Sullivan primary races

Posted 8/21/12

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — The primaries for a number of elections in Sullivan County will be held on Tuesday, September 10, with the outcomes determining she shape of things to come, politically …

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Sullivan primary races

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SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — The primaries for a number of elections in Sullivan County will be held on Tuesday, September 10, with the outcomes determining she shape of things to come, politically speaking. The most closely watched race is likely that of incumbent Democratic county legislator for District Two, where two candidates are seeking both the Democratic and the Independence nominations. The incumbent legislator, Democrat Kathy LaBuda, is being challenged by Nadia Rajsz, the Democratic incumbent supervisor of the Town of Lumberland.

LaBuda is the longest-serving member of the county legislature, having been elected to the office in 1999. LaBuda was one of the legislators calling most loudly for the resignation of the commissioner of the Department of Family Services earlier this year, and has locked horns with legislator Cindy Gieger and other legislators numerous times over what she called the practice by some of her colleagues to “micromanage” the county commissioners and department heads rather than allowing them to do their jobs.

Rajsz has been a supervisor of Lumberland for five years and a councilperson for eight before that. She did not win the endorsemment of the Sullivan County Democratic Committee this year, which went to LaBuda, but she and others in the Democratic Party have been openly bucking the party leadership this year. Rajsz has a lot of support in her district and in the Upper Delaware River corridor, and it seems the contest could go either way. (See page 10.)

In the Bethel primary, Supervisor Dan Sturm, who has served as supervisor for eight years and was a member of the town board before that, is being challenged by former supervisor Ira “Moose” Liff for the Democratic nomination to become supervisor. Sturm has presided over the town as it navigated significant zoning changes and growth connected to the establishment of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. Liff, a local businessman, served as supervisor for about four months before pleading guilty to charges of worker compensation fraud in 2004. The conviction and five-year probation attached to it forced Liff to resign from office.

Also in Bethel, incumbent Democratic board members Vicky Vasmer Simpson and Bernard Cohen are facing a challenge from Brian Harrell; two candidates will be elected out of the three who are running. Also in the Town of Bethel, the incumbent highway superintendent, William Crumely, who has served one term, is being challenged for the Democratic nomination to that seat by Patrick Cunningham. In the race for Bethel Town Justice, incumbent Cindy Barber is being challenged by Susan Harte on four lines: Republican, Conservative, Green and Independence.

In the race for town justice in the Town of Fallsburg, Charles A. Nystrom will be challenged by Thomas Roche for the nominations on the Republican, Conservative and Independence lines. In the Town of Fallsburg, the race for town justice nomination for the Democratic line will be between Stuart S. Wizner and Maria O Zeno. Wizner and Zeno will also run against Amanda Ward for the Republican nomination, while Ward and Zeno will compete for the Conservative line.

In Forestburgh, Democratic incumbent William Sipos will be challenged by Dan Hogue Jr. for the Democratic nod for supervisor. The Democratic race to pick up the nomination for highway supervisor will be between Shawn E. Galligan and William J. Steinberg. The Republican race for the supervisor slot will pit Joseph Ruggeri against Karl Johnson. The race for the Republican nominations for two seats on the Town of Lumberland board will be between Leigh A Sherman, Ron Thiele and Joseph Carr.

There will also be party committee seat elections in the Town of Highland, the Town of Forestburgh and the Town of Tusten. The primary election will be held on Thursday, September 10 from 12 noon until 9 p.m.

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