Wade vs. Wiltshire in ED 8

WADE

       Primary Day is Tuesday, and one of the most interesting is a lowly committee seat in the City of Troy.

As first reported here, Chairman Tom Wade, who has been a committeeman for decades, will go head-to-head with Council President Rodney Wiltshire in Election District 8. Their respective running mates are Rebecca Sweeney and Rev. Tim Sherman.

It’s an anomaly in that political parties often have a difficult time filling committee seats let alone have more than two people to fill the slots in each of the 30 election districts city wide. And, it is because two of the party’s leaders are battling each other for the thankless, unpaid position.

The fallout began last year when Wiltshire accepted the Independence Party line from the Republicans setting him up for the presidency, knocking party loyalist – in other words a Wade ally - Lynn Kopka out of the spot.

WILTSHIRE

Wiltshire, however, said he knew he wasn’t getting any support from the party and was fighting for his political life. As such, he was left no other option but to take any line available.

The president also alienated himself with the party proper by appointing GOP members of the Council to chair committees. His strongest ally, Councilman Ken Zalewski, also backed a Republican candidate, Dean Bodnar, R-District 3, during the election a year ago over the party’s candidate, Michelle DeLair.

When Wade and the Democrats refused to circulate nominating petitions for the two in June, the chairman threatened to bounce them from the party if they opted to run on their own. Obviously, they took that option.

There are only 344 enrolled Democrats in Election District 8 and of those 300 are “active” according to the Board of Elections. If 35 percent of those show up to the polls – or are taken to the polls by Wade or Wiltshire – it will be a healthy turnout.

ZALEWSKI

Both sides are working hard too. Below is a letter written by Zalewski to a number of Democrats, including City Hall employees. Notice he “signed” the email as his Council title, president pro temp. As I said, Wade been involved in the nitty-gritty of Democratic Party politics for decades and nobody in the county can count votes – or get his people to vote – better than he.

In the end, regardless of who wins, and it could conceivably be Wade and Wiltshire, it won’t matter too much in any practical manner. Wade can still be chairman without being a committee man and not being a member of the committee does not prevent Wiltshire from holding onto his Council seat or running for higher office like mayor.

If one is on the losing end, however, it will be a blow to their egos and will certainly be used by enemies in either of their future political endeavors.

Polls are open from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday.

There are a number of other committee primaries across the city. Here is a link to a map of the Election Districts in Troy. And here is a link to all the primaries in Rensselaer County.

KZ letter