A 2000 PHOTO BY MIKE MCMAHON
SHOWING MCDONALD
SITTING IN AN ASSEMBLY CHAIR

Today Cohoes Mayor John McDonald kicks off his bid to replace the retiring Ron Canestrari in the Assembly.

It’s McDonald’s turn, and while he does have some competition it’s his seat for the taking and it has been for more than a decade. At least he must have thought so if you read into this prophetic photo taken in 2000 by Mike McMahon during one of the many times Canestrari was sworn into office in the historic chamber at the Capitol. Tell me McDonald doesn’t have a “someday it’s gonna be me” look on his face while sitting in one of the Assembly members seats.

There are at least two potential Democrats also expressing an interest in running for the seat - Albany Common Council President Carolyn McLaughlin and Albany Councilman Dominick Calsolaro. Longtime aide to former U.S. Rep Mike McNulty Charlie Diamond had toyed with the idea but he has since backed off the idea. I don’t know much about the Albany people but I still think its McDonald’s seat to lose, provided he can defuse the $1.4 million Medicaid reimbursement problem he has at his family’s pharmacy that is.

Cohoes, once a powder keg of controversy, has been pretty quiet since McDonald was elected in 1999 but now with him having a pretty good shot at moving his career over to Albany we can only hope things will heat up again. Who doesn’t miss the days of Mayor Bob Signoracci?



BRESLIN

MORSE

On the other Cohoes front, everyone is still waiting for Shawn Morse, chair of the Albany County Legislature, to announce his primary bid against Sen. Neil Breslin. Whether or not he was waiting for McDonald to announce is anyone’s guess. And whether or not McDonald’s announcement will change his plans is also anyone’s guess. Mayor of Cohoes isn’t a bad gig and it will be an easier campaign for Morse than running against Breslin - even if there are new Senate lines and the storied Breslin machine has lost a little bit of steam now that brother Mike is no longer county executive and Tom is in a comfy judgeship for the next 14 or so years.

Speaking of county executive, Mike Breslin’s successor, Dan McCoy, will likely back Morse so should Morse do what everyone is expecting and take on Breslin, it’s shaping up as a classic new regime versus the old guard. What better way for McCoy to say “I’m not just a place holder” than to take out a Breslin.

MCGRATH

MASON

It was recently brought to my attention that soon to be re-appointed City Marshal Rick Mason did in fact donate to the Democratic Party and so did Councilman Kevin McGrath, who is an enrolled Conservative but ran twice with the Democrat’s blessing.

It’s an issue because Mason filed a formal complaint with the Rensselaer County District Attorney Rich McNally that claims Tom Wade, the party’s county chair, tried to shake him down for a donation and when Mason refused is when Wade started lobbying the Council against re-appointing Mason to the part time job.

The filings listing Mason’s $100 donation can be seen here and McGrath’s $175 donation and $85 donation can be seen here.

WADE

I’m not sure of the significance of either donation considering candidates and appointees are expected to donate something to the party, but I’m just making an observation – or better yet, passing one along.

I was just told the dust-up between Wade and Mason about campaign contributions and about a month  before last November's election, and it was just pointed out to me that Mason's $100 donation came on Nov. 6, 2011. Not sure what that has to do with anything, but I'm just passing along another observation.

MASON

Rick Mason did send a letter to District Attorney Rich McNally and the U.S. Attorney Office asking that some of the alleged actions by Rensselaer County Chairman Tom Wade be “criminally investigated.”

In the letter (which is below) Mason claims the feud started when Wade asked Mason to buy a ticket to a fundraiser. Mason, being more loyal to individuals than the party as a whole, told Wade no – obviously I wasn’t there to hear the conversation but I’m guessing it was a bit more colorful than:

“Hi Rick would you please like to come to a fundraiser or at least buy a ticket to support the cause.”

“Why thank you for the invite Tom, but I’m busy that night and I’m a little short this month. Please send me some information on the next one.”

Anyway, Mason is asking McNally to investigate Wade’s thinly veiled attempt to put pressure on Councilman Kevin McGrath and others to not support Mason as marshal – a part time job that can pay between $15,000 and $20,000.

WADE

Something tells me though McNally wants no part of this one. If you remember when McNally first took office after beating Greg Cholakis by just a couple hundred votes, there was an ongoing grand jury investigation into allegations Wade was extorting Board of Elections employees for political contributions.

It’s not unusual for party bosses to expect those in politically appointed jobs to contribute to the party – actually it’s the rule rather than the exception – but supposedly Wade put it in writing and that note ended up in the hands of prosecutor Joe Ahearn who brought the case before the grand jury.

MCNALLY

When McNally took office, the case was allowed to expire without the grand jury taking a vote. I asked McNally about it and he said there was nothing there so rather than waste time and resources, he just let it go. He made a point to say Ahearn is a Republican who once ran for city court judge. It’s also fair to point out that Ahearn is again looking at running for a seat on the county court as a Republican. While Ahearn makes no qualms about his partisanship, I don’t think he would let that cloud his prosecutorial judgment and McNally should have at least let the grand jury vote on it.

But he didn’t and it’s ancient history so safe to say, I doubt McNally does anything with Mason’s letter and I can’t say I blame him.

While not having any direct involvement – though an FBI agent did get a little jammed up by Trey Smith - I’d find it hard to believe the U.S. Attorney’s Office wants anything to do with the inner workings of Troy politics after voter fraud.

So, I don’t think Mason’s letter goes anywhere in any official capacity and odds are it was written and sent in an attempt to embarrass Wade and diminish his power as chair. A power, I dare say, which suffers with those who refuse to support the party like Mason, but also like Mason, are in political jobs. I can’t say I blame Wade for being upset as there are only a few such jobs available and campaigns aren’t cheap.

The grumblings about Wade and the grumblers displeasure with his chairmanship are getting louder but I don’t think that’s unusual given some of the choices Wade has been forced to make – like chasing Clement Campana out of the mayor’s race, a race he would have certainly lost, and clearing the way for Lou Rosamilia to coast into City Hall.

In the end, Wade has a pretty good record as chair and the grumblers don’t have anyone credible to put up against him.

Mason

MCGRATH

WADE

The Council voted 5-4 last night to re-appoint Rick Mason as a city marshal and that means Councilman Kevin McGrath won another round against Rensselaer County Democratic Party Chairman Tom Wade, who, as you know, called for McGrath's resignation.

Those on the Council who voted for Mason include McGrath, obviously, Ken Zalewski, D-District 5, Rodney Wiltshire, D-At Large, Nina Nichols, D-At Large, and Republican Dean Bodnar. Those against were Council President Lynn Kopka, Bob Doherty, D-District 4, Gary Galuski, D-District 6 and Republican Mark McGrath, District 2.

As I mentioned earlier when the Council initially approved Mason’s appointment – they screwed up the process and had to do it all over again – it’s surprising Kopka couldn’t get the votes and if she knew she couldn’t then it’s surprising she sided with Wade rather than her own caucus. Earlier this week she would not return phone calls but my guess is, after knowing Kopka for a while, she just wants the whole thing to go away because corralling feral cats is easier than corralling Democrats.

BODNAR

Another thing that’s surprising is McGrath and Bodnar, the two Republicans, split their vote. Generally it wouldn’t matter much but without Bodnar Mason isn’t a marshal. On the one hand, if Bodnar were playing politics, his vote certainly keeps fuel on the Democrats infighting. On the other, I have no doubt Mason has done a decent job which is a valid reason to vote in favor of him. Bodnar isn’t known for playing the political game so it could be the latter, but it certainly accomplishes the former.



NICHOLS



Zalewski has butted heads with Wade for a long time so his vote comes as no surprise. Wiltshire has only been on the Council for a few months so he’s obviously staking out his own ground. The same can be said for Nichols in that she too has only been in office for a few months. Though, it is a little more complex with her. On the one hand McGrath worked hard on her campaign but she was recruited as a potential mayoral candidate by city Chair Jack McCann (Wade) before the party officially picked former Council President Clement Campana. She didn’t get the mayoral nod, but she was elected so in the end it makes sense.

As for McGrath, he and Mason are buddies and friends are thicker than politics.

On the no side, Doherty is Bill Dunne’s guy and Dunne and Wade have a love, hate, love and hate again relationship. He also made a decent argument against Mason by saying: “I’m not comfortable with questionable practices lead to quick retirements and investigations by [The FBI] for misuse of funds.”



KOPKA



Galuski still has his county job at the Board of Elections and while Wade might not have a direct say in if he keeps it, the county chair probably could make his life a little more difficult than it is considering Galuski is under indictment for his alleged role in voter fraud.

Mark McGrath is the new vocal opposition so I’m guessing he voted no because the majority of Democrats wanted it. And then there’s Kopka.

Like Nichols, Kopka was also recruited to run for mayor thanks to McCann and Wade but she’s a Pattison Democrat and I didn’t think she’d blindly follow Wade. As I said, I’m guessing she’d just as soon the whole thing go away, but at least it’s taking attention away from the Council’s other missteps.

So, since the Council voted 5-4 earlier this month but screwed it up and then again 5-4 last night it’s 2-0 McGrath – but given the memory Wade is known to have, I’d say it’s the top of the third with the Council to vote again next month and Wade’s up.

MCGRATH

WADE

Wow, I come back from vacation and the war that was brewing just a couple weeks ago has boiled over.

 Obviously I’m referring to the one between Rensselaer Democratic Party Chairman Tom Wade Councilman Kevin McGrath. The former called for the latter’s resignation yesterday because, in part, of the latter’s admitted felony drug conviction but everyone knows it’s more for his support of re-appointing Rick Mason as city marshal. Wade also produced a poll that said the majority of Lansingburgh residents didn’t know about McGrath’s conviction, wouldn’t have voted for him if they did and won’t vote for him again. McGrath produced a voice mail message during which Wade cast some not so thinly veiled threats.

I’m not sure why Wade would concern himself with a part time marshal’s job that can pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $15,000 to $20,000, but he is.

I’m guessing it’s a preemptive strike in an effort to head off any moves against his chairmanship. Those grumblings have been going on nearly since Wade took sole command of the party in 2006 after he shared the duties with Lynne Mahoney for a couple years – which was a disaster since the two didn’t really like each other much. Those grumblings though, turned to whispers and have now evolved into outright screams by some factions in the party.



MASON



To take someone out, however, you have to have someone to take him out with and the only name I’m hearing with any consistency is former East Greenbush Supervisor Rick McCabe. But, I’m not sure how much juice he has since he just got trounced in his own home town. Outside of McCabe, I don’t who wants it or who has enough juice to get the committee support.

I don’t think Wade has done too much to help himself over the years either. He and Mahoney parted with not a lot of love and she represents the former Mayor Mark Pattison faction and a couple years after that he butted heads with former Council President Beth Walsh, another Pattison faction loyalist who is now a judge. Then there was the bunch around Council President Clement Campana, who Wade chased out of the mayor’s race with good reason because Campana would have got trounced.

Now Wade is taking on the McGrath’s, one of the most powerful and popular Democratic families in the ‘Burgh. We’ll see how much juice the McGraths have at the Finance Committee meeting Thursday night when they again address Mason’s appointment. Earlier this month the Council, with four Democrats who bucked the chairman’s wishes, appointed Mason but they screwed up the procedure and now have to do it again.

Here are a few facts:

- In calling for McGrath’s removal, Wade comes on the heels of a similar declaration by GOP city Chair Jim Gordon. Only in Troy will one party chairman mirror another of a different party.

- City Chairman Jack McCann - who was tight with the Campana Clan but has had a falling out and is now tight with Wade and one of the party’s best workers left standing after voter fraud - is making a whole lot more money now that Mason isn’t marshaling since there is only so much work to go around.

- Council President Lynn Kopka has been silent on the issue and didn’t return a phone call for comment the other night. She, and Councilman Gary Galuski, did vote against Mason earlier this month. Those in favor were MCGrath, Ken Zalewski, Rodney Wiltshire, Nina Nichols and Dean Bodnar, a Republican.

- Wade claims he didn’t know about McGrath’s felony drug convictions but he did give the registered Conservative permission to run on the Democratic Party line … twice … so I’m not sure who is to blame there.

- Board of Elections Commissioner Ed McDonough has not gotten along with Wade for a number of years and he has the know-how to take him out as chair. Thing is, he's kind of wrapped up in voter fraud right now with his second trial happening sometime this summer.

- The Democrats have a pretty decent record under Wade including getting McGrath’s brother Pat elected to the Supreme Court, a majority on the Troy Council, electing all six legislators from Troy, both county court judges, a DA, control of some towns and a couple more judges.

- Wade’s term isn’t up until September so anyone who makes a move now is what I call “pulling a Bragman,” named after the Assemblyman who once tried to take on Speaker Shelly Silver before he lined up the votes and lost badly. Bragman spent the remainder of his career working out of a broom closet for an office.

- There is no way McGrath steps down and no way Wade can force him out.

- It’s going to be a battle, but in the end I don’t see anyone stepping up with enough juice to take Wade out so come October, the odds of Wade still being chair are at 5 to 1 with anyone else coming it as 20 to 1 longshot.



MASON

                                     In most years, and probably in most places, appointing a city marshal is pretty routine — you find someone willing to deliver eviction notices to people who likely don’t want to get thrown out from wherever it is they are living and give him or her the job. Since it doesn’t pay too bad for a part time gig, it usually goes to someone not only willing perform that unenviable task but someone who has some political connections too.

WADE

But, this is Troy, and nothing is simple or easy.

If you remember, at the Finance Committee meeting last month, the Council voted to table a motion appointing Rick Mason to the job by a vote of 5-4. But, last week, at the regular meeting, the Council gave him the job by a vote of 5-2. A quick rundown of the vote in favor is: Rodney Wiltshire, D-At Large, Kevin McGrath, D-District 1, Nina Nichols, D-At Large, Dean Bodnar, R-District 3 and Ken Zalewski, D-District 5. Against is: Council President Lynn Kopka and Councilman Gary Galuski, D-District 6 with Councilman Mark McGrath, R-District 2 abstaining.

K.MCGRATH

As I said, usually, appointing someone to the city marshal spot goes to someone politically connected and Mason is tight with the crowd close to former Council President Clement Campana. That crowd, though, including Mason, isn’t too tight with Rensselaer County Democratic Chairman Tom Wade, who lobbied the Council to vote against Mason.

There are a couple reasons why there’s a rift. For starters, the Campana crowd, who Wade affectionately calls “the delusional bunch,” is still upset he talked Campana out of the mayor’s race. A race, according to polls done by Gramercy Communications on behalf of this paper, Campana would have lost by at least double digits.

While he was implicated in the ongoing voter fraud scandal, when Campana bailed on the mayor’s race he wasn’t yet indicted for anything — that didn’t come until this year. But, he was embroiled in another controversy that centers on the fact his father got an apartment at a Troy Housing Authority apartment while even the family admitted the elder Campana was over the income threshold.

In other words, there were some pretty sound reasons for Wade to chase Campana out of the race and replace him with Lou Rosamilia. Evidently it paid off for the Democrats because Rosamilia went on to win by some 10 points.

KOPKA

That said, Campana isn’t without his friends and safe to say none of his friends, including Mason, like Wade too much. And Mason isn’t without his friends including Kevin McGrath, who spoke in his favor before the vote last Thursday and I’m sure was working the rest of the Council while Wade was too. McGrath won that round.

Wade tells me he’s just trying to put the entire voter fraud fiasco behind his party and one step towards that end is getting Mason out of the picture. But, it could be directed more at McGrath because while he is knee deep in the scandal — he struck a deal and testified for the prosecution during the first trial and will certainly be a witness in the second as well — Mason was only on the fringes.

So, I guess that’s a long, convoluted way of getting to the point — there is a rift in the Democratic Party. That’s not anything really new since the Democrats are known for infighting but what struck me is how McGrath was able to pull together five votes while Kopka (Wade) only got one other. And that person, Galuski, stands indicted alongside Campana in voter fraud and ironically has a job at the Board of Elections.

All that said, the Mason’s appointment is probably for moot since there is a good chance his appointment was illegal. According to the charter, legislation not placed on the agenda at the Finance Committee meeting needs unanimous approval before it can be addressed at a regular meeting. It wasn’t on the agenda, and wasn’t unanimous so they will probably have to do it again.

Which comes as no surprise, really. This Council is good at do-overs. And who knows what will happen between now and then.

The Marchione camp

I followed Kathy Marchione, the Saratoga County clerk who is taking on Sen. Roy McDonald in a Republican primary, on the Paul Vandenburgh television show last week and who was with Marchione? None other than Ken Girardin.

Girardin used to work for Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin, who was toying with the idea of a primary but backed out and is instead running for a second term. It appears that Girardin was so dead set on taking on McDonald that he either jumped the McLaughlin ship to join Marchione, or he was pushed and Marchione picked him up.

Either way, Girardin and Marchione are taking on some heavy Republican hitters in Saratoga and Rensselaer counties and I don’t just mean McDonald. Rich Crist, the defacto GOP chair of the Republican Party in Rensselaer County is backing McDonald and in Saratoga County, long time Chair Jasper Nolan is in McDonald’s corner.

Girardin did pull off one of the more unique stunts I can remember though. I don’t know if he did it or not, but the McLaughlin camp planted campaign signs on front lawn of a Bethlehem neighbor of Assemblyman Tim Gordon and then videotaped Gordon taking the signs and made it an issue.

Classic. And it’s one reason McLaughlin went on to beat Gordon in 2010.

This week’s Talespin was written by James V. Franco. He can be reached at 270-1277

CHRISTOPHER

Rumors are ripping around town about what happened to Vic Christopher, the energetic and charismatic economic development coordinator who was hired by then Mayor Harry Tutunjian in September of 2010.

All I’m 100 percent sure of is he on a 30-day unpaid suspension. What actually preceded that suspension is anyone’s guess because the administration is being understandably tight-lipped since it’s a personnel matter and Christopher was unavailable for comment. But, more on that later because I have a pretty good idea from a number of sources.

Anyway, he’s suspended for 30 days rather than being fired because he is protected by Civil Service, which entitles him to a suspension without pay for up to 30-days and a hearing. He can remain suspended longer than 30 days, but if the city doesn’t hold a hearing and either terminate his employment or call him back to work within that time he has to get paid.

Christopher was hired by Tutunjian, who created the title giving Christopher the Civil Service protection, after he was let go from his gig doing promotions for the ValleyCats baseball team. While not holding any hard and fast political ideologies either way Christopher was Tutunjian’s guy and Tutunjian is a true blue Republican. And as Tutunjian’s guy, he often squared off against members of the Council who didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye with his boss on any number of issues.

One battle in particular that stands out was with then Councilman Bill Dunne, who now heads up the city’s Planning Department, after a committee meeting. Christopher called Dunne a bunch of names and in turn Dunne said Christopher doesn’t have a say because he’s not an elected official. It was a very loud and, thanks to a video that made it to the internet, a very public dispute.

By the way, Dunne was Christopher’s boss but his suspension didn’t have anything to do with the aforementioned argument that I’m aware of.

Anyway, when Tutunjian was term limited out of office after eight years Democrat Mayor Lou Rosamilia beat the GOP candidate and as such a number of Tutunjian’s people, at least those who hadn’t already moved on, were looking for new jobs. That’s the way it goes with political appointees, and is expected when a different party takes control. Appointees live by the ballot box and die by it.

But, as I mentioned, Christopher’s job is protected by Civil Service and as such, he does not serve at the simple whim of whoever is mayor or whatever party controls City Hall.

There are a couple ways Rosamilia could have gotten rid of Christopher if he really wanted to and what would be to abolish the position by taking it out of the budget and creating another one with a new title, or Christopher could screw up and the city could hold him accountable.

Since there is something to be said for continuity across different administrations when it comes to economic development projects that don’t follow the electoral calendar, Christopher’s job wasn’t abolished so that leaves me to believe that he screwed up.

The details are foggy, but I know from a number of sources it has something to do with existing building materials at the city-owned Dauchy Building and the wine bar Christopher is building on Second Street.

MCDONALD and MARCHIONE

This afternoon, Saratoga County Clerk Kathy Marchione is set to announce her intent to primary Sen. Roy McDonald.

It will be almost as interesting to see who shows up to the event as who doesn’t show up at Hayner’s ice cream shop in Halfmoon.

We all know about the heavily fractured towns in Saratoga County who first lined up against anybody but McDonald so some of them will be there. County Republican Chairman Jasper Nolan is still in McDonald’s corner, though, so I don’t expect to see him.

CASALE

I also don’t expect to see a lot of Republicans from Rensselaer County either since most are either going to work for McDonald or sit on their hands. But I’m hearing Pat Casale might come out of retirement to throw his support behind Marchione.

Casale was Troy’s mayor, Rensselaer County clerk and a longtime state assemblyman before retiring in 2006. It’s unclear if he’ll show up today since he’s been pretty much silent for a few years but I learned recently there is no love lost between he and McDonald and Casale can evidently hold a grudge. And he's not one to hold his tongue.



BRUNO



On the flip side of things, I heard that former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno called Marchione asking her not to run. Bruno, who wishes he had just rode off into the sunset like Casale but instead had the Federal government crawl up his shorts, is the most powerful politician to come out of the Capital District in a long time but obviously Marchione wasn't listening.

McDonald does have more than $500,000 in the bank to Marchione’s about $6,500 but this one is going to be a battle. It’s surprising that no Democrats have expressed an interest in running in what could be a perfect storm of an election year – a GOP primary where the two candidates bloody each other up and spend a bunch of money doing it, and then a general election with a still popular president at the top of the ticket.

If anyone has heard anything drop me a line at 478-5343 or jfranco@troyrecord.com

PULVER

Looks like I nailed it again. Just yesterday I predicted Judge George Pulver would rule against Trey Smith, the special prosecutor, and hold one trial for the Board of Elections Commissioner Ed McDonough and former City Councilman Michael LoPorto.

That prediction was dead wrong if you didn’t get the dripping, self-effacing sarcasm. Pulver ruled on Tuesday that McDonough and LoPorto would be tried separately and jury selection for LoPorto is slated to begin on June 4.

I based my earlier assumption on Pulver’s own ruling in the first trial, which went against a motion by McDonough’s attorney, Brian Premo, to separate the two and hold separate trials.

In this ruling, though, Pulver said he has had the luxury -- or as he called it the “unusual position” – of presiding over the first trial and as such determined that “severance will help to reduce the complexity of retrial.”

LOPORTO

MCDONOUGH

As anyone who reads this blog knows the first trial ended in a hung jury after eight weeks of testimony and the whole thing will start over again, except this time, based on Pulver’s ruling, it will be done one at a time rather than together.

However, while it’s a done deal, Pulver mentioned an expected motion by Smith to change the venue and if granted, the issue of severance is left to the next judge unlucky enough to get the case.

As Pulver also points out, most of the eight weeks, 200 exhibits and 64 witnesses was about McDonough with LoPorto getting at most a passing mention. But, having LoPorto sitting next to his client helps muddy the waters and muddying the waters has been one of Premo’s main defense strategies since well before the first jury was selected. It’s easy to see why Premo wanted the trials kept together this time around – a mistrial is almost as good as an acquittal and infinitely better than a guilty verdict – but it’s harder to figure why he wanted them separate the first time.

Smith

Smith, on the other hand, is looking to simplify things, and having two separate trials only helps him achieve that goal. I’ve said from the get-go, he overcharged McDonough and LoPorto with 116 felonies in an effort to get them and everyone else to plead out. It didn’t work, and he’s pretty much stuck with 103 charges - after 13 forgery charges against LoPorto were dismissed – with no place to go except to a jury. It’s still a bunch of charges to prove, but this time around it’s not all at once.

That said, I stand by what I’ve said since the first trial began: Smith is going to have a much tougher time convicting LoPorto than McDonough.

MAIER

The field for Rensselaer County Court judge is filling up with Kathleen Leahey-Robichaud also said to be seeking the nod from the Democrats.

On that side of the aisle, Troy City Court Judge Chris Maier has already announced and Carmelo Laquidara is also interested in running as is attorney Brian Premo.

PREMO

If history is any indication – and it usually is – the party’s nomination will come down to Premo, Leahey-Robichaud and Laquidara. Maier was elected Troy city court judge in 2004 but between now than then his wife, Family Court Judge Beth Walsh, upset the apple cart of county Chair Tom Wade by running and winning a primary against Wade’s pick for the job, Rich Hanft. Safe to say, looking at history, Maier won’t get the party’s backing and, again looking at history, it won’t matter and he’ll run a primary.

AHEARN

Whether or not Premo is serious about running is anyone’s guess, but the party must think he’s at least somewhat serious because it replaced the chair of its judicial screening committee, Tom Kenney, because Premo used to clerk for him a while back and it wanted to avoid any appearance of favoritism. That said, Premo’s slash and burn strategy of defending Board of Elections Commissioner Ed McDonough also upset a number of people in the Democrats apple cart because they were the ones being slashed and burned.

So, that leaves Leahey-Robichaud and Laquidara, two judges in the City of Rensselaer, to duke it out for the nomination and the right to run against Maier in a primary.

On the flip side of things, Republican Debra Young is getting the party structures support while Joe Ahearn is still interested too. It’s unclear if Ahearn will run a primary should Young get the party’s endorsement as expected.