Bethlehem Republicans say they are backing Councilman Sam Messina to take on incumbent Democrat Jack Cunningham for the town’s top spot.
I am pleased to get the Republican endorsement for supervisor, Messina said. `It’s important because it is a major line, but it’s also important to me because the Republican interview team asked important and probing questions.`
Concluding, he said, `I told them I would represent them and that I would do the best I could to represent all of the people in the Town of Bethlehem.`
This gives Messina his third ballot line and first major party line against Cunningham, who recently got endorsed by Messina’s own party. Messina said he will primary Cunningham for the Independence Party line, which would give him four lines to Cunningham’s single Democratic ticket line. If Cunningham wins, it would give him two party lines to Messina’s three.
Messina’s other two ballot lines come courtesy of the Albany County Conservative Party and the Working Families Party of the Capital District.
Both supervisor candidates say they are confident they will win the Independence Party primary in September.
Bethlehem Republican Chairwoman Melody Burns said the full committee voted to endorse Messina on Monday, June 8, as well as Melanie Calzone for town clerk. The party has also endorsed incumbent Republican Gregg Sagendorf for highway superintendent.
Calzone, a political newcomer, will face Democrat Nanci Moquin who is currently the administrative assistant to the town’s planning and zoning boards. However, Calzone reportedly has the endorsement of current long-time Republican Town Clerk Kathleen Newkirk.
Sagendorf, also a Republican, seemingly has support across the board with cross endorsements from the Democrat, Independence and Conservative parties.
Burns said the committee would vote on candidates for the two open Town Board seats by this Friday, June 12, effectively putting together a full slate for the November elections.
She said only one committee member voted against Messina because he wasn’t a registered Republican.
`We voted to endorse Sam Messina for supervisor,` Burns said. `There was some discussion on that, but we feel he’s fiscally conservative, which is very important for us.`
As for the delays in putting up Town Board candidates, Burns has said throughout the selection process that the committee was only seeking qualified and committed candidates and was not going to be rushed into `just filling a slate with names.`
`We’re really thinking carefully about who will get our endorsement,` she said. `Whenever we endorse someone we want to make sure they are prepared and fully committed to serving the town and representing us.`
Burns said they are making the announcements this week, however, in order to be able to begin gathering petition signatures.
`I’m very excited about the team we have right now with Sam, Gregg and Melanie, and we’re looking forward to adding to the team by the end of week,` said Burns.
If Messina is successful in his quest for supervisor, it would be the first return of a Republican-backed candidate to the Town Board since Democrats and Independence Party members took unanimous control in 2005. Democrats took a majority control of the board for the first time in memorable history in 2003 with the election of former Democratic supervisor Theresa Egan.
Messina said he has begun gathering Independence Party signatures to primary Cunningham for his party line. He needs to gather 5 percent of the 1,400 registered party members in town, or around 70 signatures.
`I’m getting very, very good feedback,` Messina said of knocking on the doors of party members. `I don’t have a political organization out there financing me … but I am going door to door and people are supporting me.`
Petitions signer can only sign the petition of one candidate ` so Independence Party members will have to decide to either support Cunningham, a Democrat, or their own party member, Messina, for supervisor.
They can, however, sign the petition of other positions such as Town Board, town clerk, or highway superintendent. Multiple petition signatures is a common disqualification when it comes time to submit the petition to the county’s board of elections.
For updates on this story, return to www.spotlightnews.com, or read the Wednesday, June 17, print edition of The Spotlight.
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