Originally Posted by
Lee Chowaniec
Why unaffiliated / independent party voters should take interest in a primary when they have no skin in the game (no vote), is obvious as its outcome impacts whether their determined ‘best qualified candidate’ is on the November election ballot.
Lifelong unaffiliated voters (blanks), independent, and others who chose not to register as either Republican or Democrat leaves them but one minor party of size (Conservative Party) in hoping to find their candidate on the November election ballot. Many independent voters are reticent / abhor casting a vote on either major party line.
The Conservative Party just announced their endorsed candidates. It was a relief to find incumbent Town Clerk Diane Terranova as their endorsed candidate for re-election. No one is more deserving of being re-elected to a position she so capably fills, and one bearing no town policy / fiscal spending outcomes.
When the Republican Party recently announced their endorsed candidates, they did not endorse Ms. Terranova for Town Clerk despite her being the lone petitioner during the party’s candidate reviewing process. Despite her receiving glowing committee support for re-election from Republican Party Chair Sojka, Republican Party Councilmembers Robert Leary and Mark Burkard, and Highway Superintendent John Pilato at the Republican Party endorsement committee meeting.
Terranova was not endorsed by the Republican Party because she is undeserving, but simply because she is a registered Democrat and that didn't sit well with Mr. Mohr and his minions. Disappointing but not as ludicrous as when I heard a Cheektowaga Democratic Party Char say at a fundraiser: "Well, they are not the best candidates, but they are our candidates, and we have to support them."
Favored for endorsement by Lancaster Republican Party Chair Greg Sojka as the most qualified candidate and worthy of re-election, Terranova lost out in a close vote because of opposition from Republican BOE Commissioner Ralph Mohr’s committee support group who would rather play politics than endorse a worthy candidate who was not a registered Republican. So much for the mantra of endorsing and supporting the most qualified candidate for an elective position – the only candidate petitioning and interviewed for the Town Clerk’s office.
The Democrats have yet to meet and endorse candidates. They would be foolish not to endorse one of their own – an incumbent Town Clerk receiving glowing support for re-election from Republican Party Chair Sojka and several town employee committee members. The Democrats did not endorse Terranova in 2019, playing politics as well and cutting deals. The weak candidate the Democrats did endorse was primaried by Terranova and was crushed.
As then, the Democrats now have no strong candidate to endorse, and Terranova would primary and vanquish her opposition.
Republican Party Chair Sojka may have suffered a setback in not getting Democrat Terranova endorsed, but he will not tolerate the colluding and machinations that occurred between the Republican and Democratic Parties in Lancaster’s last election.
Considering the Republicans and Conservatives are in lockstep endorsing like candidates (supervisor and councilmembers), all eyes will be on the candidates the Democrats endorse – especially considering how poorly they did in their last deceitfully mismanaged campaign, and where board control flipped to Republicans; only the second time in the past 70 years.
The updated BOE Lancaster voter registry demographic will be published in the near future. More than likely it will illustrate a continuing trend where at one time the number of Democratic voters outnumbered the Republicans 2-1, that gap no longer exists, if a gap exists at all. Troubling for the Democrats.
Equally telling is the increase in town registered Conservatives and unaffiliated voters (blanks) – following the national trend of voters becoming disenchanted with both major political parties and the impact it will have on this year’s primary and election. The Conservative Party is becoming a force in determining primary and election outcome!
Will there be a primary. What party? Who will challenge the endorsed candidate? We will know in two weeks.
Game on!
Party endorsements must be announced by February 27
Primary Designating Petitions – February 28
Filing Designating Petitions - April 3-6
Last Date to File Authorization of Substitution After a Declination of a Designation