Memo to GOP: Take a Long Look at New York

While we've chronicled Kirsten Gillibrand's political vulnerabilities for some time, it may be worth the GOP noticing that her puppet master can also be had.

A little-noticed number in last week's Marist College poll on the Gillibrand-Ford situation suggests that Sen. Charles Schumer's national profile could be affecting his approval rating at home.

The poll had Schumer's negative rating at 42 percent, where it has been for months in Marist -- but his approval rating was at 51 percent, one of his lowest in that survey in recent years, and down from 58 percent in September.

"We're seeing some general erosion in his numbers," said Marist pollster Lee Miringoff, "from what's been a consistent mid- to high-50s. This is an electorate that's increasingly unhappy."

Insiders say Schumer is watching the national trend for any implications for himself -- and in a clear signal of anxiety, he was one of the first out of the box with a statement after the Massachusetts election acknowledging the anger among voters at the ruling party.

Did anyone six weeks ago give Scott Brown a chance to win in Massachusetts? Who's to say an unctuous, imperious oaf like Charles Schumer can't be picked off?

After years acting as a nonpartisan figure, Schumer tone has become increasingly partisan, and as he's become more a of a senior figure in Washington -- which could leave him without a firewall against national voter anger against the ruling Democratic party.

The notion Schumer has ever been nonpartisan is the height of absurdity.

Longtime Schumer watchers were surprised his pro-Martha Coakley email to supporters calling his now-colleague Scott Brown a "teabagger" last week, using the dismissive term used for the conservative Tea Party activists by hard-core Dems.

The problem facing the GOP, and the New York GOP in particular, is they don't even have a potential challenger for Schumer. Heck, they have enough trouble scaring up candidates to run against Gillibrand and they're barely gaining any notice. Harold Ford, a potential Democrat challenger to her, has gotten more publicity than any possible GOP rival, especially since Rudy Giuliani dropped any thoughts of running.

Still, based on the populist uprising we're now witnessing in the wake of Brown's candidacy, the Republican National Committee needs to start recruiting some high-profile names in those states deemed somewhat safe for Democrats. It's not inconceivable the Republicans could gain enough seats to take the Senate and if they make those who were once thought to be safe sweat and have to use resources, enough fires could erupt on the political map to consume them.

Scott Brown doesn't have to be the proverbial one-trick pony, an anomaly to be dismissed, as surely the Democrats and media would like. Consider already that Massachusetts, with zero GOP representatives in Congress, could conceivably have several by this time next year.

If Democrats aren't safe in Massachusetts, no state is safe for them. It's time for the GOP to take their message to every district in every state and run campaigns in the Brown mode. Stick to the issues, define and tie your opponents to the national Democrats and we could see the political landscape altered irrevocably in just ten short months. Majority Leader Harry Reid is almost assured of being toppled this fall. Taking out a potential heir of his would be equally delicious.