A forum for the three Democratic primary candidates for 46th Senate District was called off hours before it was scheduled, but two candidates still showed up.
The Wednesday, Aug. 29, forum at the Guilderland Public Library was largely organized by candidate Mónica Arias Miranda and was to be moderated by Stephen Pampinella, executive editor of Knickerbocker Ledger. He cancelled the event in the afternoon leading up to the debate.
The Albany-based publication tweeted about six hours before the event that it was canceled “due to unforeseen circumstances.” This touched off hours of confusion that culminated with two candidates arriving to find half a dozen voters in attendance.
Crossed wires
Arias Miranda had spearheaded setting up the forum and reached out to “several” media outlets and groups to host the event and provide a moderator to relay questions from audience members.
To see how news unfolded over social media networks on the forum being canceled, visit our Schenectady County Connection blog entry 46th Senate District forum blunder
“After that I got calls from other media saying, ‘Oh, why was it canceled?’ so I guess some of the media outlets were tweeting that it was canceled,” Arias Miranda said.
Arias Miranda and fellow Democratic candidate Thomas Dolan both said after the forum they were unaware of the cancellation until media outlets began reporting it.
Pampinella said when Arias Miranda asked him to host the forum he thought all the candidates were on board. Democrat candidate Cecilia Tkaczyk called him earlier on Wednesday, though and expressed reservations.
“I was originally under the impression that all the candidates were interested in doing it,” Pampinella said. “I found out that [Tkaczyk] thought I wasn’t a mutual moderator.”
Pampinella said he didn’t have the opportunity to contact the candidates to inform them he was canceling the forum because he was working another job in Albany during the day.
On Friday, Aug. 31, he said he probably should have just backed out of moderating the event rather than announcing the forum as canceled. Since Arias Miranda had organized the forum, Pampinella said he didn’t want to appear to support one candidate over the others.
“I didn’t want to be seen as biased or favoring one candidate or another, so I choose to step back, basically,” he said.
He said there was “never any push” not to hold the forum from Tkaczyk and she only expressed her concerns on why she wouldn’t attend it.
Tkaczyk could not be reached for comment.
Arias Miranda said the League of Women Voters said it was “too busy” to provide a moderator.
“They are hosting everything else except this,” she said.
She said it was “unfortunate” Tkaczyk didn’t want to attend the forum. Dolan declined to comment on the matter.
Candidates disagree on little
The forum went on with two candidates and was cordial. Both expressed concerns over many similar issues and found little to disagree on.
“We were not attacking each other or the candidate that was not here,” Dolan said. “We talked solely about the issues.”
Both candidates agreed there should be a state ban on hydraulic fracturing and that the state should be run more efficiently.
They did differ on spending cuts.
Dolan said he would support spending cuts to the war on drugs and marijuana.
“I think incarcerating people for marijuana offenses is a waste of tax dollars,” he said. “I don’t know how much it would save, but I know it is very costly.”
Also, he said if tax breaks are given to companies and developers based on the amount of jobs to be created, then the government should follow through to make sure the claims are followed.
Arias Miranda said she doesn’t support discretionary spending and “pork money.” She said there is no way to track the money being spent. Also, she doesn’t think legislators should get meals and travel stipends.
“For most jobs, we don’t get that paid for,” she said.
The main difference between the two candidates at the forum was where they stand in the party itself. Arias Miranda identified herself as an “independent Democrat,” but Dolan said he is “more partisan” and considers himself aligned with the party. He said no matter who wins the primary, he will rally for a Democrat to secure the seat.
Arias Miranda has publicly claimed Tkaczyk took in more than $32,000 in contributions from the “one percent in New York City.” Tkaczyk previously said her background with statewide coalitions on affordable housing spurred the out of district donations.
The marginal turnout led former Guilderland Town Board member and Republican Mark Grimm to offer to stand in as moderator after about 30 minutes of the candidates talking with attendees.
Whoever secures the Democratic nomination will face Republican George Amedore. The new senate district includes nearly all of Amedore’s assembly district.
