Syracuse, NY - The Onondaga County Democratic Committee voted today to endorse Philip LaTessa over two other contenders who want to succeed retiring Assemblywoman Joan Christensen and endorsed sheriff's Sgt. Toby Shelley over two others who hope to become sheriff. LaTessa, who is Syracuse's city auditor, won 52.71 percent of the committee's vote, besting former county Legislator Sam Roberts, who...
Syracuse, NY - The Onondaga County Democratic Committee voted today to endorse Philip LaTessa over two other contenders who want to succeed retiring Assemblywoman Joan Christensen and endorsed sheriff's Sgt. Toby Shelley over two others who hope to become sheriff.
LaTessa, who is Syracuse's city auditor, won 52.71 percent of the committee's vote, besting former county Legislator Sam Roberts, who received 32.16 percent, and Oswego County BOCES Assistant Superintendent Jane Fahey-Suddaby, with 15.13 percent.
Roberts and Fahey-Suddaby said they both plan to challenge LaTessa in a Democratic primary election.
Christensen, D-Syracuse, is retiring at the end of this year from the Assembly. In 1990, she became the first Onondaga County woman elected to the Assembly. The 119th District encompasses Salina, DeWitt, Onondaga and neighborhoods in Syracuse's east and south sides, including part of downtown.
Shelley won 64.7 percent of the committee's vote to become the committee's endorsed candidate for sheriff. He bested Deputy Joseph Price, who received 32.6 percent of the vote, and retired Deputy Philip Benedict, 2.7 percent.
Price, who lost a 2006 general election campaign for sheriff against incumbent Kevin Walsh, a Republican, said he will challenge Shelley in a Democratic primary.
Benedict said he will throw his support to Shelley.
More than 250 people attended the Democratic committee's endorsement meeting at the American Legion post in the Valley.