Dan Liedka Doesn't Need No Stinking Endorsements

As the Republican primary in the 49th State Senate District continues, Republicans in Albany have made it clear that their choice is candidate Andrew Russo. The other Republican candidate, Dan Liedka, is unfazed by the endorsement and has made it clear that there is another endorsement that he doesn’t want: that of the SEIU. Liedka declined an invitation for an interview by the special interest union, pointing out the fact that they are part of the problem in Albany. The incumbent Democrat, Dave Valesky, is expected to receive the SEIU’s endorsement.

Kathleen Joy is Running for State Senate

A Democrat has finally entered the race to oppose Senator John DeFrancisco. County Legislator Tom Buckel turned down the opportunity earlier this year, but Kathleen Joy, a Syracuse Common Councilor-at-Large, is willing to take up the challenge. Joy announced that she would be joining the race last week and received the endorsement of her party on Sunday. Her campaign is already off to a rough start. The coverage of her announcement was less than favorable, as are most of the comments posted on her own website. As I write this post, more than a week after her entry into the race, her Facebook page has a grand total of three fans. There is a lot of time between now and the November election. Kathleen Joy is going to need it if she hopes to knock off the popular Senator.

A Green Governor?

For those of you out there who were wondering what perennial candidate Howie Hawkins would be running for this year, wonder no more. Howie has made his intentions known. His eyes are on the big prize this fall: the Governor’s Mansion. Watch the video of the announcement below.

The likelihood of Howie’s quest to be Governor of New York State being successful is basically zero. A third party candidacy isn’t going to cut it in a statewide race this year, especially in a race that Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is expected to dominate. Howie’s goal, however, is not a lost cause. If Mr. Hawkins can manage 50,000 votes statewide on the Green Party line as a gubernatorial candidate, the Green Party will remain on the ballot for the next four years, making it easier for Green Party candidates to gain ballot access in other races throughout the state. Just to remind everyone, Howie received more than 50,000 votes on the Green Party line when he ran for U.S. Senate, so his ability to solidify the Green Party’s position on the ballot is not out of the question. We wish him well.

More Confusion in NY-29

The state of the race in New York’s 29th congressional district is cloudier today than it was two weeks ago. Though the Democrats have settled on a candidate, Matthew Zeller, a young former CIA employee, it may be a moot point. The candidate selection process undertaken by the Democrats only serves in the case of a special election. Governor Paterson has not called for a special election and continues to appear unlikely to do so. Without a special election, the contest will go on as planned, with a September primary and the general election in November. If a special election is called, Zeller will be the Democrat candidate, however if there is no special election, there will be a primary that is open to other candidates. Support from the party establishment may help Mr. Zeller in a primary, but does not guarantee victory, if other, potentially stronger candidates, join the race.

The single Republican candidate in the race, Tom Reed, has been calling for a special election since the seat became vacant. As he should. A special election would certainly favor him over Zeller, who is currently an unknown in the district. A November general election would give Zeller more time to introduce himself to voters and have the added benefit of being able to run on the same ticket as Andrew Cuomo, who Democrats hope will carry them to victory this fall up and down the ballot.

Another important thing to remember, which sometimes even slips my mind, is that even if a special election occurs, there will still be a September primary and November general election, as the special election would only fill the remainder of the current term, not the next full two-year term.

More Clarity in NY-23

The contest in New York’s 23rd congressional district is starting to shake out. A few different events in the last two weeks have clarified the state of the race. Matt Doheny, a Republican, has announced that he will be joining the race (video below) and was endorsed by the Oneida County Republican Committee. Additionally, Franklin County Legislator Paul Maroun decided not to seek the seat, leaving Doheny to battle former Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman in a GOP primary.

With Maroun out, and a primary in place, the focus turns to the fundraising capability of the two Republican candidates. Without the national spotlight, Doug Hoffman seems to be falling behind, as Doheny posts the biggest take of all candidates, including incumbent Democrat Bill Owens. The eventual Republican nominee will face Owens in November.

Behling Decides Not to Run

Republican Eric Behling has announced that he will not challenge St. Lawrence County Clerk Patty Ritchie for the Republican nomination to take on incumbent State Senator Darrel Aubertine. Aubertine is a Democrat and a top GOP target this year (just like every other election cycle).

No Special Election, Says Paterson

It looks like there won’t be a special election in NY-29 after all. Governor Paterson, citing the cost of holding an election, appears unlikely to call for one, which means that the winner of this congressional race will be determined in November, along with all of the other races taking place this year. Republican Tom Reed is quite unhappy about this decision. Meanwhile, two of the remaining Democrat prospects in the race have left, continuing the long exodus. Assemblyman David Koon and Paterson aide Mary Wilmot have removed themselves from consideration. Democrats will supposedly be selecting a candidate over the weekend.

DeSpirito Formally Backs Levy for Governor

To follow up on an earlier post, Onondaga County GOP Chairman John DeSpirito is now officially backing Democrat-turned-Republican Steve Levy for New York State Governor. No surprise. It was very clear that the fix was in when DeSpirito stood with Levy and State GOP Chairman Ed Cox at Levy’s announcement that he was joining the race. DeSpirito originally supported Erie County Executive Chris Collins, who never took the plunge, before endorsing Rick Lazio two months ago.

Ritchie Running

After months of speculation, St. Lawrence County Clerk Patty Ritchie is officially in the race for the 48th State Senate District. The incumbent, Darrel Aubertine, a Democrat, is considered a top target by Republicans and may be vulnerable this year. Another Republican, Eric Behling, is also considering entering the race, but Ritchie is heavily favored to win in a primary, should one occur.

Miller Wins GOP Assembly Nod

Republicans have selected a candidate for the 121st State Assembly District. Businessman Don Miller was nominated over fellow Republican Sandra Schepp, a Manlius Town Councilor. Miller has already been endorsed by the local Conservative Party. The incumbent in the race is Democrat Al Stirpe.

Et tu, DeSpirito?

Onondaga County Chairman John DeSpirito can’t seem to make up his mind when it comes to who should be running for Governor on the Republican line this fall. Originally, he supported Erie County Executive Chris Collins, who never actually joined the race. Then, he endorsed current frontrunner for the nomination Rick Lazio. However, he recently appeared with Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy as he announced his own quest for the nomination. Levy just recently switched parties to become a Republican. He was formerly a Democrat and will be unable to vote for himself in the Republican primary. When he announced his party switch and campaign for Governor, he was joined by DeSpirito, along with a few other county chairmen and NY State GOP Chair Ed Cox, who endorsed him at the event. Are Republicans that down on themselves that they’ll support a man for the state’s top spot that was a registered Democrat not even two weeks ago? Rick Lazio, the eternally betrayed candidate, was in Syracuse the other day for a press conference. DeSpirito, from what I can tell, was not present.

Arcuri in Hot Water

I’d like to present this post as a follow-up to my earlier musings about local congressional Democrats and their union-backed special interest supporters. In the aftermath of the vote on health care legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Working Families Party and their labor union allies have gone to work.

In the case of “yes” voters, like Congressmen Dan Maffei and Bill Owens, labor unions have gone out of their way to heap praise. However, in the case of Congressman Mike Arcuri, who demonstrated independence from his party leadership in voting “no,” something very different is afoot. Labor unions are pulling support for Arcuri and the Working Families Party (the ballot line that provided Arcuri with his margin of victory in 2006 and 2008) will not be supporting Arcuri this year either. In fact, there is an effort to recruit former candidate Les Roberts to primary Mr. Arcuri, or at least run an active campaign on the WFP line.

With the loss of support from labor unions and the WFP and a tough rematch with Republican Richard Hanna, plus the possibility of a third party challenge, Congressman Arcuri is feeling the heat for his political independence on this vote.

Some Conservative Party Endorsements

The Onondaga County Conservative Party announced endorsements of two candidates in this year’s elections. Both are incumbents. State Senator John DeFrancisco, a Republican who so far is running unopposed, received the endorsement along with Sheriff Kevin Walsh. Walsh faces a primary from within his own party and within his own ranks in the form of Detective Ed Bragg. Democrats in the race include Joe Price and Toby Shelley.

WFP: Jump; Maffei: How High?

Democrat Congressman Dan Maffei announced this morning that he will be voting “yes” on upcoming legislation regarding health care. Generally I wouldn’t consider this noteworthy, since he voted in the affirmative on a similar bill earlier in his term and he normally votes nearly 97% of the time with his party leadership anyway. However, the timing of his decision is certainly interesting. On Sunday night, the Working Families Party decided not to support candidates who vote against upcoming health care legislation. Up until recently, Maffei claimed that he was undecided on how he would vote. The day after the WFP announced their decision, Maffei scheduled a press conference for this morning where he announced that he would be a “yes” vote.

Congressman Maffei received 9,085 votes on the WFP line in his 2008 victory over Republican Dale Sweetland, which accounts for nearly 25% of his 37,158 vote margin. We already know how closely tied to Big Labor Dan Maffei is and the WFP is just an outlet for New York State’s largest unions to influence elections. It is clear that Maffei’s “yes” vote is simply an effort to appease the union-backed WFP party leadership to remain in their good graces in order to run on their line this fall. Some other local Congressmen are in more trouble than he is.

In 2008 and 2009, having the Working Families Party line on the ballot provided the margin of victory for Eric Massa (who has since resigned) and special election winners Scott Murphy and Bill Owens, Democrats all. In addition, in 2008, Congressman Mike Arcuri would have only won by 465 votes if he did not have the WFP line. Clearly, the WFP has a lot of power in these races, often being the difference between winning and losing. This health care legislation is the Working Families Party’s top priority and are now demanding that the Democrat Congressmen they helped elect return the favor and vote their way on this legislation.

Republican Primary in the 49th

The Republican committees of the four counties that make up the 49th State Senate District could not determine who won the party designation in the race against Democrat State Senator Dave Valesky. The four county parties count their votes differently and the convention night tally was so close that neither candidate could be considered the winner. Oneida County Republicans didn’t even bother voting because of the dispute. Party leaders in Onondaga, Oneida, Madison and Cayuga counties have opened the door to a primary between Republicans Andrew Russo and Dan Liedka, Mayor of East Syracuse. The primary election will be held in September.

Maggie Brooks Isn't Running Either

There is some news to report relating to the now-vacant 29th Congressional District. The news is that nothing has changed. Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks had reached a decision not to run for the open seat left by Congressman Eric Massa’s resignation. That leaves Tom Reed as the lone Republican candidate in the race, as he has been for almost a year. There are still no Democrats in the race after several prospects took a pass. The Governor has indicated that he will be calling a special election for this seat at some point in the future to fill the remaining portion of the current term, which runs through to the end of the year.

Will Barclay is Not Running for Congress

After flirting with a run for Congress, Republican Assemblyman Will Barclay ultimately decided not to take the plunge. The seat in question is in New York’s 23rd congressional district, currently occupied by Democrat Bill Owens. Republican Doug Hoffman, who lost the special election for the seat to Owens last year, is running again. Even with Barclay’s exit, there are still at least two other Republicans besides Hoffman who are considering a run: investment banker Matt Doheny and Franklin County Legislator Paul Maroun.

Price Announces for Sheriff

The race for Onondaga County Sheriff is starting to bubble up. The incumbent, Republican Kevin Walsh is running for re-election and was formally endorsed by his party earlier this month. Fellow Republican Ed Bragg has indicated that he will force a primary with the Sheriff later this year. Now, the race on the Democrat side is taking shape. Joe Price, who ran against Walsh four years ago and lost, is the first Democrat to officially announce that he will be a candidate, although two other Democrats have expressed interest in the race. Though Price is angling for a rematch with the Sheriff, the candidate selection process has yet to play out. The eventual Democrat nominee and the eventual Republican nominee will face off in a general election in November.

Randy Rules Himself Out

The departure of Congressman Eric Massa was expected to create a crowd of interested candidates to replace him, however, it has become anything but. Several well-known Democrats have already passed on the race. Now, former Congressman Randy Kuhl is passing on the race as well. Kuhl held the 29th District seat until he was defeated by Massa in 2008. Republican Monroe County Executive hasn’t made a decision yet, but it is unlikely that she will run. Tom Reed was the only Republican in the race before the seat became vacant, and it appears he will be the only Republican in the race going forward as well.

Miller Endorsed by Conservatives

Most of these local State Assembly races haven’t been getting too much attention. That’s probably due to the fact that there isn’t much going on in any of them. There is some news to report out of the 121st District race, though. Republican candidate Donald Miller was endorsed by the Onondaga County Conservative Party over fellow Republican Sandra Schepp. This strengthens his case for the Republican nomination. A candidate for this seat will be selected at a GOP convention in April. The incumbent is Democrat Al Stirpe, first elected in 2006.

The Field of Candidates in NY-29 Thins Itself

Uncertainty surrounding the race in New York’s 29th congressional district is keeping everyone on their toes. After Congressman Eric Massa, a Democrat, announced that he would be resigning his seat, at least a dozen potential replacements, both Republican and Democrat, have been named. Currently, the only announced candidate in the race for either party is Republican Tom Reed, a former Mayor of Corning, who has been running since last year, but the list of other potential successors is already growing thinner.

Three Democrats have removed themselves from consideration and Republican Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks appears unlikely at this point to make a run for the seat. The three Democrats that will not be running are Monroe County District Attorney Michael Green, Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton and Hornell Mayor Shawn Hogan. Still no word from the Governor on whether the new congressman will be determined during the regularly scheduled November election or during a special election.

He's Baaack!

In a move which comes as no surprise to anyone with a pulse, Republican Doug Hoffman will be making another run for the congressional seat he lost to Democrat Bill Owens in last year’s special election for New York’s 23rd congressional district. That is all. Continue with your day.

Bitz Suspends His Campaign

After losing the GOP nomination for Congress in the 25th congressional district, Mark Bitz says he will be taking a wait-and-see approach as he decides whether or not to force a primary against designated Republican candidate Ann Marie Buerkle. Bitz will wait until June to make a decision. Either Republican would have an uphill financial battle with incumbent Democrat Dan Maffei.

Massa Exits Stage Left

Last week, Congressman Eric Massa announced he would not be a candidate for re-election this year due to health concerns. There are other accusations flying around but I have no intention of bringing them up here. Shortly after the announcement, Massa decided he was going to leave Congress altogether and is planning on resigning on Monday. Massa’s exit creates an open congressional seat. Given this vacancy, Governor Paterson has two ways of reacting. He could either chose for it to remain vacant and allow the currently scheduled election to run its course, or he could call a special election, which would cover the last few months of the unexpired term.

Regardless of the decision the Governor makes, we are likely to see more candidates enter the race. Republican Tom Reed, former Mayor of Corning has been running since last year and was likely to ultimately be the Republican candidate. Massa’s exit shakes things up. Now on the Republican side, Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and former Congressman Randy Kuhl (who lost to Massa in 2008), may join the fray. For the Democrats, Hornell Mayor Shawn Hogan, who is also the Chairman of the Steuben County Democrats, is Massa’s choice to replace him. Also thinking about joining the race are Assemblyman David Koon, Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton and Monroe County District Attorney Michael Green. I’ll try to keep you updated.

Buerkle Wins GOP Nomination Battle

Last Wednesday night, Ann Marie Buerkle rounded up enough votes to become the officially designated candidate for the Republican Party. She became the official candidate of the Conservative Party the night before. This sets her on a collision course with Congressman Dan Maffei in the general election in November. Unless, of course, there is a primary. Fellow Republican Mark Bitz, who was unable to muster enough support from the GOP committees across the four counties of the 25th District, is reportedly mulling a primary bid.

Local Fallout for Rangel Scandals

After many years of scandal, Congressman Dan Maffei’s political mentor, Harlem Congressman Charlie Rangel, has abandoned his post as Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee. Across the country, Democrats who received donations or fundraising assistance from Congressman Rangel are giving the money to charities, including the Congressman from the 24th District, Mike Arcuri. Congressman Eric Massa of the 29th District is facing calls from Republican challenger Tom Reed to rid himself of Rangel’s donated cash. So far, Dan Maffei, of the 25th District, has not indicated what he will be doing with the “dirty money” from his disgraced former boss, and though Arcuri was ahead of the curve calling for Rangel to step down, Maffei continues to be silent on the issue.

Who remembers this gem of a commercial from Republican Dale Sweetland’s failed run against Maffei in 2008?

Harold Ford Returns to Syracuse, Decides Not to Run

Harold Ford, Jr., who was exploring a primary run against fellow Democrat Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, visited Syracuse again this week. He was in town several weeks ago and met with various political and community leaders, including Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner. During the visit this week, he met with a group of “business and community leaders” at Unity Mutual’s headquarters in Franklin Square. The meeting was arranged by Patrick Mannion, CEO of Unity Mutual. Patrick is the son of John F. X. Mannion, Chairman of the Board at Unity Mutual, local Democrat Party powerbroker and Stephanie Miner’s husband.

Just a few hours after his visit, Ford announced that he would not be running after all. Go figure.

Bertan Exits Congressional Race, Endorses Buerkle

Ann Marie Buerkle continues to roll out good news for her campaign. The most recent example: Paul Bertan, the first person to announce their candidacy in the 25th congressional district for this year’s election, announced he is dropping out of the race and endorsing Buerkle.

Oneida Republicans Back Hanna

This does not come as a surprise, but the Oneida County Republicans have endorsed Richard Hanna as their candidate to take on Congressman Mike Arcuri, a Democrat in his second term. Hanna is facing primary opposition from fellow Republican Logan Bell, but will likely dispatch of him without much effort. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, County Comptroller Joe Timpano and County Republican Chairman George Joseph also personally endorsed Mr. Hanna.

Buerkle On a Roll

So far, it has been smooth sailing for Republican congressional candidate Ann Marie Buerkle. She has picked up the endorsements of the Conservative Party in Wayne, Cayuga and Monroe counties. Now she walks away with an endorsement from the Monroe County Republicans as well. The Monroe County Committee was the first Republican organization to weigh in on the race in the 25th congressional district. The Onondaga, Wayne and Cayuga GOP organizations will select their favorite at separate conventions on Wednesday night. The Onondaga County Conservative Committee will weigh in on Tuesday. Ann Marie Buerkle definitely appears to be the favorite for the nomination, but there will likely be a primary between Buerkle and Lysander businessman Mark Bitz.

Nick Pirro is Supporting Andrew Russo

Good times continue to roll for Republican State Senate candidate Andrew Russo. Former Onondaga County Executive Nick Pirro is supporting Russo’s candidacy for State Senate. This is big news heading into Wednesday night’s GOP Convention, where Republican committee people from several counties will be designating a candidate to face Democrat State Senator David Valesky in the 49th State Senate district. With Pirro backing him, Russo can make a strong argument for his candidacy before the committee and Russo has long been the favorite to win. Even if the party picks Russo as their candidate, he likely still faces a primary in the form of Syracuse businesswoman Jessica Crawford and/or East Syracuse Mayor Dan Liedka.

Cayuga County Conservative Committee Chooses Candidates

The Conservative Party in Cayuga County released two endorsements today. In the 49th District State Senate race, they announced their support for Republican candidate Andrew Russo. Russo has already received the support of the Conservative Parties in Madison and Onondaga counties. Oneida County has yet to make a decision. Republicans in all counties in the district will be selecting a candidate next week.

Also receiving the endorsement of the Cayuga group is 25th congressional district hopeful Republican Ann Marie Buerkle. Buerkle has already received the support of the Wayne County Conservative Party. The Monroe and Onondaga Conservative Parties have yet to endorse a candidate in that race. This news comes on the heels of an endorsement of a former rival and an announcement that Buerkle is the first and only candidate in the race to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.

Maffei Gets His Wish

Last September, Congressman Dan Maffei urged fellow Democrat Governor David Paterson not to run for a full term because he felt it would hurt his own re-election chances. Maffei reiterated that wish yesterday. It seems that today, his wish is coming true. The Governor is set to announce that he will be suspending his campaign, opening the door for Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to enter the race. The general election will almost certainly be between Cuomo and Republican Rick Lazio.

Manlius Town Councilor Running for Assembly

As I posted several weeks ago, a Clay businessman named Don Miller is running as a Republican against Assemblyman Al Stirpe in the 121st Assembly District. I was unable to find much information about him. Now I have discovered that there is yet another Republican in the race: Manlius Town Board member Sandra Schepp. Again, not much is out there relating to her candidacy. I discovered her on a list of candidates attending a Candidate Meet & Greet event in Pompey.

As an elected official with some ties to the party and the community, I expect her to be in a strong position to receive the Republican endorsement at the GOP convention. I’d like to add that the Republicans will apparently NOT be endorsing Assembly candidates at their convention next week, but at a later time. (You’ll also notice on that candidates list the mysterious new entrant to the 25th congressional race, Mario Paolini.)

Bitz Officially In

Republican businessman Mark Bitz held an “official” campaign kick-off event today. He hopes to run for New York’s 25th congressional seat, currently held by Democrat Dan Maffei. His major competition for his party’s nomination is former Syracuse Common Councilor Ann Marie Buerkle, who kicked off her campaign two weeks ago. One of the two will receive the party designation next week. Bitz was most recently in the news when he decided to close the doors to his popular Plainville’s Nature Fare Restaurant in Cicero, with 35 employees losing their jobs as a result.

On a side note, I have been informed that someone named Mario Paolini, of Fabius, is also seeking to run for Congress as a Republican.

Antonacci for County State Comptroller?

Just as Republicans around the state seemed to be coalescing around Harry Wilson, the only announced candidate for state comptroller, it appears that a second man is thinking about making a run. That second man is none other than Onondaga County’s own comptroller, Bob Antonacci. He has given himself a late-March deadline to make a decision as he talks to party officials around the state. This is an interesting development, because as I mentioned, it seems the Republicans already have a consensus candidate. Remember too that Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney has been discussed as a possible Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor and Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick has been discussed as a possible Republican candidate for Attorney General. I’m quite interested to see how this develops.

David Gay Makes an Endorsement

According to her Twitter feed, Republican Ann Marie Buerkle has secured a big endorsement in her quest to unseat Congressman Dan Maffei, a Democrat. David Gay, a fellow Republican who, until he switched races, was also hoping to be the Republican congressional candidate, is backing Buerkle. This adds to Buerkle’s momentum going into her party’s nominating convention, which will be held in a few weeks.

Nicotra Not Running After All

In a race that now has three Democrats in the running, the single Republican who expressed some interest has announced that he will not be making a run for the seat. Salina Supervisor Mark Nicotra has taken his name out of consideration, leaving Republicans with a glaring deficiency in a rare race for an open seat. There is still time for a top tier Republican to get in the race. My guess is that East Syracuse Mayor Dan Liedka is feeling the pressure to drop his State Senate race and go after this seat, although he has previously denied any interest.

Russo Builds Support

Last night, the Onondaga County Conservative Party took a straw poll to gauge support for candidates in the 49th State Senate district. It is being reported that Republican Andrew Russo received 11 out of 15 votes. This support (not technically an endorsement) from the Conservative Party, in addition to the amount of money Russo has raised, put Russo in a strong position to win his party’s nomination at their March convention.

. . . and so is Phil LaTessa

Somehow I missed this earlier today when I published my previous post. Syracuse City Auditor Phil LaTessa will be running for Joan Christensen’s vacant Assembly seat. At this point, I think it’s safe to say that he is the frontrunner on the Democrat side, perhaps even the favorite to take the seat (at least until a top-tier Republican like Mark Nicotra or Dan Liedka jump in). He also appears to be the only candidate with an active website, although there isn’t anything there yet. I’ve just noticed something else, too. We are discussing the 119th Assembly seat and this is the 119th post on this blog. Just something to ponder.

Sam Roberts is Running for Assembly . . .

Former County Legislator Sam Roberts, a Democrat, will be joining announced Democrat candidate Jane Fahey-Suddaby in the race to replace retiring Assemblywoman Joan Christensen. Still no word on whether Republican Mark Nicotra has decided to join them.

Buerkle Makes it Official

Republican Ann Marie Buerkle has made an official announcement that she is running for Congress against incumbent Democrat Dan Maffei. This announcement comes as no surprise as Buerkle made it clear she intended to run months ago. She now officially joins fellow Republicans Mark Bitz and Paul Bertan as they seek the nomination of their party at a March convention. Buerkle has already received the endorsement of the Wayne County Conservative Party.

Anti-Climax in 50th State Senate Race

There are a couple pieces of news in what has so far been a quiet race in the 50th State Senate district. Longtime Republican incumbent Senator John DeFrancisco had a press conference last week to make a major announcement. At the start of his speech, he seemed to indicate an intention to retire. Not so. The Senator made it clear that he will be running for re-election this year and that he intends to win. On the Democrat side, County Legislator Tom Buckel, who has been considering a run for several months, decided not to pursue the seat. In other words, we are right back where we started. A Democrat may yet surface to challenge DeFrancisco, but it would be an uphill climb.

Onondaga County GOP Chairman Makes Endorsements

Onondaga County Republican Chairman John DeSpirito has announced his support for two candidates for statewide office. In both cases, the candidates are the only announced Republicans in their respective races. For governor, DeSpirito endorsed Rick Lazio. Some of you may remember late last year when DeSpirito was one of the many county chairs who urged Erie County Executive Chris Collins to run for governor. Collins eventually decided not to take the plunge. On the U.S. Senate side, DeSpirito announced his support for Bruce Blakeman, who visited Syracuse just a few weeks ago.

Salina Supervisor May Run for Assembly

All has been relatively quiet on the 119th Assembly front since the initial hullabaloo after Assemblywoman Joan Christensen announced her retirement. There is some news to report, however. Salina Town Supervisor Mark Nicotra, a Republican, is considering joining the race. Republicans must be excited about their prospects here because open seats for state office don’t come around too often and Mr. Nicotra would be a superb candidate if he decides to run. He’ll have to watch out, though, as the Democrats have an excellent candidate in City Auditor Phil LaTessa, if he ultimately decides to take the plunge.

Gay Switches Gears

David Gay, who had been preparing run for Congress against freshman Democrat Dan Maffei, has dropped out of the race - and into another one. Mr. Gay leaves three other Republican candidates behind to battle over the right to take on Congressman Maffei and becomes the first (and so far, the only) Republican to announce a campaign against Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli. You remember Bill Magnarelli, right?

An Opponent for Aubertine?

After strong words of support from State Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos, St. Lawrence County Clerk Patricia Ritchie, a Republican, may be stepping up to run against Democrat Senator Darrel Aubertine. You may remember her as the County Clerk who started a petition drive and crusaded against Governor Paterson’s proposed license plate fees. Though there has been no official announcement, it appears that Patricia Ritchie’s candidacy may already be a done deal. Another Republican, Jefferson County Legislator Barry Ormsby, is also considering the race.

Potential U.S. Senate Candidate Visits Syracuse

Potential U.S. Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr. was in Syracuse today. On a trip organized by Democrat Party activist Walt Dixie, the former Tennessee congressman toured some local churches and had lunch with Mayor Stephanie Miner. The incumbent, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, took the opportunity to swear that she will visit Syracuse more often. She visited twice in 2009. Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman was in Syracuse two weeks ago.

An Assembly Candidate Surfaces in the 121st District

Donald Miller, a Clay businessman and Republican politico, has announced that he will be a candidate for Assembly in the 121^st District. The incumbent Democrat, Al Stirpe, will be seeking his third term. That’s about as much information as I can muster at this point. I can’t even find a picture of this guy. Go read the linked article. Meanwhile, Al Stirpe will be hosting a weekly television show, which I think is ridiculous and a phenomenal waste of time.

Hanna Seeks Rematch with Arcuri

In a move that was widely expected, Republican Richard Hanna announced that he will seek to unseat Congressman Mike Arcuri, after a razor-thin loss two years ago. A local Democrat activist is also seeking candidates to challenge Arcuri in a primary, though I have my doubts that an opponent will actually surface. Hanna may also face a primary in the form of 25-year-old member of the National Guard.

Joan Christensen Exits the Stage

In a State Legislature where you’re more likely to die in office or resign in disgrace than actually lose an election, Assemblywoman Joan Christensen is leaving on her own terms. Or is she? Envision if you will a political drama filled with revenge, plot twists and backroom deals. Okay, maybe it’s not all that dramatic, but in a race that is far from over, let’s speculate for a few minutes, shall we?

A few weeks ago, when fellow Democrat Jane Fahey-Suddaby announced a primary challenge, Joan Christensen signaled that she welcomed the opposition and was determined to run and win the race. Now, stop right there. In the 20 years that Christensen has been in office, she faced a primary exactly once: the first year she ran and was elected. What could have spurred a primary challenge this year? (This is the fun part, where we get to hypothesize.)

Jane Fahey-Suddaby’s brother, County Judge Joe Fahey, lost a primary challenge for Mayor of Syracuse to Joe Nicoletti in the 1990’s. Joan Christensen endorsed Joe Nicoletti for Mayor last year. Could the primary challenge have been political payback for endorsing the wrong mayoral candidate? After the primary challenge was announced, let’s suppose Christensen went to the local Democrat Party committee to gauge the level of support for this challenger. Now remember that the local committee overwhelmingly favored Stephanie Miner over Joe Nicoletti last year. Having seen the writing on the wall and a coordinated effort to oust her for shunning the party’s preferred mayoral candidate, the Assemblywoman may have decided to cut her losses and move on, announcing her retirement.

That’s where we stand now, with Jane Fahey-Suddaby the only announced candidate in the race for either party. But let’s go a little further. One prominent Democrat who is considering joining the race is City Auditor Phil LaTessa. Guess who LaTessa endorsed in last year’s mayoral primary race: Joe Nicoletti. This is shaping up to be a very interesting, nay, intriguing, race.

Oh, and on the Republican side, preferred candidate Dan Liedka, Mayor of East Syracuse, says he’d rather stay in a crowded State Senate primary to face an entrenched incumbent where he is short on money and support instead of jump into this open seat Assembly race with his party behind him. Huh?

Sheriff Walsh Faces Some Challenges

This year, after many elections where he cruised to victory, Sheriff Kevin Walsh will be facing three challengers from his own department, including one from his own party. Deputy Joe Price, a Democrat, ran against Walsh and lost in 2006, is preparing for a rematch, along with fellow Democrat Sgt. Toby Shelley. The real challenge however, comes from a fellow Republican. Detective Ed Bragg, the President of the Police Benevolent Association, is challenging Sheriff Walsh for the nomination of his own party. Though Democrat registration has edged out Republican registration in Onondaga County in the last few years, I expect the winner of the general election to be a Republican. I wouldn’t count Ed Bragg out. He has already outlined a platform and is moving forward with his campaign. His position as the President of the PBA will help him build support. Plus, incumbency ain’t what it used to be. Keep an eye on this one. It might get interesting.

Here's the Deal

Greetings! I’d like to lay out my agenda for this next election cycle. Hopefully it will work out better than last year, when this blog fell apart shortly before the election. I’m not going to bother updating this site with the results of the 2009 elections. I’d rather just move forward with this year. This is a Central New York/Onondaga County/City of Syracuse blog. Let me explain.

For federal and state races, I will be focusing on regional candidates. For county races, I will focus solely on Onondaga County. Likewise, I will also focus on local races only in the City of Syracuse. I apologize for those of you who may have unnatural interest in say, the 2nd Ward Common Council election in the City of Oswego (a seat currently held by Republican Michael Myers, by the way – I hear Freddy Krueger is a Democrat), but I am Syracuse-based, so I’m sticking to what I know. There are several statewide races this year also, but you’ll only see them mentioned here if there is some local connection. For example, gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio visiting Syracuse or Congressman Maffei suggesting that Governor Paterson should exit stage left to make room for Andrew Cuomo. Below is a basic rundown of some of the races you can expect to find information about here.

Congressional Races:

23rd: Currently held by Democrat Bill Owens, Republican challengers include Doug Hoffman, Assemblyman Will Barclay, Matt Doheny and Franklin County Legislator Paul Maroun.

24th: Currently held by Democrat Mike Arcuri, with Republican Richard Hanna gunning for a rematch.

25th: Currently held by Democrat Dan Maffei, Republican challengers include Paul Bertan, David Gay, Ann Marie Buerkle and Mark Bitz.

29th: Currently held by Democrat Eric Massa, with Tom Reed, Republican Mayor of Corning, in the running.

State Senate Races:

48th: Currently held by Democrat Darrel Aubertine. No competition announced, but Jefferson County Legislator Barry Ormsby, a Republican, is exploring a bid.

49th: Currently held by Democrat David Valesky, Republican challengers include Andrew Russo, Jessica Crawford and East Syracuse Mayor Dan Liedka.

50th: Currently held by Republican John DeFrancisco. No competition announced, but Onondaga County Legislator Tom Buckel, a Democrat, is exploring a bid.

State Assembly Races:

119th: Currently held by Democrat Joan Christensen, with a primary challenge from Jane Fahey-Suddaby. There is no announced Republican candidate.

120th: Currently held by Democrat Bill Magnarelli. There is no announced Republican candidate.

121st: Currently held by Democrat Al Stirpe. There is no announced Republican candidate.

124th: Currently held by Republican Will Barclay, who may be running for Congress instead of re-election this year. There is no announced Democrat candidate.

129th: Currently held by Republican Brian Kolb. There is no announced Democrat candidate.

There are very few County/City races this year, but I’ll get the notable stuff up here. (Expect a short post about the primary race that Sherriff Kevin Walsh will be facing in the fall.)

I’m also going to spend some time revamping the navigation of the site, including adding tags to all of the previous posts, which takes time, so bear with me during the transition. Also, last year you may have noticed that a majority of posts last year were simply aggregations of news stories. This year, I’d like to add more original content (like the multi-part primary candidate analysis in the Syracuse Mayor’s race last fall).

Thanks again for visiting, and continuing to visit, my website. Again, bear with me as I make the transition and gear up for this year’s elections. Check back often.

One Year Later

It was one year ago today that I made the first post to this page. This past autumn, my commitment to this blog was diminished, but I would like the mark this occasion by making an effort to bring The CNY Watch back from the brink. More to come in the next few days.