Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – A national publication is listing the 24th Congressional District’s representative on its “Top 10 Most Vulnerable” members list.
Ann Marie Buerkle (R-New York) is in her first term and is facing a candidate she defeated by 648 votes just two years ago – Democrat Dan Maffei.
Recent polls indicate that the race between Buerkle and Maffei is closely contested.
According to
Roll Call:
Buerkle, like four other Republicans on this list, was swept into Congress by the strong GOP tide in 2010. Like most of her freshman colleagues listed here, she probably would not have won in a neutral political environment. Now she's attempting to win re-election in a district that will no doubt vote for President Barack Obama. Buerkle counters that the publication needs to conduct some more research. She believes the enthusiasm of her supporters will pay off in the polls.
"The 21 town halls, the online town halls, the tele-town halls, the accessibility, the constituent service…I think that that's difficult for Roll Call to measure but we know how hard we worked and I think we're really connected with this community,” she said.
Her challenger says Roll Call’s assessment is a reflection of the direction in which the district is leaning.
"It just seems like Ann Marie Buerkle is out of step with her district, is following her own ideology and not that of the district and maybe she is out of place and maybe that is what the voters are seeing and telling you about,” Maffei said. "She's part of this Tea-Party caucus, this extremist caucus that has really shut down Washington, but also has done things that just don't make any sense in Central New York."
Click here to see the full list of
Roll Call's "Top 10 Most Vulnerable."
