Westchester County was once a Republican stronghold, but now the Democrats rule.
That means there’s a lot of frustrated Democrats in elective office today, who, like the Jeffersons of TV fame, “wanna move up” to bigger and better things, but they can’t because there’s a serious incumbency blockage.

Three Democrats have been in office seemingly forever: State Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer of Mamaroneck, U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey and County Executive Andy Spano.

Spano, who is a litte long in the tooth and charismatically challenged, loves the job and all its imperial trappings…and it’s quite possible he’ll go for a fourth term in 2009.

Many ambitious Democrats in the lower ranks are going crazy over Spano’s white-knuckled grip on the exec’s job. Last night, I ran into an attorney with one of the more powerful, politically-connected law firms and he told me he heard there are no fewer than 15 Democrats, who have expressed an interest in the county’s top post. Fifteen!

Here’s a partial list: Assemblyman George Latimer, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, County Clerk Tim Idoni, Rye Mayor Steve Otis, Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, County Legislator Clinton Young, Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner, County Legislator Tom Abinanti, New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson and state Sen. Andrew Stewart-Cousins.
Others on the “interested” list include people with deep pockets and the ability to raise even more money who are not currently in office.

Now think of two or three viable Republicans who can run and win—and please get back to me.