NY-22 Minute: Cornwell Says Difference Between He & Claudia Tenney "Night and Day" By Luke Perry
Steve Cornwell is Claudia Tenney’s top rival in the GOP primary for NY-22. After Tenney joined the race earlier this week, Cornwell’s campaign spokesperson said Tenney “is a failure as a candidate, a cautionary tale, and judging by her botched campaign announcement, she hasn’t improved.” Cornwell encouraged Tenney to “listen to voters who sent her packing last cycle and sit this one out.”
Cornwell told Talk of the Town (WUTQ in Utica) “nothing changes” for him with Claudia Tenney in the race. He is “ready, willing and able to carry on this fight for the people of the twenty-second” as he has done since announcing his candidacy this summer.
Photo by Spectrum News
Cornwell believes all four of the Republican candidates ultimately share the goal of defeating Rep. Brindisi because “he is not good for the twenty-second district.” Cornwell pledged to support whomever wins the GOP nomination.
“Democrats in Washington have gone off the deep end. Openly talking about socialism and single payer healthcare and 70 percent tax rates is absurd,” Cornwell said. “He cannot separate himself from AOC, from Pelosi, from Omar. He can’t do it because if you vote for Brindisi, you vote for them to retain the House.”
Photo by Rep. Brindisi’s Office
When asked about Claudia Tenney, Cornwell said “it’s night and day between Claudia and I.”
Cornwell said he will not attack Tenney personally, but it was “unfathomable” that she lost NY-22, a district Donald Trump won by 16 points. Tenney made mistakes, including attacking Brindisi’s father during the last campaign.
Cornwell asked: “If you can’t stand up to an attack over cable rates, how are you going to handle China? How are you going to handle impeachment?”
“Part of how you run your campaign is who you’re going to be as a legislator,” Cornwell explained, “and quite honestly, she didn’t run her campaign well. And she admits it.”
“I will win the seat,” Cornwell claimed, “I have no question about that.”
Luke Perry (@PolSciLukePerry) is Professor of Government at Utica College
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