Races to Watch '08: A GOP Seat Up for Grabs in Upstate New York

The general election campaign for the open seat in New York's 26th congressional district is still largely defined by the rocky primary season that preceded it. Former businessman Chris Lee ran unopposed for the Republican nomination in the district that covers parts of seven counties across a broad swath of upstate New York between Rochester and Buffalo, giving him a substantial financial advantage. As of the last official reporting on August 20, he had about $750,000 on hand, including $470,000 from his own pocket. Meanwhile, his Democratic opponent, environmental lawyer Alice Kryzan, had to compete in a bruising primary contest and reported having just $95,000 on hand. Despite the fact that Kryzan is spending a lot of her energy making up this financial deficit, the tough primary fight was to her advantage. She was the... [read full story]