By Dan Murphy
Sometimes, primary contests between members of the same party seeking the same office can get angry and nasty. But as one former Yonkers Democratic Chair told us, “In the end, you swallow your pride, endorse your opponent, and set yourself up for the next race.”
After Senator Shelley Mayer was elected to her senate seat in Aprilx, her Assembly seat representing Yonkers became vacant. Four democrats stepped forward to run. Three of those four democrats did not collect enough valid signatures to get on the ballot for a democratic primary on September 13.
The latest casuality was Anthony Nicodemo, who the Board of Elections determined was not eligible and did not collect the 500 valid democrats required for an Assembly candidate. Nicodemo issued the following statement. “It is with great regret that Team Nicodemo announces it will not be on the ballot for the 2018 Democratic Primary. Last week we were informed that despite obtaining 795 signatures, the Board of Elections ruled we had not collected the required 500 valid signatures. We spent Thursday and Friday in court and have opted to withdraw our challenge.
“It really is disappointing to end our campaign this way. After thorough research, we determined that we obtained over 600 signatures of valid Democratic voters in the 90th Assembly District. Unfortunately the Board of Elections invalidated enough of our signatures and dropped our number below the threshold, due to technicalities.”
“I would like to thank all of those who believed in our campaign and supported us over the past three months. My interactions with the people of Yonkers have been so special and the experience has been invaluable.”
“I plan on working with various progressive groups to assure true progressives candidates get elected. Organizations like the Working Families Party and the New York Progressive Action Network were extremely supportive of our campaign and I plan on returning the favor. I also plan on continuing to fight for the kids of Yonkers, marginalized communities and organized labor as a union president ”
Nicodemo’s final sentence in his statement drew the surprise of some Yonkers democrats. “We wish the Democratic nominee Nader Sayegh and the Republican candidate Joe Pinion the best of luck in November’s election.”
Nicodemo’s lack of endorsement of his fellow Democrat, Nader Sayegh, who overwhelmingly was nominated by the Yonkers Democratic nominee at their candidate for Assembly, point to a bitterness, or ‘sour grapes’ as one Yonkers democrat told us, that will not help him in any future runs for office.
“He conceded to Nader but he didn’t really concede,” said one Yonkers democratic leader. “First he says he got 600 valid signatures, but the Board of Elections ruled otherwise. Then he wishes luck to both Nader and the republican candidate? Other media reports have him blaming the Judge who reviewed the petitions, but he has nobody else to blame but himself and his campaign for not getting enough signatures of Yonkers democrats to get on the ballot.”
Nader Sayegh and his supporters collected 1500 signatures, in addition to the more than 1000 signatures collected by the rank and file members of the Yonkers Democratic Party. Sayegh has a lifetime of experience in Yonkers as a father, educator and community leader. That is why the Yonkers Democratic Party easily selected him and that is why he is the last democrat left in the race for Assembly to replace Shelley Mayer.
There will be no democratic primary on September x for Assembly now, and many democrats we spoke to think that is a good thing and that Sayegh deserved the nomination and the party line from day one. Those same Yonkers democrats believe that Sayegh deserved better from his opponent when he was tossed off the ballot, and we agree.
Although an official determination has not been made, sources at the Board of Election tell Yonkers Rising that Yonkers democrat Mark Hynesx has lost his petition challenge to get on the ballot and run in a democratic primary for City Council in the First District. Councilwoman Shanae Williams, who was appointed by Mayor Mike Spano to fill the vacant seat in the First District after Christopher Johnson won election to the County Board, is seeking to win election this fall and complete Johnson’s term. With Hynes falling short in the number of valid signatures with the BOE, Williams will run unopposed in November, as the First council district is an overwhelmingly democratic xxx.
