By GottaLaff
This just isn't the Republicans' year(s):
Francis H. Powers, a retired Wall Street executive who was recently selected by Republican leaders in Staten Island as their candidate for the Congressional seat being vacated by Representative Vito J. Fossella, died on Saturday at his home in Staten Island.
Mr. Powers, who was 67, died in his sleep of natural causes, family members said. His death came less than a month after he became the Republican candidate after other potential candidates decided not to run. [...]
[H]is fund-raising work played a major role in party leaders’ selecting him to run for Mr. Fossella’s seat.[...] Mr. Powers made it clear to party leaders that he would spend a significant amount of his own money in the race, his first bid for office.
It gets worse:
Mr. Powers’ death leaves Republicans in the Congressional district, which also includes part of Brooklyn, with a new set of political challenges. The decision to endorse Mr. Powers came after a long and dispiriting process for party leaders, who had initially hoped to get one of the island’s Republican elected officials to run for the seat. [...]
The Republicans consider the seat crucial, particularly since it has been in Republican hands for nearly three decades. The race is already receiving attention far beyond the district because it provides Democrats an opening to increase their majority in Congress. Party leaders believe they have the best chance in years to capture the seat.
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