election

It's still unofficial, but it looks like Alice Kryzan will take home the party nod for the Democrats in the 26th Congressional District and face off against Republican Chris Lee in the general election this November. We have not received notice from the Genesee County Board of Elections, but culling the numbers from Niagara and Monroe counties, we show Kryzan with between a four and six percentage point lead over Jon Powers. Jack Davis trails in a distant third.

Fellow bloggers WNYMedia in Buffalo are hosting a live blog tonight with real-time video feed and chat. Until we hear back from the campaigns about their thoughts on the race turnout, the bloggers may be a good source for info and perspective.

Erie County's Board of Elections is showing Joe Mesi with a commanding lead and a likely vitory in the race for the 61st Senate. mesi is holding strong with 52 percent of the vote. Michele Iannello is in second place with 35 percent. Dan Ward is in third with 13 percent.

Locally, the Republican primary for Batavia town justice was not much of a contest, according to figures posted on WBTA by Dan Fischer (no source cited). The final results are in and Thomas Williams is the winner with a total of 318 votes. Dennis Rider pulled in 62 votes.

Dan Fischer also posted the results specific to Genesee County in the races for the 26th Congress and the 61st Senate. Powers led with 621 to Kryzan's 524 votes in the 26th. Mesi commanded with 1,042 votes.

Other races...

61st Senate (Independent):

• Michael Ranzenhofer: 70 percent
• William Walters: 30 percent

We're still waiting on messages to the campaigns. Some we have just had no luck in reaching. We'll do our best to post more perspectives, reactions and statements as they come in. For more in the meantime check out some of our other area blogs: the Fighting 29th, Buffalo Pundit, WNYMedia and the Albany Project.

Alice Kryzan is leading right now in the Democratic primary race for the 26th Congressional District with just shy of 40 percent of the vote. That's according to the Niagara County Board of Elections which shows 67 of 80 machines reporting. Jon Powers is in a not too distant second place with just over 32 percent. Davis trails in last lace with nearly 28 percent, dropping further from contention than only an hour ago, when he was not even two percentage points behind Powers.

Area bloggers have converged at the WNYMedia site for a round of live blogging, led by a real-time video feed coming out of Buffalo (I believe). It's a must for political junkies looking to get in on the immediate conversation. We hope to hear some substantial commentary once the results solidify in the hour or so—right now it's more about the price of beer and the dysfunction of portable hardware.

As for the Democratic primary for the 61st Senate, Joe Mesi is commanding a comfortable lead with about 52 percent of the vote and more than 80 percent of the districts reporting. Those numbers are coming from the Erie County Board of Elections, where you can track other races, as well. Michele Iannello is in second with 35 percent, followed by Dan Ward who has about 13 percent of the vote.

Please note that all of these figures are unofficial and incomplete. We will report later with the more complete yet still unofficial results, which should be coming in from the Genesee County Board of Elections. We also hope to get some commentary from the Democrats, and hopefully a statement from the projected winners.

Be sure to visit The Batavian tonight for election results and news from the campaigns.

Stacey Kratz got us this info about the Champmobile that's set up right now at Washington Towers on State Street in Batavia until 3:00pm this afternoon.

What’s big and purple and coming to Batavia?

Find out when AARP and Divided We Fail unveil the “Champmobile,” a sprawling 56-foot-long interactive educational vehicle designed to engage voters in the 2008 Election.  Wrapped in purple glazed photos of Washington, D.C. monuments and pulled by a muscular F-350 Ford Super Duty pick-up, the Champmobile will stop in Syracuse as it makes it way through upstate New York and the rest of the country.

Media and the general public are invited for a hands-on tour of the Champmobile, which features wireless internet and satellite feeds allowing voters to e-mail a candidate, a camera station to record a YouTube message for the next president, and a podium where they can give their own mock presidential address.

“New Yorkers want our lawmakers in Washington to know that they are tired of partisan gridlock and they want substantial changes on the issues of health and lifetime financial security,” said Lois Aronstein, AARP New York State Director.  “We’re excited about the opportunity to engage voters of all ages in the election process and give them a chance
to let their voices be heard.”

Background:  The Champmobile is named after Divided We Fail’s mascot, Champ, who represents the bipartisan effort of the nationwide effort (www.dividedwefail.org) designed to engage the American people, elected officials and the business community to find broad-based, bi-partisan solutions to the most compelling domestic issues facing the nation – health care and the long-term financial security of Americans.

This is the fifth 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.

Fifth is Michele Iannello, candidate for the 61st Senate District. Iannello had this to say:

Unfortunately this primary has been plagued by outsiders slinging mud and trying to tell real Western New Yorkers who to vote for. I am proud to have stayed out of the muck despite the barrage of slime slung at me. Through out this campaign I am the only candidate who has been talking about real ideas to get Western New York back on the right track. With my 40 ideas in 40 days blog on my website, I have talked about specific, real proposals to change Albany. I would like voters to remember when they vote that actions speak louder than words. While some candidates talk about change I have been on the front lines fighting for it. I have a proven record of change that voters can trust to send to Albany.

We have not yet received a response from Jack Davis. He is the only candidate yet to respond.

Be sure to check with The Batavian Tuesday night. We will be posting election results as they are announced.

This is the fourth 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.

Fourth is Joe Mesi, candidate for the 61st Senate District. Mesi had this to say:

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

Over the last several months, I have had the privilege of talking to thousands of voters about the challenges facing our region. Lower property taxes, job growth, higher education funding, sensible energy alternatives – these are the things that really matter.

From the start, I have run a positive campaign on the issues and my ideas. I have laid out a detailed jobs plan that starts with targeting investments to build on our local strengths and holding IDAs accountable.  It’s time to cut taxes for middle-class families by putting a ceiling on tax rates according to income—because rising property values should not penalize hard-working families. I have talked about the need to invest more in higher education—and the need to stand up to the Republicans and take partisan politics out of issues like stem cell research.

My heart is in Western New York. I grew up here, graduated from college here, and built my career and small business right here. I am running for State Senate because Albany is broken and it is time for new leadership and new energy to turn the state around.

Heading into the primary, what are your final thoughts?

Today is just like any other day—I continue to focus on the challenges facing our families.

It has been a real honor to work alongside hundreds of supporters from all walks of life who keep coming out rain or shine to knock on doors, make phone calls, and write letters to their neighbors.   For these folks in the 61st Senate District, working on this election is about the immense challenges we need to take on – it’s not about politicking or money or patronage jobs.  As we get ready for tomorrow when voters will make their final decisions and head to the polls, the incredible dedication of these Western New Yorkers is certainly on my mind.

Our next post will be from Michele Iannello, candidate for the 61st Senate District.

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.

Genesee County Democrats will head to the polls tomorrow to help decide a pair of important primary races for the region. Three contenders square off in the race for the 26th Congressional District: Alice Kryzan, Jack Davis and Jon Powers. Three more take up the fight for the 61st Senate District: Michele Iannello, Joe Mesi and Dan Ward.

In anticipation of the two 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.

First is Jon Powers, candidate for the 26th Congressional District. Powers had this to say:

I am running for Congress because the America you and I grew up believing in and the America I went to war for had lost its voice in Washington. The America we believe in would not have sent my fellow soldiers and me to war without a plan or the proper equipment, the America we believe in would not allow gas to reach $4 a gallon without a path to secure our energy independence, the America we believe in would not our best and brightest leave Western New York because of a lack of opportunity.

So my family and I decided to run for Congress to change that, and built a grassroots campaign that is based the voices of our friends and neighbors. We started this year holding 30 house parties in 30 days and spent last week visiting all 7 counties in 7 days.

Your neighbors in Orleans, Wyoming and Livingston Counties will tell you that they see me more than anyone else asking for your vote. I’m pleased to spend so much time talking to voters in every county of this district.

We have hosted roundtables talking with farmers about agriculture, small business owners about the rising cost of health care and students about the rising costs of education.

We held a series of teacher roundtables that we kicked off at Main Street Coffee in Bataiva last month. We talked with educators from LeRoy, Batavia, Rochester and Albion. Here is what Russ Stressing of The Batavian wrote.

These conversations have earned the endorsements of all 7 county parties and I am proud that Genesee County was the first Democratic County Party to join our campaign.

I ask for your vote tomorrow. If you believe that together we have the power to change Washington, this campaign is about you.

Our next post will be from Dan Ward, candidate for the 61st Senate.

(via Rochester Turning)