You know it's a crucial race for the national parties when the stars come out.
Vice President Dick Cheney stopped for an hour or so in Utica Friday night to help state Sen. Ray Meier, R-Oneida raise a quick $100,000 in his campaign for the 24th Congressional District, which includes a large portion of Cayuga County.
His opponent, Democratic Oneida County District Attorney Michael Arcuri, has been getting help from U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. That race will decide who replaces retiring Republican Sherwood Boehlert.
And don't be surprised to see Clinton, Cheney or one of the other national party big-shots make some appearances in the race for the 25th Congressional District, which also includes Cayuga County. Democrat Dan Maffei appears to making a formidable challenge to incumbent James Walsh, R-Syracuse, in that contest.
But as much as the local races for House seats this year are drawing national attention, it will be important for voters to listen carefully to the candidates on all of the issues.
We had the same thoughts in 2004, when Newt Gingrich came to town to stump for Boehlert.
Sure, it's vital to know where this year's candidates stand on the war in Iraq, the nation's economic policy and the Bush administration's national security tactics. But voters need to listen to their answers carefully, because their views just may be contrary to the stereotypical portrayal that Democrats and Republicans paint of each other in the national media.
They also need to listen carefully for the candidates' views on local issues such as the upstate economy, land-in-trust cases involving American Indian nations, the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma's push to open a casino in Auburn.
In the end, all of this information should be used to make a final decision, not whether Cheney or Clinton shook a few hands on their behalf during the summer fundraising season.
His opponent, Democratic Oneida County District Attorney Michael Arcuri, has been getting help from U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. That race will decide who replaces retiring Republican Sherwood Boehlert.
And don't be surprised to see Clinton, Cheney or one of the other national party big-shots make some appearances in the race for the 25th Congressional District, which also includes Cayuga County. Democrat Dan Maffei appears to making a formidable challenge to incumbent James Walsh, R-Syracuse, in that contest.
But as much as the local races for House seats this year are drawing national attention, it will be important for voters to listen carefully to the candidates on all of the issues.
We had the same thoughts in 2004, when Newt Gingrich came to town to stump for Boehlert.
Sure, it's vital to know where this year's candidates stand on the war in Iraq, the nation's economic policy and the Bush administration's national security tactics. But voters need to listen to their answers carefully, because their views just may be contrary to the stereotypical portrayal that Democrats and Republicans paint of each other in the national media.
They also need to listen carefully for the candidates' views on local issues such as the upstate economy, land-in-trust cases involving American Indian nations, the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma's push to open a casino in Auburn.
In the end, all of this information should be used to make a final decision, not whether Cheney or Clinton shook a few hands on their behalf during the summer fundraising season.
The Citizens' Say
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