Albany County Democrats continue to throw their hats in the 21st Congressional ring, while over in Schenectady County, the biggest rumored Democratic candidate remains silent while a Schenectady Republican mulls entering the race.
With the total number of Democrats in the running now up to five with Thursday’s announcement of Gary Mittleman of Loudonville, a contentious primary is likely. However, across the aisle, Schenectady County Republican Legislator Jim Buhrmaster has indicated an interest in running for the 21st Congressional District seat. He is the first Republican to do so after J. Christopher Callaghan said he would not seek the office.
Also recently announcing bids are Lester Freeman, Albany’s Equal Employment Opportunity coordinator, and Darius Shahinfar, a former aide to U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand.
Mittleman, 55, the most recent Democrat to throw his hat in the ring, is the founder and former CEO of Plug Power, a Latham-based home electricity company.
This great country of ours faces serious challenges, said Mittleman on March 6. `Our economy, our health-care system, and our foreign policy have declined to a state that requires real action.`
Mittleman went on to address tax policy, education, health-care insurance and energy policy.
`I have real knowledge about the energy industry ` both conventional and alternative,` he said. `And this provides the basis for developing an energy policy that works.`
Mittleman received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and master’s degree in mechanical and aerospace sciences from the University of Rochester. He also earned an MBA in finance from the University of Chicago.
He founded Plug Power 11 years ago and currently works to help launch local start-up companies.
He is a former trustee of the Eastern New York State Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, the Albany Institute of History and Art, and the Center for High Technology.
While Mittleman has never held public office, the candidate sees his background in the private sector as an advantage to his Congressional campaign.
`I believe it is evident that the typical politics-as-usual is not working,` he said in his speech. `We do not need any more career politicians. Instead, we need people with real experience in creating and building things ` and getting real results.`
The big name from Schenectady County, former assemblyman and NYSERDA CEO Paul Tonko, who has been rumored to run and publicly encouraged to do so by several area Democrats, has yet to make an announcement. Some political insiders believe that Schenectady Democrats are holding off on an endorsement until Tonko decides.
Retiring Congressman Michael McNulty announced in the fall that he would step down, and since then, candidates slowly have begun to trickle in, with Colonie Democratic Chairman Phil Steck announcing first in December and Tracey Brooks announcing in early February.
Brooks, a former regional director for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, said she is in it for the long haul.
`Just like she said when she first announced,` said Brooks campaign spokesman Kyle Kotary. `She is running regardless of who gets in it, and she is running to win.`
Kotary said that Brooks is running on `change and on the right priorities.` He said she would be looking to invest in jobs and the local economy if elected. Brooks has picked up some big-name endorsements, and has also picked up the only union endorsement thus far ` the Bricklayers and Allied Craftsman Union.
`She is the only candidate so far who can say she has major politicians backing her, a union endorsement, and has campaigned in all seven counties,` said Kotary.
Although McNulty has yet to back a candidate, both his sister and his father have. Albany County Democratic patriarch Jack McNulty and Green Island Mayor Ellen McNulty-Ryan have both endorsed Brooks.
Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings also gave a thumbs-up to Brooks on Monday, announcing his endorsement along with other Albany City Common Council members.
Kotary, who is also a Bethlehem Town Board member, is working on Brooks’ campaign, but Bethlehem Town Supervisor Jack Cunningham is listed as a Steck supporter.
`It leads to some ribbing here and there,` Kotary said when asked about their choices to replace McNulty. `It’s like baseball. Sure you’re a Red Sox fan and I’m a Yankees fan, but at the end of the day, it’s all baseball, and we’re all Democrats.`
Steck, who is an Albany County legislator and Colonie’s Democratic chairman, said he is pleased with his campaign so far.
`I think we have a very strong grassroots campaign here in Colonie,` Steck said. `I think what I’ve done in the past shows what I will do in the future.`
Chairing the Democrats in Colonie, which was a Republican stronghold for decades prior to last fall’s election when his party took over the town for the first time, Steck is credited with the victories. He wants to focus on alternative energies and federal pensions being lost to legal loopholes if he goes to Washington, and like many Democrats, ending the war in Iraq is also a priority.
He isn’t worried about the newly arrived Republican, Buhrmaster.
`We defeated the Republicans when they outnumbered us in Colonie,` said Steck. `I’m not worried about running against a Republican in an overwhelmingly Democratic Congressional district if I am nominated.`
Steck said he is a proven Democratic leader and that he is confident that voters will make an intelligent and informed decision and vote for him.
`I’m not interested in who’s the front runner and who’s not,` he said. `As far as I’m concerned, I don’t care if me, Tracey Brooks, or the man on the moon were the front runner.`
Steck says that he has the strongest record of helping fellow Democrats in the race.
`What I’m stressing is that I have the best record of serving the party, I have the best record as an attorney, and I have the best record as a legislator,` Steck said.
Lester Freeman said he is ready to take on anyone else in the race.
`I’m running to change the status quo,` Freeman said. `To stand up for the little man making $7.50 or $8.50 and trying to make a living. It’s an open, vacated seat,` Freeman said of McNulty’s retirement. `Voters will be looking for something new.`
He said that his campaign manager has been in contact with McNulty, but that many area Democrats are `holding their cards close to their vests.`
`I think a lot of them are waiting to see who’s going to build momentum and then they’ll jump on board,` Freeman said. `They want to see who is serious about this race.`
Freeman lost an Albany County legislative race to Lucille McKnight, who has served since 1992, by a handful of absentee ballots last fall. He also ran for mayor of Albany in 1993 and for Albany Common Council in 1997, losing both races.
Freeman said his main focus is improving the lives of the poor.
`We saw this as an opportunity,` Freeman said. `We feel our flat tax plan fits in with the working poor people making under $50,000 shouldn’t have to pay federal taxes. Let people keep their money.`
In a release by Freeman, he said, `We must repeal the Bush tax cuts and the subsidies for the oil industry. Then we need to minimize the IRS! The `Robin Hood Approach` of taxing the rich and giving to the poor doesn’t work, because the poor never get it!`
Shahinfar, who helped run Gillibrand’s campaign last year, said he can bring real solutions to the 21st.
`In this time in our lives, and the critical time we are facing as a nation, the decisions that need to be made in Washington require tremendous leadership and to reflect the values of the people of Albany, Fulton, Schenectady, Montgomery, Schoharie, Saratoga and Rensselaer counties,` Shahinfar said in a release. `I want to offer them a strong, new and independent voice for their U.S. Representative.`
As an Albany attorney, Shahinfar (pronounced Shahn-far), came to the area from Utica to attend Albany Law School 15 years ago.
He was a deputy county attorney under County Executive, Mike Breslin, until 2007 when he went to work for Gillibrand.
Shahinfar said he is committed to developing `real solutions` to the local and national issues that face taxpayers, seniors, veterans, and families in the 21st Congressional District.
As the race grows crowded with Democrats seeking their party’s nomination, only one Republican is currently showing interest in the seat.
Buhrmaster, a Schenectady County legislator and owner of The Buhrmaster Energy Group, a home heating-oil company, announced last week that he would consider a run for Congress.
Buhrmaster, 62, said he will make a decision within two weeks.
`It’s an opportunity I’m very actively considering,` he said. `I’m seriously looking at it and will make an announcement soon.`
Schenectady County Republican Chairman Tom Buchanan noted that Buhrmaster would be the first Congressman to hail from Schenectady since Democrat Sam Stratton left office in 1990.
`Not often do you have a candidate of John’s caliber,` said Buchanan. `He’s a successful businessman and has a great opportunity here.`
Burhmaster was elected to a second term as county legislator last year in District 3, which represents residents of Niskayuna, Glenville and Scotia.
On the Legislature, Burhmaster is the only Republican who chairs a committee. He chairs the Transportation Committee. He is also a member of the Scotia-Glenville Republican Committee and serves as treasurer of the Schenectady County Industrial Development Agency.
Though registered as a Republican, Buhrmaster said that in his county races he has gained the endorsements of the Conservative and Independent parties.
`I’ve always done what I think is right,` said Buhrmaster.
Buhrmaster said that if he does consider a run for Congress he would stand up for the interests of small businesses.
`Government regulation is stifling small businesses,` said Buhrmaster, `and small businesses are still a major part of the engine that keeps the economy running.`
In his five years on the County Legislature, Buhrmaster said he has also fought for his taxpaying constituents.
`The taxing system is wrong and it’s out of control,` said Buhrmaster. `While it might not change overnight, someone has to start trying to decrease spending.`
But Buhrmaster also said that a successful Congressional candidate would listen to the public.
`I’ll be meeting with the public, finding out their concerns,` he said, of his potential campaign. `That’s the first step.`
Earlier in the week, Callaghan, a retired Saratoga County treasurer, confirmed reports that he will not seek the Republican nomination in the 21st Congressional District. Callaghan said he’d recently met with Buhrmaster.
`He seems like a solid candidate, and he’ll make an excellent Congressmen,` said Callaghan.
Callaghan, who lives in Waterford, said he will now focus his attention on organizing John McCain’s Capital District campaign.“