed the southwestern Long Island constituency in Democratic hands for the first time in more than 40 years. Historically considered a stronghold for Nassau County's long-dominant GOP organization, the 4th is home to many wealthy suburbanites and Wall Street commuters.
Overall voter registration does continue to heavily favor Republicans, but there is a minority population - the largest of any Long Island district - that gives Democrats a base to draw upon. In addition, voters in the 4th backed Bill Clinton in both of his presidential bids, overwhelmingly so in 1996.
The issue of gun control appears to have majority support in the 4th, which has helped McCarthy in both of her election bids. And it may sustain her this year, despite her lack of success in getting gun control measures passed by the Republican-controlled House.
"No, she hasn't been able to effectively legislate, but it helps her make a case for why she needs to be re-elected and why there needs to be a Democratic majority in Congress," said New York pollster John Zogby. "If there is a Democratic majority and a Gore presidency, then she would become a seasoned leader on something that happens to be important to her constituency."
However, Becker contends that McCarthy's overall record is not conservative enough for the district. "Her record on taxes is dismal," contended the challenger. "And when you look at the impact that has had on the taxpayer in Nassau County, you see that she is there doing the business of Washington and not the business of families of the 4th District."
Becker attributed his loss in 1998 to poor planning and a late start, factors he said he has avoided this year.
McCarthy's team, however, is confident that the incumbent can again thwart Becker.
"She is 1,000 times more ready than she was two years ago. She wasn't a politician then and wasn't focusing on the campaign because she was too busy focusing on becoming a congresswoman for the first time," said Jim Messina, McCarthy's chief of staff.
© 2000 Congressional Quarterly, Inc.
 
Other than the sympathy vote, seemingly something not to be discounted, I never did understand what caused people to vote for Mrs. McCarthy, but them perhaps I'm slow on the uptake.

Given what seems to be her record in congress, which includes the sheding of crocodile tears, I also wonder how come she got re-elected. As noted above, I may be slow on the uptake.
 
Actually alan, IMHO, it is Mrs. McCarthy that seems to be 'slow on the uptake'.

Perhaps her constituents will eventually figure it out.

I'm not holding my breath.
wink.gif


Regards from AZ
 
This woman is driven by rage and blinded by hate.

She pushes for a three day waiting period for gun show sales while ignoring the fact that the man who shot her husband and son went through the mandatory fifteen day wait in California. In addition to the fifteen day wait, B&B Guns has, as company policy, an additional one day wait. So this guy waited sixteen days to get a gun and then went back to New York where he attacked the train six months later.

Yeah, three days should really put a dent in crime.

Then, again, if the guy had only had to wait three days, he would have returned to New York 13 days earlier and he would have boarded a train 13 days earlier and her husband would still be alive. Right ... I mean, isn't that right? Isn't that good drunken logic? I really, really tried. Honest.

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Gun Control: The proposition that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her own panty hose, is more acceptable than allowing that same woman to defend herself with a firearm.


[This message has been edited by jimpeel (edited April 20, 2000).]
 
The sad fact is that her district is Soccer Mom country.Heavily populated with immigrants from NY City and heavy minority enclaves. She will be reelected.

In my opinion she is a worthless congresscritter, has done absolutely NOTHING for her district and Long Island or the Sate of NY. She is just another airhead politician without even the smarts to know how to deal with the normal congressional political manuverings. One more term and she will be guaranteed a huge pension and the rest of us will support her for the rest of her life.

Of course, after november we will have something even worse in NY...Hillary!


Geoff Ross

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One reason to vote in the next Presidential election.

It's the Supreme Court, Stupid!
 
"Of course, after november we will have something even worse in NY...Hillary!"

Nooooo. Please say it ain't so. I just want that ugly face out of my life forever. And her husband's too.

About a year ago, a caller to Limbaugh's show predicted that Hillary's people would seize
upon any race-related police action in NYC
to run a race race in New York. Guiliani should have hired that caller on the spot.

Dick
 
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