Headed for a Showdown?

The announcement by a Democratic candidate for City Council may be spurring a civil war in the party. Thursday's newspaper carried a story that Keith Rogers, who had a somewhat tumultuous time in city government several years ago,, would again be running for City Council. The story carried a quote from City Dem Boss Frank LaPosta endorsing Rogers' candidacy.

The Rogers announcement apparently made Democratic Boss Tom Wade hit the roof, prompting an angry early morning phone call today to LaPosta to ream him out, and, to his credit, LaPosta fired back hard at Wade.

Wade told LaPosta that under no circumstances would LaPosta be a deciding factor in nominations for City Council races this fall. LaPosta is believed to have blasted Wade over Wade's inability to raise funds and to find candidates for races, including County Executive.

The war of words between the two top Dems is the backdrop for tonight's Executive Committee meeting of the Democrats. The fact that GOP has a huge fundraising advantage, with nearly $300,000 on hand in various committees versus about $12,000 for county Dems, a shortage of candidates for key races, the decision by County Legislature Minority Leader Ginny O'Brien not to seek re-election to the Legislature and a failure by Rensselaer County Democrats to land any significant state jobs may end up with the combative Tom Wade being put on the hot seat by his own executive committee.

We hear some top Dems are so dissatisfied with Wade's recruitment of candidates that they are considering drafting Wade to run for County Executive. Tonight's meeting among top Democrats may really be something.