SCHENECTADY COUNTY Democratic voters support Leet, Silva Denny will have only Republican ballot spot in Town Board race BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
Former firefighter and town laborer John “Jack” Denny III will have only the GOP ballot spot in the race for Rotterdam Town Board, after voters selected Democratendorsed candidates in Tuesday’s primary election. Unofficial results late Tuesday had Richard Leet securing 541 votes and John Silva gaining 565 among Democratic voters to Denny’s 325 votes. Both Leet, the manager of several area CVS pharmacies, and Silva, the chief executive offi cer of Hometown Health in Schenectady, also face write-in challenges for the Working Families endorsement. Rotterdam Democratic Committee Chairman Tony Cervera said a recent campaign of “negative propaganda” by town Republicans hurt Denny’s chances. He said the candidates endorsed by the town Democrats were strong enough on their own. “The Democrats are running quality candidates,” he said of Leet and Silva. “We’re not worried about it.” Leet and Silva will again face Denny, a member of the town’s sewer and water maintenance department, when he runs with Schalmont school board president Michael Della Villa on the Republican ticket. The candidates will be seeking two seats on the Town Board vacated by Democrats Robert Godlewski and Diane Marco. Denny, a longtime Democrat despite his endorsement by the GOP this year, said he wouldn’t be deterred by the loss of the Democratic nomination. He attributed his defeat to the traditionally low turnout during the primaries. “I’m running and I’m on the Republican line,” he said. “It’s politics, what can I say.” Likewise, Rotterdam Republican Committee Chairman Gerard Parisi expressed optimism. “I’ve got confidence he’ll win in the general election,” he said. “He’s got a lot of Democratic support and I think he’ll have even more support among the overall population.” Former Rotterdam Democratic Committee chairman and town supervisor candidate William Cooke also faced a write-in campaign for the Working Families endorsement for town supervisor. He’s already featured on the Democratic line against Republican incumbent Steve Tommasone. In the only county Legislature primary, incumbent Anthony Jasenski and Godlewski — both endorsed by the Democrats — are facing a write-in challenge for the Conservative Party line for two available seats in District 4. They face political newcomer Angelo Santabarbara and incumbent Carolina Lazzari. Parisi filed for an opportunity to ballot on the Working Families Party ballot line for the town board and supervisor nominations, which meant voters could write in candidates for the party line. Likewise, Angelo Santabarbara, the Republican candidate for the District 4 seat on the county Legislature, successfully petitioned for a primary for the Conservative Party nomination. In other county primaries, Niskayuna town justice candidate Stephen Swinton Jr. maintained a narrow lead against Louis W. Chicatelli Jr. for the both the Independence Party and Working Families nominations. Chicatelli maintained a lead against Swinton for the Conservative Party line. In Duanesburg, town justice candidate Rita Labelle defeated Camille Siano Enders for nomination by the Independence and Conservative parties.
It looks like Denny recieve about 22% of the votes of registered democrats who came out and voted in the primary. If Denny takes 22% of the registered democrat(6833) vote during the general election, and all of the registered republicans(5852), 50% of the registered conservative(1117), independent(825), and working families(139). Denny would win 54% to 46%. He probably won't recieve 22%, but I think he can grab 15%. I also think he will recieve more than 50% of the conservative and independent vote.
I predict Denny wins.
The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane and intolerable, and so, if he is romantic, he tries to change it. And even if he is not romantic personally he is apt to spread discontent among those who are. ~ H.L. Mencken
And that is the way each party is calculating their votes. It really doesn't have too much to do with party idiology anymore...it all is about how to get elected and it doesn't quite matter anymore how or from who or what group you can get them from. There is obviously no party loyalties any longer. Looks like 'us' the people will have to start screaming and let 'our' voices be heard. WE WANT GOOD, HONEST, LOYAL, NON CORRUPT CHANGE!!!
Democrats line up to back primary winner First published: Friday, September 28, 2007
Over a week after Councilman Michael Manning defeated incumbent Robert Carlson in the Democratic primary for mayor, major party figures in the city and Albany County are slowly coalescing behind Manning's candidacy.
That includes at least two prominent lawmakers who originally backed Carlson: U.S. Rep. Mike McNulty of Green Island and Assemblyman Ron Canestrari of Cohoes.
"He's the incumbent, he's a friend, and I thought he did a terrific job as mayor," McNulty said of Carlson. "I think he had a terrific record. Mike also has done a terrific job on the council, and the way I viewed the primary is that Watervliet voters had a choice between two good people.... I'm a Democrat and I always support the winner of the Democratic primary."
Canestrari, a former Cohoes mayor, had endorsed Carlson after the Watervliet Democratic Committee did. The committee acted last December, before Manning announced his run for mayor.
"He'll be embraced," Canestrari said. "There may be exceptions here and there -- I can't speak for every member of the Democratic Committee -- but in general, when the primary is over it's over."
Several Democratic committee members seemed guardedly optimistic. Some, like Manning's fellow councilman Charlie Diamond, endorsed him before the primary. Tim Cavanaugh, Albany County coroner, is a member of the committee.
"Everybody knows each other here," he said. The primary "put friends against friends, neighbor against neighbor, and co-worker against co-worker."
"The mayor has some die-hard supporters," Cavanaugh went on. When asked if any would hold sour grapes about Manning, he said, "I'm sure there'll be a few. But the mayor conceded, and the proper thing to do is to work together after the primary. I'm sure (Manning) will do a great job. As Democrats, we're hoping to build the city back together."
Which are Manning's sentiments exactly.
"I haven't experienced any problems," he said, adding he didn't expect any. "I know that the committee is getting back together to decide what to do going forward. But I've ran without them twice."
Job search politics
Leaders of the Rensselaer County Working Families Party claim that Troy Public Works Commissioner Bob Mirch is working against their pick for mayor, Democratic challenger Jim Conroy, by backing a straw man for the third party.
To try to shine some light on the race, the WFP recently sent out a lighthearted news release on formation of "The Committee to find Chris Consuello a New Job."
Brant Caird, Rensselaer County WFP vice chairman, said in the release, "It was clear in my recent conversations with Mr. Consuello, that Mr. Consuello genuinely has no interest in being mayor. Through no fault of his own, he has become a pawn in Bob Mirch's relentless pursuit of political control of every minor party in the county."
Consuello is a city public works employee who defeated Democrat Jim Conroy in the WFP primary. Consuello, Conroy and restaurateur Elda Abate are challenging Mirch's boss, Republican Mayor Harry Tutunjian.
When it comes to struggles over minor party lines, Mirch's name pops up. Mirch, a Conservative, is majority leader for the Republicans in the Rensselaer County Legislature. The committee said it wanted to find a comparable or better job for Consuello so he can ease out of working at the DPW.
Mirch could not be reached for comment.
Write-in winner
Schenectady County Legislature candidate Angelo Santabarbara pulled off an unusual primary upset, winning a rare write-in campaign.
Already endorsed by the GOP, Santabarbara got enough support from pen wielding supporters to wrest the Conservative Party line from the Democrats in the just completed count of primary ballots.
Santabarbara, chairman of the Rotterdam Industrial Development Agency, said he was proud to be able to represent Conservatives.
"I look forward to earning the support from voters in the general election who share our values of lower taxes, less spending, and smaller, more efficient government," Santabarbara said. He and incumbent Carolina Lazzari are the endorsed Republican candidates in the District 4 for seat on the County Legislature.
"He was determined and diligent in his efforts and no one deserved to win that primary more than Angelo Santabarbara," said Kelly Rhinesmith, a Conservative operative.
Santabarbara tied the other winner in the contest, Democrat Tony Jasenski, a former Rotterdam police chief and current legislator who had the Conservative line on the ballot. Both men had 152 votes. Robert Godlewski lost the primary by a single vote.
For several years, local police officers have controlled the local Conservative Party, but Santabarbara's win dealt a blow to the clout of police power.
Staff writers Jimmy Vielkind, Kenneth C. Crowe II and Paul Nelson contributed to today's column.
Proud Rotterdam Resident Proud Patriot Proud Conservative Republican Proud Christian
The cops have been gearing up for this election. There contract will be up and they clearly need a puppet in the supervisors seat in Rotterdam so they can pull the strings. But ya know, I was thinking, if you add up all of the cops, their spouses and their few REAL friends, they are clearly in the minority here. So even though the cops don't want to negotiate their contract with the present town board majority, they had better start getting use to it. Cause they will HAVE to negotiate with them 'by law'.
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