By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – Twenty-five years and counting. After winning his first election for Common Council back in 1978, James Pitts is still winning, capturing a four-way Democratic primary for city comptroller.
A nervous Common Council President James Pitts was not quite ready to declare victory when he thanked his supporters shortly before 11:00 Tuesday night. For about an hour, he had a cell phone glued to his ear as he was continually receiving updates at his store-front headquarters on Main Street.
Pitts ended up capturing 39 percent of the vote, edging his nearest challenger, Barbra Kavanaugh, by four percentage points. Former Council Member Al Coppola came in third with 15 percent and acting comptroller Andrew SanFilippo trailed with 11 percent.
For Pitts, it was a career-saving victory. He's losing his Council Presidency at the end of the year because of the voter-approved downsizing. Pitts said he intentionally ran a low-key campaign.
"One of the things that I attempted to do is not be the lightning rod," Pitts said. "I just wanted to take my case to the people."
In November, Pitts faces one of the candidates he defeated in the primary. Andrew SanFilippo has the Republican party line and four minor party lines in their head-to-head race. This is San Filippo's first run for public office. But he's spent the past 30 years working for several comptrollers. SanFilippo says he's hoping that experience will resonate with voters.
"I have the professional qualities and the experience to run the comptroller's office," SanFilippo said. "I've been dealing with the control board and I've been managing and investing public funds. I'm the guy they need, and that's the message I'll be sending to the residents of Buffalo."
Still, SanFilippo doesn't have the name recognition of a James Pitts. And that's why he's hoping the Republican Party will come through with the financial support to help him mount an effective campaign against the well-known Council president.
For Barbra Kavanaugh, the loss ends her try at returning to elective office. The one-time Council member at large most recently worked as administrator of the state Attorney General's office in Buffalo. She left that position to run for comptroller. But Kavanaugh said she has no regrets.
"I've been saying that the last couple of days to my family and volunteers -- win, lose or draw, I'm really proud of this race," Kavanaugh said. "Maybe some people waste time on a post-mortem. I don't. I'm proud of what I did. I'm sorry that it didn't work out."
Kavanaugh raised $70,000, more than her three opponents combined. She also had the endorsement of the Democratic party.
Kavanaugh said she hopes to run again for another office someday. For now, she said she'll hang he shingle as an attorney in private practice if she has to.
Kavanaugh didn't come out and say she's supporting James Pitts in November's election. But she did say she always "supports Democratic candidates."