Time for Upstate to Step Up

Senate Majority Leader, Dean Skelos, and his son were arrested and charged with various crimes.  It seems very likely that he will be forced to step down as Majority Leader.

Already two Senators are planning to seek the position with one other looming in the background.  Senator Flanagan, a liberal Republican, from Long Island is supposedly the choice of Skelos himself.  Senator DeFrancisco of Syracuse, a conservative Republican, has also declared his intentions to seek the position if Skelos steps down.

There is also Senator Catherine Young of Olean.  She has not formally announced intentions.

I believe that Upstate New Yorkers need to make it clear to the Senate Republicans, most of whom are Upstate New Yorkers too, that the next leader MUST be an Upstate New Yorker.

The Governor was born and raised in Queens even if he now considers Westchester home.  Shelly Silver is from Manhattan and his successor from the Bronx.  Dean Skelos is form Long Island.  Upstate New York has no representation in any of the leadership.  The entire State is run from New York City and Long Island.  Upstate gets ignored and treated like a redheaded step-child.

My fear is that the downstate liberal Republicans will convince Senator Young to jump into the race and split the upstate vote so that Senator Flanagan will get the nod.  Then, downstate will continue to get all the control and upstate will continue to get the shaft,

I hope Upstate New Yorkers will light up the phones and call Senators Larkin, Bonacic, Amedore, Seward, and so forth and demand that they support Senator DeFrancisco and give Upstate New York some say in the State government.

Light up those phones.