Personally, I think it is a bit wishful, but, hey, ya never know

Despite New York’s political reputation as Democratic stronghold, the head of Sen. John McCain’s Empire State presidential campaign team believes the Arizona Republican can win the state, including Upstate and Western New York. Edward Cox, a partner in the New York law firm of Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler and son-in-law of former President Nixon, made that prediction during a meeting at Business First.

Cox was in Buffalo to take part in a fund raiser for Christoper Lee, who is running for the suburban Republican congressional seat currently held by Rep. Tom Reynolds, who is retiring, and to meet with McCain supporters as prelude to the candidate’s scheduled July 21 day-long visit to the region.

Cox said when Sen. Barack Obama became the presumptive Democratic Party nominee in this year’s presidential race, edging out U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, that changed the race’s dynamics.

“New York is more in play now with Obama than it would have been with Mrs. Clinton,” Cox said. “Obama is much more of a mystery (to Buffalo).”

It could happen, particularly if the female Hillary supporters either refuse to vote, or turn and vote for Senator McCain.