Albany Democrats bolt party meeting
May 22, 2008
In yet another contentious meeting Monday night of Albany County Demo crats, more than 100 representatives of the city of Albany walked out in a huff rather than participate in a vote on whether to endorse a candidate for Congress.
In the end, those remaining, from suburban towns and a scattering from Albany who refused to leave, threw their support behind County Legislator Phil Steck, the Colonie town chairman. Steck is one of eight Democrats running for the 21st Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. Michael McNulty, D-Green Island.
Steck received 124 votes to 27 for Paul Tonko and 12 for Tracey Brooks. Before the walkout, 313 were present with 190 proxies for a total of 503 votes.
Six incumbents were unanimously endorsed for their posts — District Attorney David Soares, State Sen. Neil Breslin and Assemblymen Jack McEneny, Robert Reilly, Tim Gordon and Ron Canestrari.
A resolution introduced by Jack McNulty, the party’s elder statesman, calling on the County Democratic Committee “to promote party unity,” remain neutral and not endorse a congressional candidate went down by a weighted roll-call vote of 30,709 to 9,045.
McNulty pointed out several sought the committee’s support, but the “real determination should be made on Primary Day.” Because various candidates were favored, a vote for one would only foster division within the party, he said.
Steck asked his supporters to vote against the measure. Candidates have worked hard and an endorsement is deserved, he said.
That’s when virtually the entire city delegation, representing 15 wards, walked out. They apparently wanted a quick voice vote in support of the resolution. In recent years, the city, with its loss in population, can’t win weighted voting against the suburbs.
“We want no endorsement; it’s an open race and let the constituents make the decision on primary day,” Third Ward Chairman Ron Bailey said.
“There’s no sense in penalizing any of the candidates who are running,” Fourth Ward Chairman Paul Mancino said. “Committee members should work for their own candidates.”
Three from Cohoes — out of 64 in the city — also walked out. The rest “are not here because they don’t want to be involved in a petty fight,” and they support no endorsement, Cohoes Chairman Gil Ethier said.
Steck dismissed the exodus, saying, “It shows they did not have the votes to win the nomination for any other candidate. It shows a very shallow commitment to the Democratic process. They only want a vote when they think they can win and when they cannot win, they take their ball and go home.”
Source: Times Union
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