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Did county issues help unseat incumbents?
By Andrew Amelinckx and Francesca Olsen
In a number of supervisor races across Columbia County last week incumbents were unseated, in some cases by candidates with little or no political experience, while others managed to hold on to their positions. According to some this was due to the candidates’ stances on county issues, while others felt it fell along party lines.
Several supervisor races top the list of shake-ups, including Kinderhook’s, where longtime incumbent Doug McGivney, a Democrat in office since 2000, was unseated by Republican Patrick M. Grattan, a former mayor of Valatie, by more than 700 votes.
In Livingston, incumbent Democrat Philip Williams, serving his first term in office, was beaten by Kevin McDonald, running for public office for the first time after spending 27 years with the county Probation Department. McDonald garnered close to 300 more votes in that race.
According to Hudson Fourth Ward Supervisor William Hughes, who reclaimed his seat by defeating challenger Samuel Santiago by 81 votes, the defeats were likely due to the supervisors’ connection with Board of Supervisors Chairman Art Baer, R-Hillsdale.
“I’m fairly confident that this was an affirmation vote by the general public that they were not in support of projects proposed by this current administration,” he said. “It seems to be pretty clear that anyone that signed on to the Art Baer doctrine had a tough time in this election, and that’s Republicans and Democrats alike.”
McGivney doesn’t agree, at least in his case.
He said that he didn’t believe the race turned on county issues.
“I don’t think it was a factor up here,” he said. “I don’t.”
According to McGivney, if it was an issue county voters had with the Board of Supervisors and Art Baer, the number of Republican supervisors who retained their seats would have been less.
He believes the Kinderhook race fell along party lines.
“The Republicans were better about getting out the Republican vote,” he said.
As far as his loss being part of a perceived trend in the political races in other states, including New Jersey where an incumbent Democrat lost to a Republican, McGivney doesn’t feel it applies to him.
He said while many voters are satisfied with President Barack Obama’s job performance there were some concerned with the health care debate.
“I really don’t think that translates down to me,” he said.
Following up on the assertions of McGivney, one finds that four incumbent Republicans and one Democrat held onto their seats while two incumbent Democrats lost.
Among those supervisors who were able to stay in office was Elizabeth Young, a Republican who has held the office for 22 years straight. She beat Loretta Hoffmann, a Democratic and Independence Party candidate.
Others that held on to their seat included three other Republicans — Germantown’s Roy Brown, Gallatin’s Lynda Scheer and Canaan’s Richard Keaveney.
Democrat Raymond J. Staats of Clermont also held on to his seat.
What truly remains to be seen is how the other races in Claverack, Stuyvesant, Austerlitz and Ancram play out, with the potential for two longtime incumbent Republicans to lose their positions.
In Claverack, incumbent Republican James Keegan, in the position for a decade, could lose to Robin Andrews, a Democrat in her third term as a Philmont village trustee.
Stuyvesant’s supervisor race has Democrat Lee Jamison, who hasn’t previously served in elected office, neck-and-neck with incumbent Valerie Bertram, a Republican in office for six years.
Democrat George P. Jahn, Austerlitz’s supervisor since 2006, may lose to Jeffrey Braley Sr., who previously held the position.
Republican Thomas R. Dias, Ancram’s supervisor since 2007, is currently behind Democratic challenger Art Bassin, another political neophyte with no elected positions under his belt.
The final decision on who won must wait for the counting of absentee ballots. The county Board of Elections said it probably wouldn’t start counting ballots until Nov. 17, after the deadline for military ballots has passed.
Hughes believes that the board will have to begin to really listen to the public on county issues.
“Hopefully everyone got the message that we need to be introducing legislation in going through the processes that offers the public an opportunity to interject themselves and let their feelings be known,” he said. “We could start immediately, right away, by putting a list in the back of the room ... showing what resolutions we vote on. There’s so much secrecy to government.”
To reach reporter Andrew Amelinckx call 518- 828-1616, ext. 2267 or e-mail aamelinckx@registerstar.com.
Several supervisor races top the list of shake-ups, including Kinderhook’s, where longtime incumbent Doug McGivney, a Democrat in office since 2000, was unseated by Republican Patrick M. Grattan, a former mayor of Valatie, by more than 700 votes.
In Livingston, incumbent Democrat Philip Williams, serving his first term in office, was beaten by Kevin McDonald, running for public office for the first time after spending 27 years with the county Probation Department. McDonald garnered close to 300 more votes in that race.
According to Hudson Fourth Ward Supervisor William Hughes, who reclaimed his seat by defeating challenger Samuel Santiago by 81 votes, the defeats were likely due to the supervisors’ connection with Board of Supervisors Chairman Art Baer, R-Hillsdale.
“I’m fairly confident that this was an affirmation vote by the general public that they were not in support of projects proposed by this current administration,” he said. “It seems to be pretty clear that anyone that signed on to the Art Baer doctrine had a tough time in this election, and that’s Republicans and Democrats alike.”
McGivney doesn’t agree, at least in his case.
He said that he didn’t believe the race turned on county issues.
“I don’t think it was a factor up here,” he said. “I don’t.”
According to McGivney, if it was an issue county voters had with the Board of Supervisors and Art Baer, the number of Republican supervisors who retained their seats would have been less.
He believes the Kinderhook race fell along party lines.
“The Republicans were better about getting out the Republican vote,” he said.
As far as his loss being part of a perceived trend in the political races in other states, including New Jersey where an incumbent Democrat lost to a Republican, McGivney doesn’t feel it applies to him.
He said while many voters are satisfied with President Barack Obama’s job performance there were some concerned with the health care debate.
“I really don’t think that translates down to me,” he said.
Following up on the assertions of McGivney, one finds that four incumbent Republicans and one Democrat held onto their seats while two incumbent Democrats lost.
Among those supervisors who were able to stay in office was Elizabeth Young, a Republican who has held the office for 22 years straight. She beat Loretta Hoffmann, a Democratic and Independence Party candidate.
Others that held on to their seat included three other Republicans — Germantown’s Roy Brown, Gallatin’s Lynda Scheer and Canaan’s Richard Keaveney.
Democrat Raymond J. Staats of Clermont also held on to his seat.
What truly remains to be seen is how the other races in Claverack, Stuyvesant, Austerlitz and Ancram play out, with the potential for two longtime incumbent Republicans to lose their positions.
In Claverack, incumbent Republican James Keegan, in the position for a decade, could lose to Robin Andrews, a Democrat in her third term as a Philmont village trustee.
Stuyvesant’s supervisor race has Democrat Lee Jamison, who hasn’t previously served in elected office, neck-and-neck with incumbent Valerie Bertram, a Republican in office for six years.
Democrat George P. Jahn, Austerlitz’s supervisor since 2006, may lose to Jeffrey Braley Sr., who previously held the position.
Republican Thomas R. Dias, Ancram’s supervisor since 2007, is currently behind Democratic challenger Art Bassin, another political neophyte with no elected positions under his belt.
The final decision on who won must wait for the counting of absentee ballots. The county Board of Elections said it probably wouldn’t start counting ballots until Nov. 17, after the deadline for military ballots has passed.
Hughes believes that the board will have to begin to really listen to the public on county issues.
“Hopefully everyone got the message that we need to be introducing legislation in going through the processes that offers the public an opportunity to interject themselves and let their feelings be known,” he said. “We could start immediately, right away, by putting a list in the back of the room ... showing what resolutions we vote on. There’s so much secrecy to government.”
To reach reporter Andrew Amelinckx call 518- 828-1616, ext. 2267 or e-mail aamelinckx@registerstar.com.
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