By Mark Wozniak and Howard Riedel
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-757278.mp3
Buffalo, NY – Environmental lawyer Alice Kryzan says the negativity that her two primary opponents used toward each other may have sent voters in her direction. Kryzan won Tuesday's heated Democratic primary in the 26th district seat, currently held by retiring GOP Representative Thomas Reynolds. Democratic party leaders had bet Iraq war veteran Jon Powers would emerge victorious over millionaire Jack Davis on the way to taking the district away from Republicans.
In a race many political observers called one of the dirtiest in years, incumbent Sam Hoyt held off a challenge by former Council Member Barbara Kavanaugh to capture the Democratic line for the race for the 144th Assembly District. Hoyt won with 57 percent of the vote despite a series of ads funded by Rochester businessman Tom Golisano focusing on Hoyt's recently revealed extramarital affairs involving former legislature interns.
Former Tonawanda boxer Joe Mesi has won his first political race, the three-way Democratic primary for the 61st state Senate seat held by retiring Republican Mary Lou Rath. Mesi campaigned as a "fresh new face."
But runner-up Michelle Iannello says the Golisano-backed funding for Mesi's campaign was probably illegal. Adding some intrigue to the race was the fact that third place finisher Dan Ward is the brother-in-law of Michelle Iannello. Mesi will now face Republican and Independence Party candidate Michael Ranzenhofer in November.
Another state politician with implications of improprieties with an intern has lost his Republican primary. Incumbent Michael Cole in the 142nd district was defeated by Jane Corwin, 45 to 35 percent.
In the 143d district, incumbent Dennis Gabryszak enjoyed a wide victory over former Buffalo AFL-CIO president John Kaczorowski. And, incumbent Democratic Assemblyman Sheldon Silver took 68 percent of the vote yesterday in a three-way race in the 64th District in lower Manhattan. With a win in November, he will likely continue to be Assembly speaker, a post he has held since 1995.
In the State Senate, long-time Republican incumbent Dale Volker withstood a challenge from former East Aurora mayor David DiPietro in the 59th district Republican race, mostly due to turnout in rural areas. DiPietro won the Erie County portion of the vote by 51 to 49 percent.
On the Democratic side in the 59th district, Kathy Konst defeated Timothy Pawarski by a three to one margin. In the 60th district Democratic primary, incumbent Antoine Thompson defeated challenger Mark Grisanti 72 to 28 percent.
In the 62nd Senate District in Niagara County, Senator George Maziarz withstood a challenge from Brian Grear, winning 81 percent of the vote. Republicans are hoping to maintain their majority in the Senate, where the GOP holds 31 seats and the Democrats have 29.
In the Democratic race for Erie County District Attorney, Frank Sedita, III, won a three way battle against Diane LaVallee and Kenneth Case. Sedita, the grandson of a Buffalo mayor and son of a judge, won his first election with about 45 percent of the vote.
Sedita will face LaValle again in November. She already has the Republican endorsement. The race opened up earlier this year when incumbent Frank Clark made the surprise announcement that he would not seek reelection.
In a tight race for Erie County Family Court Judge, Lisa Bloch Rodwin appears to have a narrow victory for both party lines. Rodwin, the endorsed Democratic candidate, defeated E. Jeanette Ogden by less than 400 votes in a four way race in the Democratic primary. She also won the Republican line by less than 400 votes over Barbara Nuchereno in a three-way contest. Rodwin was appointed to the court by Governor Paterson earlier this year to fill a vacancy.
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