Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Wading for Candidates

The Rensselaer County Democratic Committee was all set to meet Thursday to settle on candidates for the upcoming fall 2009 local elections. But the continuing lack of candidates ready to do battle with the GOP has resulted in the sudden postponement of the meeting, based on e-mails sent from Democratic headquarters.

The cancellation comes as Democrats are now openly grumbling and joking about Boss Tom Wade's inability to get a quality candidate for offices like County Executive or various seats in the County Legislature.

The cancellation because of the candidate shortage is just the latest setback for Wade, after a power move last month by City Chairman Frank LaPosta. LaPosta slammed the door shut on an attempt by Wade to hijack the candidate selection process, with LaPosta receiving strong support from other top Democrats.
         
Will a postponement of a little more than two weeks suddenly generate a strong slate of county-wide or local candidates for Democrats? Probably not, as Democrats have been unable to raise campaign cash, and have seen their party's image damaged by the constant fighting and ineffectiveness of the Troy City Council's Democrat majority. And the fractures betw een the majority members grow everyday, as we will detail later this week. County Legislature Democrats have been equally inept and divided, leading to the decision by popular Democratic Minority Leader Ginny O'Brien to seek election to the Town Board in her hometown of East Greenbush. Last week's reports of clear evidence of political materials being prepared at taxpayer expense in the county offices of legislative Democrats did not help their party's cause in the Legislature.

Some of the Democrats who were ready to attend the Thursday, March 19 executive committee meeting now have some time on their hands, and may want to attend the blockbuster Breakfast With Bob fundraiser for the ever-popular Bobby Mirch that morning. Mirch has been raising campaign cash as fast as we get "secret" Democratic e-mails sent to us, and after March 19, is likely to have more in his campaign account than the County Democratic party.