DeWitt, NY --It took two ballots, but Onondaga County Republicans chose Thomas V. Dadey Jr. as their leader for the next two years. Dadey, former candidate for the state Senate, beat out Bill Tassone, chairman of the Salina town Republican committee and husband of County Legislator Judi Tassone. Tassone and Dadey were the top vote getters on the first ballot...
DeWitt, NY --It took two ballots, but Onondaga County Republicans chose Thomas V. Dadey Jr. as their leader for the next two years.
Dadey, former candidate for the state Senate, beat out Bill Tassone, chairman of the Salina town Republican committee and husband of County Legislator Judi Tassone.
Tassone and Dadey were the top vote getters on the first ballot in the race for county chairman. The contest also included Manlius town Republican committee Chairman Len Manfrates and former County Legislator Jim DiBlasi.
DiBlasi and Manfrates were eliminated after the first ballot, outgoing Chairman John DiSpirito said around 9:30 p.m. as he announced the runoff to more than 300 committee members who attended the meeting at the Doubletree Hotel in DeWitt.
“The Republican Party is alive and well,” Dadey said after DiSpirto announced his victory.
After thanking the others who ran and the committee members who voted, Dadey said it was time for “a new future and a new direction for our party.”
He called on party activists and donors “to move this party forward.”
And he warned Democrats that come Election Day, “there’s going to be a new message: We’re taking it to the Democrats.”
He said Republican candidates would beat Democrats who had stood in the way of reforming Albany. “We’re going to start it here in Onondaga County,” he said.
Afterward, Dadey said his first action would be to assess the party's financial situation. He said he knew the party was in debt, but didn' t know exactly how much.
After that, he said he would work with donors to get support for candidates in next month's elections. "I believe we can have an impact with our donors and immediately help our candidates."
Contact Charles McChesney at cmcchesney@syracuse.com.