NORWICH – The Chenango County Republican Committee endorsed all five of the area’s state representatives up for re-election Thursday.
At a committee meeting Thursday night in the Howard Johnson’s ballroom in Norwich, Republican Chairman Tom Morrone said the county is “very fortunate” to have Senators James Seward (R-Oneonta) and Tom Libous, Assemblymen Clifford Crouch (R-Guilford), Gary Finch (R-Auburn) and Pete Lopez (R-Schoharie) “representing us.”
“Our team has done a great job for Chenango County,” Morrone said, after the endorsements were passed unanimously.
The chairman said the committee is the first in the state to announce its candidates.
Crouch was the only one Thursday to officially announce he would be seeking re-election. The other four incumbents are expected to make the same announcement later this spring.
“I’m proud to carry your voice to the Assembly,” Crouch told the committee.
He said lowering property, school and business taxes will continue to be his top priorities. A former Chairman of Chenango County Board of Supervisors, Crouch represents the 107th District, which includes parts of Broome, Chenango, Delaware and Ulster counties. He has been in the Assembly since 1995.
Crouch, Finch, and Lopez, along with representatives for Seward and Libous, reiterated the importance retaining the Republican majority in the state Senate, which has whittled down to a 32-30 seat advantage. The Assembly is controlled by Democrats.
Although the race is still unofficial, so far Seward, serving his 11th term in 51st Senate District, is the only state representative for the county slated to face an opponent in November; Democrat Don Barber, Supervisor for the Town of Caroline in Tompkins County. The district includes the towns of Columbus, Lincklaen, North Norwich, Otselic, Sherburne and Smyrna in Chenango County.
“(Democrats) smell blood this year,” said Seward spokesman Duncan Davie. “The last thing we need is a rubber-stamp Legislature for the Governor.”
While Lt. Governor David Paterson is a “nicer guy” than his predecessor, soon-to-be former Governor Eliot Spitzer, Davie said “he’s just as liberal, if not more liberal than Spitzer.”
Crouch thinks Paterson, expected to be sworn in Monday, will bring “a little light” to negotiations, like the current state budget battle, where Spitzer “brought a hammer.”
“I’ve been quite impressed by our new governor,” said Crouch, pointing to what he’s viewed as Paterson’s accessibility, straightforwardness and willingness to cooperate. “I think it’s going to be a breath of fresh air.”