1. Northern NY is much like that of VT and Northern New England. Religion has collapsed in that part of the world and it is starting to vote accordingly like similar non-religions rurals in VT.
2. Romney had a blue collar problem all around and especially in those areas where religion and social issues are of little importance, therefore less motivation to vote based on other considerations.
3. Romney had an upscale suburb problem too resulting from his attempts to over compensate with this base. This could have hurt him in some places like Syracuse for instance and maybe Binghamton.This combined with maybe some effects of Sandy, reduced his potential on Long Island and Staten Island for instance.
Because Romney ignored conservative base and all blue states, they did not turn out. Even the folks in Buffalo voted for Carl Paladino.
The types of voters that Paladino was getting would likely never vote for any other Republican, other than him. And he lost far more than that in other parts of state, the minute you start getting west of Rochester. Consider yourself introduced to "the personal vote". New York has a long history of that such as in Monroe County in that election for Governor (2002 I believe or was it 1998?) and some of the Republicans in parts of Manhattan back in the 1960's that even back then were impossible for GOP in general to get.
