Dan Ward

This is the second post in our series about the two heated Democrat primary battles that will be decided at the polls Tuesday. Read our earlier post for the full details.

In anticipation of these races, we sent out the same question to all six candidates and asked each to please respond by the end of the day today. We've heard from three so far. We'll publish those and add the others as they come in. We asked the candidates a pretty open-ended two-part question: What are your final thoughts heading into the primary? What would you want the voter to have in mind about you as he or she heads to the polls?

We will publish each one in the order that we received it.

Second is Dan Ward, candidate for the 61st Senate District. Ward had this to say:

Heading into the primary, what are your final thoughts?

Well, I've been roasted and I've been soaked. I ridden over a hundred miles on my bicycle visiting Democratic voters across Northern Erie County and Genesee County. I am invigorated by the reception I've been given by the voters I have had the opportunity to meet all the way from the Niagara River inland to LeRoy.

What would you want the voter to have in mind about you as he or she heads to the polls?

First off, I have 3 times as much education as my two opponents combined. Neither of whom have a four year college degree.

I have a greater amount of work experience in the actual "world of work" and I far surpass both in knowledge of government and its workings.

I don't sloganeer that I am going to fight for anybody, my constituents know I do that every day. I do what is right for them and no one else.

When I go to Albany I'm not going to represent a Republican  Rochester Billionaire and his  Democratic New York City special interest allies, both have each supplied thousands of dollars to the campaign of one opponent. Nor am I going to represent the local political and special interest groups that support the other.  

The only special interest group I support is the resident of this community. History is my proof.

Our next post will be from Alice Kryzan, candidate for the 26th Congressional District.

OK, maybe you knew this already, but it's news to me.

Michele Iannello, and Erie County legislator and Democratic candidate for the 61st State Senate District is married to Erie County Board of Elections Commissioner Dennis Ward.

If that isn't weird enough, Dennis is the brother of one of the other candidates in the race, Dan Ward.

According to this Tonawanda News story.

The third candidate, boxer Joe Mesi’s, is not, as far as I know, but correct me if I'm wrong, related to any of the three.

Oh, and the real point of the Tonawanda News story is how Mesi and Iannello and hurling charges back and forth.

As Erie County Legislator Michele Iannello renewed her request for an evaluation of Joe Mesi’s campaign finances, Mesi’s camp struck back with a charge of their own.

Their concern over the integrity of Tuesday’s elections stems from Iannello’s husband, Erie County Board of Elections Commissioner Dennis Ward, also the brother of third candidate Dan Ward not responding to Mesi’s request that Commissioner Ward recuse himself from oversight of Tuesday’s elections.

On a somewhat related note: We've asked all three candidates to respond to a short questionnaire, and none have yet responded.

WBEN's "Hardline with Hardwick" featured a debate between the three Democratic candidates for the 61st Senate District.

The full audio is available here.

It is, at times, a spirited discussion, with Joe Mesi and Michelle Ianello, especially mixing it up, while Dan Ward plays it more low key.

(via Albany's Insanity .)