Michael Arcuri (D-N.Y.)

Local Prosecutor

Arcuri enjoyed success as a district attorney. He earned a 90 oercent conviction rate and built a strong record targeting violent crime, including domestic violence. He also went after corruption, scoring convictions against a veteran politician and an assistant fire chief. Almanac of American Politics, 2010 edition.

His record in the district attorney's office was not without blemishes, however. Most notable was the case of Joseph A. Smith, whom Arcuri had prosecuted for the murder of a teenage prostitute in 2000. A jury convicted Smith, but he was released from jail after an eyewitness came forward and fingered another killer. Arcuri had the wrong man. The conviction was thrown out, and Smith settled a lawsuit with the county for $120,000. Gifford, Aaron, Post-Standard, "Exonerated Man Moves On," March 10, 2008.

Run for U.S. House

The idea of running for Congress had long appealed to Arcuri, but his path had for many years been blocked by veteran Rep.  Boehlert. One of an increasingly rare breed of moderate Republicans in the Northeast, Boehlert was popular in New York's 24th district and had won 12 terms in the House. In 2003, the train station in Utica was renamed after him.

When Boehlert announced his retirement in 2006, Arcuri had an opening. In declaring his candidacy, the district attorney and Democrat immediately tried to latch on to Boehlert's legacy. Arcuri proclaimed himself a "Boehlert Democrat" and highlighted his similarities to the congressman on support for abortion rights, stem-cell research and environmental protection. Weiner, Mark, Post-Standard, "Will Real Boehlert Protege Stand Up?" Oct. 17, 2006.

After winning the Democratic primary, Arcuri faced Ray Meier, a Republican state senator. Though Meier also tried to present himself as Boehlert's heir apparent, he acknowledged he was more conservative than the retiring lawmaker. Arcuri also benefitted from his resume; running from the post of district attorney, he could claim legitimate experience but did not have a legislative voting record for an opponent to pick apart.

While the race between the two men was civil, it attracted the negative ads from both national parties. The bitterness peaked when the National Republican Congressional Committee ran a racy ad accusing Arcuri of using taxpayer dollars to call a phone-sex line during a trip to Washington. The ad largely backfired; Arcuri provided evidence supporting his claim that the call was made in error, and Meier was forced to call on the NRCC to stop running the ad. Weiner, Mark, Post-Standard, "Sex-Call Spot is Called A New Low," Oct. 21, 2006. Arcuri ended up winning the race comfortably, 54 to 45 percent.

2008 Re-Election

Unlike other Democrats who won their seats in 2006, Arcuri had a surprisingly tough time winning re-election in 2008. The national parties largely ignored the race, but Arcuri was re-elected over Republican Richard Hanna by just 10,000 votes.

The weak result in a Democratic year could make Arcuri among the most vulnerable incumbent Democrats in 2010. Arcuri faulted himself for not hitting back hard enough against GOP attacks in 2008, and he pledged to be more aggressive in 2010. Kraushaur, Josh, Politico.com, "Arcuri's '08 Fight Scared Dems Straight," March 4, 2009.

Health-Care Reform

Arcuri has said he supports enacting health-care reform in 2009, saying in September 2009 that "inaction is no longer an option." Michael Arcuri House Web site.

However, as a Blue Dog Democrat in a competitive district, he avoided taking a firm stand on any of the three leading House bills that appeared in summer 2009. Arcuri told constituents at a health-care forum in September 2009 that he had pushed for a delay in voting on the legislation so that he could hear from voters over the August recess. Michael Arcuri House Web site, video

The congressman supports a public option. Grace, Tom, The Daily Star, "Arcuri Stands Behind Public Option," Sept. 30, 2009. But he has voiced concerns about the impact of a potential employer mandate on small businesses. Ackerman, Bryon, Utica Observer-Dispatch, "Arcuri Undecided on Health Care Plan," July 22, 2009.

The Economy

In response to the 2008-2009 economic downturn, Arcuri voted for both the $700 billion Wall Street bailout bill in fall 2008 and the $787 billion economic stimulus package in February 2009. On the financial rescue measure, he warned of another Great Depression if Congress did not act. "I am not 100 percent happy with this legislation and I’m gravely disappointed that we even had to consider such a rescue," Arcuri said, "but inaction is simply not an option." Michael Arcuri House Web site.

The congressman used a similar rationale in supporting the stimulus package, though he lamented that the legislation did not contain more funding for state infrastructure projects."The truth is we need to get the economy moving again, and this approach, although not perfect, is a step in the right direction," he said then. Michael Arcuri House Web site.

Education

One of Arcuri's first achievements in the House was the passage of the College Student Relief Act, of which he was an original co-sponsor.

His participation was partly the result of an effort by Democratic leaders to involve freshman lawmakers in the drafting and passage of priority legislation, giving them early notches on their resume when running for re-election.

The bill, which was later incorporated into a broader higher education measure, cut subsidized student loan rates in half. Arcuri also supported legislation to increase federal financial aid for college, including the popular Pell Grants. Michael Arcuri House Web site.

New York Regional Interconnect

On the local level, Arcuri came into office pledging to fight against the construction of the New York Regional Interconnect, a 190-mile electrical transmission line that would cut through his district.

Aimed at increasing electrical capacity and bringing down energy rates, the NYRI became one of the most divisive issues in the state. Arcuri appeared to score a major victory in April 2009, when the NYRI withdrew its application to the state. Israel, Steve, Times Herald-Record, "NYRI is Gone: Sponsor Withdraws Application," April 3, 2009.