NY-20: Murphy Defeats Tedisco

Jim Tedisco, the Republican candidate in New York’s 20th Congressional District, has finally conceded defeat to Democrat Scott Murphy. This seems like a good time to revisit what Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said about winning NY-20 in his first speech to Republicans after being elected.

That win will send a powerful signal to the rest of the country … that our game is not up.

You can’t be right all the time.

UPDATE: Steele has sent out an official statement to reporters, which includes this line:

Jim Tedisco ran a tough but an ultimately unsuccessful race in a district that has been carried by a long line of Democrat candidates including President Obama, former Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, Sen. Clinton, Sen. Schumer and former Gov. Spitzer.

That long line goes all the way back to. .. 2004, when Schumer rolled over token Republican opponent Howard Mills, whom he out-spent by $14.8 million. This is a purple district that voted for George W. Bush twice, something Steele knew when he staked his credibility on the seat.