Syracuse, NY - A Syracuse man who wants to make drugs legal jumped today into the 25th Congressional District race. Marc Romain, the former chairman of the Onondaga County Libertarian Party, filed petitions with the state Board of Elections to run as a Libertarian against incumbent Rep. Dan Maffei and Republican candidate Ann Marie Buerkle. Chittenango police charged Romain, 56,...
Syracuse, NY - A Syracuse man who wants to make drugs legal jumped today into the 25th Congressional District race.
Marc Romain, the former chairman of the Onondaga County Libertarian Party, filed petitions with the state Board of Elections to run as a Libertarian against incumbent Rep. Dan Maffei and Republican candidate Ann Marie Buerkle.
Chittenango police charged Romain, 56, in January with menacing his wife, and Romain said he also was arrested over the winter on a charge of possessing marijuana.
"I will tell you this. I have inhaled," said Romain.
He said the menacing charge was recently adjourned in contemplation of dismissal. He and his wife are separated, Romain said.
Romain, who moved in July from Chittenango to 3101 Burnet Ave., said this is his first run for public office, although he unsuccessfully sought the Libertarian Party nomination to run for U.S. Senate in 2000.
"I’m running my campaign against the war on drugs. The whole drug war doesn’t make sense," said Romain.
Romain said he filed petitions with 4206 signatures to get on the ballot for the Nov. 2 election. State law requires candidates for congress to collect 3,500 signatures. Today is the deadline for candidates running on unofficial party lines to file the petitions.
The 25th Congressional District includes Onondaga and Wayne counties and part of Cayuga and Monroe counties.
Contact Mike McAndrew at mmcandrew@syracuse.com or 470-3016.