X

Massena GOP committee members: No caucus because no one wants to run

Posted 9/15/18

Updated 10:02 a.m. Sept. 18 to correct Democrat trustee candidate's name By ANDY GARDNER MASSENA -- The Massena Republican Party chair is not talking about their reasoning for not running candidates …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Massena GOP committee members: No caucus because no one wants to run

Posted

Updated 10:02 a.m. Sept. 18 to correct Democrat trustee candidate's name

By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- The Massena Republican Party chair is not talking about their reasoning for not running candidates for village or town offices in November, but members of the party committee say it’s because they are unable to find anyone to run.

Massena GOP Chair Susan Bellor recently sent an announcement saying the local party will not caucus, and they are instead supporting Joel Grigg, a Republican candidate for the county legislature’s 14th district, which includes part of Massena.

“The Massena Republican Committee is not planning a caucus this year. We are supporting our County Legislator Candidate Joel Grigg for Leg. District 14,” Bellor said in a Sept. 6 email.

Grigg is running for the 14th district, which includes part of Massena. Greg Paquin, a Democrat not seeking re-election, now holds the seat. Grigg will run against Democrat Nicole Terminelli and Conservative Jim Hidy, a former Massena mayor.

On Friday, Sept. 14, two Massena GOP committee members said the party didn’t caucus because they had trouble finding people to run for office.

“It’s very difficult to get people involved in politics and at the party level to run for office,” Joe Gray, a committee member and former town supervisor, said in a phone interview. “It’s difficult to find candidates … The Democrats have been lucky.”

“The question is ‘are there any viable candidates?’ And no one came forward,” said Grigg, who in addition to his candidacy is a Massena GOP committee member.

The Massena Democrats are fielding mostly incumbents, and one newcomer each in the town and village. Democrats control both the town and village boards. There is one Republican in the mix, Town Clerk Pam Catanzerite.

For Town Council, the Dems nominated Melanie Cunningham. She was appointed in January to fill an unexpired term, and she is seeking a new term. Challenging her is Carl Zender, who is running as an independent.

The Democrats have also nominated Christine Winston to run for village trustee. She will seek Democrat Trustee Tim Ahlfeld’s seat, who is not seeking another term. The Dems also nominated Tim Currier for a second term as village mayor, Matt Lebire for a second term as village trustee and Patrick Serguson for another term as village justice.

Gray said he was not part of the decision to not caucus, but believes they should have.

“I think there’s sort of an obligation that the party have a caucus, if at all possible. Sometimes you get surprised … and someone shows up to run,” said Gray, a former Massena and St. Lawrence County Republican party chair. “I believe in contested races … It doesn’t do any good to be unopposed. There’s no discussion of issues that way.

“Typically if you’re a member of the same party, you don’t like to disagree publically and that’s not food for local politics.”

“I believe both parties in Massena are in disarray, from a party structure standpoint … The Republicans need to get out and get more active,” Gray said. “After this election there will be one elected Republican left, and that’s the town clerk, and her term is up next year.”

Grigg said he wishes more people would get involved in public service and applauded Gloria Grant, a Massena woman who unsuccessfully ran in the Democrat primary for the county legislature’s 14th district, losing to Terminelli.

“They’re disenchanted from running for public office because of the negative, because of the way it opens you up for undue criticism. And it’s a shame. We need people, and I admire Gloria for standing up. She announced she was going to run. She didn’t have the backing, as I understand it, of the Democratic party. And (former Massena mayor) Jim (Hidy) getting back into then race. We need people getting into public service.

“Hopefully people will take the model and say ‘I’m going to throw my hat in the race and give it a try.’”

A North Country Now reporter on numerous occasions tried to contact Bellor via phone and email to get more information on why Massena Republicans are not challenging any of the four town and village offices up for election in November, all of which will be sought by Democrats. On Saturday, Sept. 8, she replied with an email that said “The town Republican committee is not planning a caucus this year. We decided to put all our support behind Legislative Candidate Joel Grigg for the 14th legislative district,” a message nearly identical to her initial announcement.

On Wednesday, Sept. 12, after more calls and emails, she replied with an email that said “I am telling you honestly that we (our committee discussed) and determined to support Joel Grigg this year and not hold a caucus. Please note that the Watertown Times received this notice and already published their article including this."

A reporter replied to the Sept. 12 email seeking more information on the party’s decision to not caucus. Bellor declined to discuss the matter further.