On Monday, former Congressman Frank Horton passed away in Virginia. The 15-term Republican may have been the last of the true "Upstate Liberals" in the House of Representatives. While the term "liberal" has a negative connotation now, it wasn't that bad a badge for Mr. Horton to wear, almost to the end of his 30 years in Congress.

Horton's tenure started with his election in 1962, when another "liberal Republican," Nelson Rockefeller, was ensconced in the Governor's Mansion.

The Flag Man

An amiable man who represented Cayuga County in the House from 1983 to 1993, Mr. Horton focused more on issues at home, and delivering stellar constituent service, rather than trying to take the national stage. He seemed more comfortable, with his deep southern accent acquired while growing up in Louisiana, talking about local issues instead of burgeoning national debt or tax reform.

For many locals a boxed American Flag, which flew over the Capitol, seemed to be synonymous with his tenure. If you were an organization presenting an award, there was usually a "Horton Flag" to give as well. A Boy Scout getting an Eagle award - there would be a flag; someone turning 80 - forget the birthday greetings from the White House, there was a flag from the Auburn Office.

Such regular presentations may seem rote, but they were, in a way, just a part of the dedicated constituent service that Mr. Horton used not only to serve his constituents, but also to get re-elected.

Death by moderation

In Washington, the Upstate Republican could be categorized, by today's standards, as a classic Northeastern liberal. Not because he voted for every spending program he saw, but because he often sided with Democrats, in a body that was controlled by them in each of his 15 terms. He knew that to achieve any legislative idea, he had to work with the opposition.

A sign of that was the inlaid frames lining his office walls in Washington with the pens used by presidents of both parties to sign legislation that he worked on as a member of the House Government Operations Committee. He became the ranking Republican on the committee and was proud of his work to streamline government, not with sweeping cuts, but with reform legislation.

But in the end, his "liberalism" was likely what did him in. By 1992, during the decennial redistricting, as the most senior member of the New York congressional delegation, he should have had a "safe" seat. Instead, more conservative Republicans in Albany, with aid from some of his Washington colleagues, made sure that his seat was on the chopping block.

He soon announced his retirement. He was possibly the last of Upstate's liberal Republicans.

Guy Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn. He can be e-mailed at cozguytho@aol.com