In anticipation of the upcoming elections, the Town of Colonie Republican Party announced its endorsement for Christine Benedict as town supervisor.
Benedict, who is reaching the end of a 22-year run in the Albany County Legislature, is slated to go against current supervisor Paula Mahan. While Benedict said she will officially announce her candidacy in about a week, her name was added to the candidate list after the Colonie Republican Club’s steak roast last Monday.
Both new and returning incumbents join Benedict on the Republican ballot. New candidates include Jennifer Whalen, Brian Manion and Christopher Carey for the open town board seat. Several incumbents, including Patrice Lockhart, Brian Hogan and Peter Tunny are running for County Legislature. Frank Mauriello is running for Benedict’s vacant Legislature seat for the 27th District.
Also running for County Legislature for the 19th District will be Todd Drake, who ran against Mahan for the supervisor seat in the last election.
“We’re got a full slate, and that’s a combination of service to the community and service to politics. Some [candidates] have both, but everyone has at least one of those elements,” said Town of Colonie Republican Chairman Roger Cusick.
Benedict, a Colonie native, served on the town board from 1985 until 1992, when she began her campaign for County Legislature. She received her Bachelor’s from the College of Saint Rose and her Master’s from Marist College in Poughkeepsie.
Although much of her career has been in government work, including working seven years as the Director of Government Affairs for the New York National Guard, Benedict owned and operated Clearly Yours Gifts in Newton Plaza for over a decade.
She said she had been contemplating running for the supervisor position for some time and decided to run after receiving support from her peers.
“I have a vision for the town, and it’s not the current direction we’re going now,” said Benedict.
Cusick said that he believed Benedict was a good fit for the supervisor role since she has had years of town government experience in Colonie and knows local business after having owned her own for several years.
Since she has yet to officially announce her candidacy, Benedict was reluctant to share her platforms in detail, but she said that her plans surround development and redevelopment for the town and to address Colonie’s fiscal status.
“I will focus on government ethics, too,” said Benedict. Other issues addressed in the coming election season will include local businesses in the town and the longstanding issues Colonie has been facing with its motels, specifically in the Central Avenue area.
“We’re excited about the group and think we’re going to make some major inroads and return the town to the Republican government,” said Cusick.
