Two Democrats Angling to Take on Former Democrat in Monroe County
Dollinger’s attempt to return to seat ceded to Robach may be foiled by Frankel
Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:04:00
Rochester area Democrats are poised to compete in a primary for the right to take on a vulnerable Republican senator in a race that could be key to Democrats taking control of the Senate this fall.
Former State Sen. Richard Dollinger and Brighton Town Supervisor Sandra Frankel are both seeking the right to challenge Sen. Joseph Robach (R-Monroe) this fall. Neither shows signs of dropping his campaign against Robach, a three-term senator, who switched parties to capture one of the more Democratic-leaning upstate Senate seats. Dollinger preceded Robach in the Senate, but in 2002 chose to unsuccessfully seek a county judgeship rather than challenge the popular then-Assembly Member Robach.
Democratic Party officials have placed Robach on their target list. Most of Rochester, the Democratic bastion in largely Republican Monroe County, is in the district, along with suburban Brighton, which is considered to be the most liberal town in Monroe. The western Rochester suburbs of Parma, Greece and Hilton are also in the district. These tend to lean Republican.
Dollinger, who spent a decade in the Senate, was recruited into the race by then-Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) as part of Spitzer’s quest to claim control of the Senate. Dollinger, an attorney whose wife is a Wegman’s Supermarket heiress, resigned a part-time judgeship in Brighton in order to make the race. Dollinger said that he was promised party support and funds by Spitzer in January. He said Gov. David Paterson (D) has since reiterated that promise.
“I am the only candidate who can do this,” Dollinger said, noting it will take $2 million to run the race. “It will take a Herculean effort.”
With speculation that Spitzer lured him into the race with the promise of a judicial appointment in case he failed, Dollinger said he did not ask for a judgeship and was not promised one by either Spitzer or Paterson.
A Democratic source with knowledge of Senate strategy has confirmed that Dollinger is the party leaders’ pick for the seat, though Frankel claims she has been told by Senate Democrats that she will receive party support if she wins the nomination.
Frankel has been attempting to get to Albany for a decade. Frankel was the 1998 Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, pulling in 33 percent on a ticket with former City Council Speaker Peter Vallone (D-Queens), after winning 51 percent in a primary against two equally unknown candidates. She launched a second campaign in 2002, but dropped out of the race before the state convention after then-Comptroller Carl McCall (D) picked businessman Dennis Mehiel (D) as his running mate.
She cited her 17 years in town hall and turning Brighton into a Democratic town since taking office as reasons why she would make a strong candidate. She also brought up the results of her 1998 race—when she polled 79 percent in Monroe County in the primary as the only candidate from Western New York—as part of the rationale for her candidacy.
“It’s time for a new vision, direction and leadership,” she said. “Dollinger served in the Senate for 10 years and Joe Robach has served in the Senate for six years.”
Despite their representation, she said, “upstate lags behind.”
While Albany has been promoting Dollinger, local activists may have different thoughts. The Brighton Democratic Committee narrowly chose to back Frankel for the seat, a result each is spinning differently. Dollinger said the endorsement was natural, given that Frankel is the party’s de facto leader and he has been barred by state law from attending committee meetings for the two and a half years he served as a judge. Frankel denied being in control of the committee, and said Dollinger has been involved in the town party for over two decades, his absence while on the bench regardless.
The race between the two is also unusual, as Brighton Democrats normally run as a united team. In fact, Frankel and Dollinger were running mates in the 2005 town election. Dollinger said that while he created the team concept in the 1980s, he is not opposed to his competition with Frankel, who provided the same spin.
That may be in part because the former Democrat could get help from a sitting Democrat, Rochester Mayor Bob Duffy. The two are known to be close—Duffy presented Robach with the key to the city just before the 2006 election.
Former State Sen. Richard Dollinger and Brighton Town Supervisor Sandra Frankel are both seeking the right to challenge Sen. Joseph Robach (R-Monroe) this fall. Neither shows signs of dropping his campaign against Robach, a three-term senator, who switched parties to capture one of the more Democratic-leaning upstate Senate seats. Dollinger preceded Robach in the Senate, but in 2002 chose to unsuccessfully seek a county judgeship rather than challenge the popular then-Assembly Member Robach.
Democratic Party officials have placed Robach on their target list. Most of Rochester, the Democratic bastion in largely Republican Monroe County, is in the district, along with suburban Brighton, which is considered to be the most liberal town in Monroe. The western Rochester suburbs of Parma, Greece and Hilton are also in the district. These tend to lean Republican.
Dollinger, who spent a decade in the Senate, was recruited into the race by then-Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) as part of Spitzer’s quest to claim control of the Senate. Dollinger, an attorney whose wife is a Wegman’s Supermarket heiress, resigned a part-time judgeship in Brighton in order to make the race. Dollinger said that he was promised party support and funds by Spitzer in January. He said Gov. David Paterson (D) has since reiterated that promise.
“I am the only candidate who can do this,” Dollinger said, noting it will take $2 million to run the race. “It will take a Herculean effort.”
With speculation that Spitzer lured him into the race with the promise of a judicial appointment in case he failed, Dollinger said he did not ask for a judgeship and was not promised one by either Spitzer or Paterson.
A Democratic source with knowledge of Senate strategy has confirmed that Dollinger is the party leaders’ pick for the seat, though Frankel claims she has been told by Senate Democrats that she will receive party support if she wins the nomination.
Frankel has been attempting to get to Albany for a decade. Frankel was the 1998 Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, pulling in 33 percent on a ticket with former City Council Speaker Peter Vallone (D-Queens), after winning 51 percent in a primary against two equally unknown candidates. She launched a second campaign in 2002, but dropped out of the race before the state convention after then-Comptroller Carl McCall (D) picked businessman Dennis Mehiel (D) as his running mate.
She cited her 17 years in town hall and turning Brighton into a Democratic town since taking office as reasons why she would make a strong candidate. She also brought up the results of her 1998 race—when she polled 79 percent in Monroe County in the primary as the only candidate from Western New York—as part of the rationale for her candidacy.
“It’s time for a new vision, direction and leadership,” she said. “Dollinger served in the Senate for 10 years and Joe Robach has served in the Senate for six years.”
Despite their representation, she said, “upstate lags behind.”
While Albany has been promoting Dollinger, local activists may have different thoughts. The Brighton Democratic Committee narrowly chose to back Frankel for the seat, a result each is spinning differently. Dollinger said the endorsement was natural, given that Frankel is the party’s de facto leader and he has been barred by state law from attending committee meetings for the two and a half years he served as a judge. Frankel denied being in control of the committee, and said Dollinger has been involved in the town party for over two decades, his absence while on the bench regardless.
The race between the two is also unusual, as Brighton Democrats normally run as a united team. In fact, Frankel and Dollinger were running mates in the 2005 town election. Dollinger said that while he created the team concept in the 1980s, he is not opposed to his competition with Frankel, who provided the same spin.
That may be in part because the former Democrat could get help from a sitting Democrat, Rochester Mayor Bob Duffy. The two are known to be close—Duffy presented Robach with the key to the city just before the 2006 election.
