State Democrats Fear That Paterson Is Liability

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As he prepares to run for re-election, Representative Michael E. McMahon, a Democrat from Staten Island, is burdened with having to campaign in a district where Republicans have a strong presence and where the impact of job losses on Wall Street has been particularly severe.

But, increasingly, he has another worry: Gov. David A. Paterson.

Mr. McMahon and other leading Democrats are concerned that the election prospects of the party’s candidates will be undermined with Mr. Paterson prominently on the ticket, as he is hobbled by plunging job-approval ratings and missteps that have raised questions about whether he should even run next year.

“I’m cautious because there is uncertainty at the top of the ticket,” said Mr. McMahon, who is running for a second term. “It’s inherently a difficult district for Democrats.”

Representative Dan Maffei, who won a Republican-held seat in the Syracuse area in 2008, shares Mr. McMahon’s apprehension. “Already we have a situation that is challenging,” he said. “We can’t afford to get stuck in the mire of state politics.”

For the most part, Mr. Paterson’s troubles have played out as a statehouse drama in Albany. But the concerns raised by Mr. McMahon and Mr. Maffei underscore the far-reaching impact that Mr. Paterson’s problems are starting to have on other Democrats, especially Congressional candidates, from New York City to the upstate region.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/nyregion/11dems.html?_r=1&hp