SYRACUSE -- Now that 23rd district representative John McHugh is almost guaranteed his confirmation as Army Secretary, Governor David Paterson will likely soon call a special election to fill his vacated seat.
No Democrat Yet, No Frontrunner
While district Republicans have already nominated their candidate, the Democratic Party has yet to announce whom it will field to try and wrench back the now-Republican district in a wide-open race. On Monday, Democratic Committee chairs from all 11 counties in the district will meet to determine who their candidate will be. Sue Montgomery Corey chairs the Essex County Democrats; she says there's no frontrunner for the candidacy.
"Initially, we all talked about the importance of not endorsing people early," she said. "We want to get the best person."
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She says she has been impressed by all of the candidates who submitted their qualifications to the chairs via email in advance of the Monday meeting. Each candidate will be interviewed by the chairs before they make a decision.
A Fighting Chance
Montgomery Corey also believes her party has an excellent chance of retaking the district from the incumbent Republicans, on account of historical voting patterns in the area.
"You know, in this district, the voters are a very independent bunch, and they tend to look across party labels when they vote at the local level," she says. "And we believe that this time around there are a number of folks that we've talked to who're willing to do that with the congressional race."
The 23rd district includes much of Central New York, including Oswego, Madison, and Jefferson Counties. Montgomery Corey expects a Democratic candidate to be nominated by Monday evening at the latest.
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