The Tea Party versus the establishment
By: Bill Carey
Republicans have faced strains in recent years between the establishment and the so-called Tea Party wing of the GOP. While much of the conflict has been restricted to races for state and federal offices, YNN's Bill Carey says there are signs that activists are now setting their sights on "local" contests. Case in point, a district contest for Syracuse Common Council.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- In the old days, it would have been a no brainer. Republican leaders, hoping to win back seats on the Syracuse Common Council, join forces behind the 22-year-old son of a State Supreme Court Justice. Joseph Carni's father held the 1st District seat for several years back in the 1990s. But the very vocal Tea Party wing of the GOP is quick to say times have changed.
“The people on our side of town don't need another politician, another government bureaucrat to tell us how to live our lives. We don't need a political insider to just play the game, take office and become another Bloomberg-type dictator,” said David Gay, Syracuse Common Council candidate.
Gay, who cut his political teeth working on the presidential campaigns of Tea Party and libertarian favorite Ron Paul is now seeking that 1st District seat. He says the focus of local contests must change.
“What we need in the Syracuse Common Council is someone to represent the rights of the people. Someone who will push back against government overreach,” Gay said.
Gay's supporters see growing indications of that overreaching. Local laws that they claim are intruding on their rights.
“This is the kind of thing where state-ism is out of control. I don't believe that the government has any right to be that micro-managing of our lives. And this is the kind of thing that David will take a stand against,” said Kyle Merriam, a David Gay supporter.
Republican leaders are scrambling to try to head off a primary battle in the 1st District, hoping to convince Gay to run, instead, city wide for an at-large position. A race he says would be tougher to win.
The Tea Party will be there for Gay, arguing they can no longer focus, exclusively, on state and federal contests.
“He's trying to be responsible at a local level. And that's where we have to start. I think that all of this rhetoric starts at the grass roots,” David Gay supporter Elaine Brundage said.
And it is at the grass roots they believe they can begin to change the look of the party and of government.
The current 1st District councilor, democrat Jake Barrett, says he plans to seek re-election. It is unlikely he will be challenged for the party endorsement.
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