New York Democrats say Spitzer driver's license issue had little effect on election

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: New York Democrats Say License Issue Had Little Effect
By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE
Published: November 7, 2007

Democrats declared yesterday that Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s plan to give driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants had not proved to be the electoral boon Republicans had hoped for in local elections, despite the Republicans’ aggressive efforts to exploit overwhelming public opposition to the proposal.

Though Democrats appeared to expand their majority in the Legislature in Suffolk County, Republicans were not ready to concede a pivotal Nassau County legislative race, and pointed to significant victories in several county races upstate as evidence of a Republican resurgence in the state.

In most of those areas where Mr. Spitzer’s licensing proposal moved to the forefront of the campaign, Democrats were able to cauterize the issue by publicly breaking with the governor, harshly criticizing the plan and in some cases threatening to join lawsuits challenging it.

And Mr. Spitzer, whose poll numbers have slipped as a result of the issue, played a muted role on the stump, a sharp contrast to his highly visible efforts during the 2006 campaign and during a State Senate special election last winter.

In many parts of the state, turnout appeared to be even lower than usual for an off-year election, despite Republican hopes that the licensing issue would drive Republican voters to the polls....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/07/nyregion/07license.html