With No Muscle at Top of the Ballot, 2014 a Challenge for GOP

   With 2014 ready to dawn, any Republican running for a down ballot office has to be worried about the party's up ballot prospects.
    If Rob Astorino opts not to run, as observers expect, the GOP has no legitimate contender for Governor against Andrew Cuomo and the prospects are the same for AG and Comptroller, the other two major offices on the ballot.  No candidates and no money to run statewide.
    It was bad enough in 2012 when President Obama carried places like the NNY Congressional district by over six points making it tougher to swim against the tide down ballot. Add to that, trying to run away from the party's unpopular (except in Buffalo) gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino.
    In 2014 the top of the ballot races will produce way-into- double-digit leads for the top three races.
     Here in the North Country, the Assembly and Senate races will be largely unopposed and the Congressional candidate will have a challenge in such a blue sea of voters.