While local Democrats may have had to cancel their meeting on Wednesday night to nominate candidates for this fall's elections because of trouble getting candidates, that does not seem to be the case for the runs for Albany and Washington, still 17 months away. On the heels of the Democratic wins, nationally and locally, last fall, the 2008 campaign is in full swing for several seats.

Dan Maffei, of Syracuse, who narrowly lost to Congressman James T. Walsh, R-Onondaga, has had his second congressional campaign in full swing for months. While he may not have “officially” announced anything recently, other than the creation of a committee to take donations, his supporters have been nipping at Walsh at every opportunity.

Not necessarily in response to Maffei, but being prepared for a tough 2008 campaign, Walsh and his supporters have been raising funds to fend off a Democratic challenger next November. It is likely that, unlike in 2006, Maffei will be the preferred Democratic candidate.

In 2006, he was not the early unanimous choice of the Democratic Party, even heading into the petition process in June of 2006. At least two others wanted a chance at Walsh, including Monroe County's Paloma Capanna. Many Democrats had hoped that the feisty family law attorney would avoid a primary for Congress and instead take on state Sen. Michael F. Nozzolio, R-Fayette. While she bowed out of the Congressional race, she wasn't willing to take on the seven-term senator.

But at the end of this May, more than a year before she would even be able to circulate petitions, the Webster resident has publicly set her sights on Nozzolio, who has a hefty campaign war chest and has not had real competition for his seat in years.

Expect Capanna's campaign to focus not only on the issues relevant to the voters of the 54th Senate District, one that stretches from Monroe County in to most of Cayuga County, but to pick up the reform Albany mantra. In her initial comments to the media, it seems clear that she is not only running against Nozzolio, but also any Democratic challenger's favorite foil, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, R-Brunswick.

Her efforts, which will likely get heavy financial backing from Albany, will be part of a united Democratic effort to pick up three state Senate seats, switching control of that house from Republican to Democratic.

So while local Democrats seem to be shaking the bushes for candidates this year, they are likely to have more than enough willing to take on incumbents in both Albany and Washington next year.

Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn and can be contacted at cozguytho@aol.com