State Senate Watch: Democrats Hope to Distract, If Not Defeat, Saland with Challenger
Nine-term senator focused on governing, Dow on studying, but race set for fall
Mon, 12 May 2008 16:49:00
Though Columbia County Democratic Chair Ken Dow, also a former county elections commissioner, is seen as likely to give State Sen. Stephen Saland (R) a more competitive race than usual, he is not viewed as among the Democrats’ top-tier challengers this year.
Dow said his reasons for entering the race were simple: he opposes the agenda of the Republican majority and wants to change how the Senate operates. With more Democrats and more Democratic victories in Dutchess and Columbia counties of late, he believes this year is prime time to challenge the nine-term Saland.
Central to Dow’s candidacy is his emphasis on rewriting the rules of the Senate, insisting that minority members should be able to have their bills heard and member items allocated more equitably.
“It’s a very self-serving body that is primarily controlled by perpetuating its incumbency. Regular people are being served by a clubby group of Republican senators who think they own the place.”
As a member of the leadership responsible for the rules structure, Saland should be held particularly responsible for the current situation, Dow said.
“Saland is on the Rules Committee and the rules are formulated by Joe Bruno and Steve Saland,” he said. “I have passionate feelings about defending the ideals of the democratic system.”
Dow is concentrating most of his platform on the need for a Democratic majority and on the procedures of the Senate, including more floor debates and use of best practices in the chamber. He said this would be the bulk of his focus on the campaign trail and that he would focus on policy issues if elected to the Senate.
Whether his arguments about technicalities of chamber rules will resonate with voters as he tries to topple the longtime Republican incumbent remains to be seen.
Dow said he decided to enter the race on his own and was not recruited, but described his conversations with the campaign committee as positive. He believes the state party will be enthusiastic about his race.
State party insiders said that Dow is currently a blip on the state party’s radar, though they are monitoring the race. Polling underway will guide the party’s interest in the race.
But Dow’s most valuable function, they say, may be keeping Saland focused enough on his own race to distract him from assisting other, more vulnerable GOP senators.
Saland had $177,000 in his campaign account as of the last filing period. Dow has not filed a campaign finance report with the state yet and declined to discuss how much he has raised to date. Though insisting he is confident in his ability to raise the money necessary, he declined to discuss his fundraising target.
Saland has held the seat since 1990, following a decade in the Assembly.
Although he did quietly announce his re-election campaign in April, he declined comment, saying through a spokesperson that he is currently focused on governing and would address political questions after the end of session in June.
Dow also has other things on his mind through the spring. After spending years working in the financial sector, the 47-year-old began taking courses at Albany Law School in 2005. He is currently finishing his last semester.
Unlike most of his classmates, though, he will spend the summer campaigning instead of studying for the bar. He does not plan to take the exam in August.
Enrolling in law school was one step in a career change. Unseating Saland, he hopes, will be the next.
“I went to school in 2005 because of my decision to direct myself into lawmaking,” he said. “I did not go to law school to be a private practitioner, but to prepare myself for public service.”
Dow said his reasons for entering the race were simple: he opposes the agenda of the Republican majority and wants to change how the Senate operates. With more Democrats and more Democratic victories in Dutchess and Columbia counties of late, he believes this year is prime time to challenge the nine-term Saland.
Central to Dow’s candidacy is his emphasis on rewriting the rules of the Senate, insisting that minority members should be able to have their bills heard and member items allocated more equitably.
“It’s a very self-serving body that is primarily controlled by perpetuating its incumbency. Regular people are being served by a clubby group of Republican senators who think they own the place.”
As a member of the leadership responsible for the rules structure, Saland should be held particularly responsible for the current situation, Dow said.
“Saland is on the Rules Committee and the rules are formulated by Joe Bruno and Steve Saland,” he said. “I have passionate feelings about defending the ideals of the democratic system.”
Dow is concentrating most of his platform on the need for a Democratic majority and on the procedures of the Senate, including more floor debates and use of best practices in the chamber. He said this would be the bulk of his focus on the campaign trail and that he would focus on policy issues if elected to the Senate.
Whether his arguments about technicalities of chamber rules will resonate with voters as he tries to topple the longtime Republican incumbent remains to be seen.
Dow said he decided to enter the race on his own and was not recruited, but described his conversations with the campaign committee as positive. He believes the state party will be enthusiastic about his race.
State party insiders said that Dow is currently a blip on the state party’s radar, though they are monitoring the race. Polling underway will guide the party’s interest in the race.
But Dow’s most valuable function, they say, may be keeping Saland focused enough on his own race to distract him from assisting other, more vulnerable GOP senators.
Saland had $177,000 in his campaign account as of the last filing period. Dow has not filed a campaign finance report with the state yet and declined to discuss how much he has raised to date. Though insisting he is confident in his ability to raise the money necessary, he declined to discuss his fundraising target.
Saland has held the seat since 1990, following a decade in the Assembly.
Although he did quietly announce his re-election campaign in April, he declined comment, saying through a spokesperson that he is currently focused on governing and would address political questions after the end of session in June.
Dow also has other things on his mind through the spring. After spending years working in the financial sector, the 47-year-old began taking courses at Albany Law School in 2005. He is currently finishing his last semester.
Unlike most of his classmates, though, he will spend the summer campaigning instead of studying for the bar. He does not plan to take the exam in August.
Enrolling in law school was one step in a career change. Unseating Saland, he hopes, will be the next.
“I went to school in 2005 because of my decision to direct myself into lawmaking,” he said. “I did not go to law school to be a private practitioner, but to prepare myself for public service.”
