The race is now on for County Comptroller...it will not be a Democratic cake walk but a horse race to the finish. On the Republican side there is Jim Quigley who has an impressive resume to say the least and very deep pockets and will easily outspend whoever the Democratic candidate happens to be. On the Democratic side there are two candidates David Donaldson and Elliott Auerbach.
I'm glad that Jim Quigley has announced before the Democratic convention, we as Democrats have a clear choice to make to represent our party for the office of Comptroller, Elliott Auerbach or David Donaldson. I like Dave but he will NOT beat Jim Quigley in a general election. Quilgley will tout on his financial background, his private sector experience and the fact that the County needs a change, how we can't put different County people in higher positions and hope for a better result. Elliott is immune from all of those criticisms. Elliott has an impressive record in Ellenville, like Quigley has private sector experience and unlike Quigley has dealt with a governmental budget and the political aspects that are involved. Auerbach is also a candidate that can run circles over Quigley in a debate and will have a better appeal with voters.
Quigley's biggest flaw is the fact that he was the driving force against the County Charter...his response to that criticism if Donaldson is the candidate, will be that his opponent created a job for himself...again Elliott is immune to such criticism.
This race is too important to give up to the Republican party. For the record, while I disagree with Quigley, I like him personally and I know that he's a fighter, this race will be his life between now and November. We need a candidate that will fight just as hard.
In my humble opinion, there is only one candidate running that can go head to head with Quigley on qualification experience and win this November and that's Elliott Auerbach.
PROS AND CONS OF EACH CANDIDATE :
James Quigley
Pros- CPA, unlimited resources, extensive background in finance
Cons - Fought against the job he is now running for, never has dealt with the governmental process or a municipal budget, not a people person.
Elliott Auerbach
Pro- Is currently doing the job he is seeking for the Village of Ellenville, private and governmental experience, charismatic candidate that will appeal to voters.
Cons: None I can think of
David Donaldson :
Pros- knowledge of County Government
Cons : Does not have the necessary qualifications for the position, running for a position that he helped create, limited appeal to voters.
5 comments:
I'm a life-long Democrat, but my vote will go to Quigley, if he's a candidate in November. We need a counterbalance to the Spada-Sottile faction of Demopublicans in Ulster County.
It seems that Quigley is well-qualified and well-financed if not well-known (of course a well-financed campaign can get him well-known) and he will probably run on the GOP and Conservative lines - maybe the Indy line?
So, it seems to me that even in this presidential election year in blue-state New York, Auerbach faces an uphill climb. He is not well known through-out Ulster County, although he has alienated at least some progressives (Blaber excepted) by supporting Bradley Jr. for DA, and apparently he has made some local enemies in Ellenville. To be a successful candidate, he would need to have multiple ballot lines (Dem, Working Families, and probably Indy.) He must put together a serious and skilled campaign team to manage him, to develop a persuasive message and to raise the needed funds. He will need to win decisively at the Dem convention, thus avoid a primary contest, get an endorsement from Donaldson and have a unified Dem party. He would also benefit from Hein decisively winning the convention, Berardi endorsing Hein, and with Hein running a disciplined, muscular campaign.
This is DAVE BELL...AURBACH?? Ellenville is a ghost town and Aurbach is a FINE candidate..Can't even keep a BURGER KING in town?? Used to be bars..Can't even keep gin mills running in Ellenville?? Deficits?? Did't I just read they want TWO ..got that ...Ellenville is so trashed they want TWO welfare offices in Ellenville?? You want Ulster County to look like THAT?? Where was Aurbachs great plan to help keep Schrade or Hydro Aluminum jobs that his town depended on around?? Now theres some qualifications..You people have GOT to be joking ..AURBACH????
Dave Bell is right on the money the prospect of Auerbach having anything to do with the finances of Ulster County scares me to no end. Jeremy have you been to Ellenville lately? Auerbach is single handedly responsible for what you see.
Dave, Ellenville is the hight of a Social Welfare City, people like Jeremy, Jimmy, and many elitists on this site STRIVE for. It's their "Shining Star". If only Kingston could have more social service offices, then the poor wouldn't have to walk so far. If only the same can be applied, Countywide, then there wouldn't be a need to crowd our cities. They could live anywhere in the county.
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