Phillip Steck emerged the winner in a four-way Democratic primary in the 110th Assembly District after a spirited rally, according to unofficial election results.
Steck, an Albany County Legislator since 2004, garnered the most votes in Albany County with 1,395 votes. Kevin Frazier came in second with 1,201 votes there. Steck also had a solid turnout in Schenectady County with 705 votes, or 34.6 percent of the total there, despite Niskayuna Town Supervisor Joe Landry having the home field advantage amongst the other candidates hailing from Colonie.
Steck said his campaign’s efforts and knocking on “every door” of Democrats who have voted in primaries in Schenectady County was the key to his victory.
“This is not so much about Phil Steck, but about the power of grassroots politics,” he said. “The campaign was run almost perfectly … I think we did about as well as we could have done.”
Steck said distinguishing his background as an outsider to state government over that of his three opponents was an important aspect of his campaign.
“I think the voters are looking for better state government and I think the voters thought I would be the person more interested to work hard in delivering that,” he said.
Frazier attracted prominent endorsements, including from outgoing Assemblyman Bob Reilly, the lawmaker Democrats were vying to succeed, but he failed to gather support in Schenectady County. Frazier took 19 percent of the vote there.
Timothy Nichols came in last in the field with 624 votes. Landry garnered 1,137 votes in total and said he had hoped to have more support in Colonie, where he drew only 311 votes, or 8.8 percent of the total.
Either an overwhelming victory in Schenectady County or making a strong showing in Colonie was vital for Landry. There are 18,730 registered Democrats in Colonie, three times the number of registered Democrats in Niskayuna (5,984). The portion of Schenectady included in the district also boosted the county’s numbers.
There were around 3,550 votes cast in Albany County in the election and 2,038 votes in Schenectady County, according to unofficial election results. In Schenectady County, Landry and Steck came close to tying.
As election results started to roll in, Landry and his supporters were hopeful and kept adding up the numbers to see if the gap was being closed. The outcome set in before all of the votes in Colonie were tallied, though.
“We thought we’d do better in Albany County … and we just were not able to do as well as we thought,” Landry said after the unofficial totals were tallied. “Albany County was just a difficult area to get into and we just didn’t have the name recognition that others had.”
Landry said he wasn’t sure why the votes in Albany County came in below expectations, but he said his campaign would evaluate it strategies.
The supervisor said his interest in the higher office was spurred by the opportunities it would offer to help the district. During his campaign, he touted his work as a Niskayuna supervisor and his grasp on what local officials must overcome.
“It is a time where we need some very good representation,” he said. “All the municipalities are … struggling with the tax cap. They are all trying to find different funding sources and this was a good opportunity to get involved.”
As far as what’s next for Landry, he said he would be at work in Town Hall the next day continuing to prepare his proposed budget for 2013.
GOP candidate takes Independence line
Steck secured the Working Families Party ballot line in addition to the Democratic ticket, according to unofficial results, but Republican candidate Jennifer Whalen easily nabbed the Independence line in a four-way race with Steck, Frazier and Landry.
“I worked really hard at meeting folks in the party by knocking on their doors all summer long,” Whalen said. “I think everybody pretty much realized I am dedicated to the taxpayer.”
Whalen garnered 258 votes, according to unofficial election results. Out of the three Democrats vying for the line, Frazier captured the most votes with 87, with Steck close behind with 79 votes. Landry garnered 34 votes.
Steck said the three Democratic candidates essentially handed the line over to Whalen by dividing the support of Independence voters.
“We all split the vote up and enabled the Republicans to get that line,” Steck said. “We had three Democrats and one Republican in the Independence primary and it made it almost impossible for a single Democrat to win that line.”
The three Democrats received a total of 200 votes, still short of Whalen’s take.
“I was so pleased I got over 50 percent of the vote,” Whalen said. “(People) are sick of politics as usual.”
Steck was confident he could win the November general elections with only two ballot lines. Whalen is also appearing on the Republican and Conservative lines.
“I think we have enough lines to win the race,” Steck said. “I have spent all my life running uphill races, but I think we are in strong position to win. I don’t take anything for granted, though.”
Whalen, however, characterized Steck’s second-place performance in Schenectady County as “overwhelming telling.”
