A long, heated contest to fill the state Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Michael Nozzolio could end Tuesday when voters in the 54th district take to the polls.
If the general election is anything like September’s primary, which was too close to call on primary night, voters may have to wait until all the absentee ballots are counted to know the final outcome.
Three candidates will split the votes in the six-county district that stretches across the Finger Lakes, including much of Ontario County and all of Wayne.
Democrat Kenan Baldridge, supervisor for the town of Rose, will face off against two Republicans vying for the seat: Canandaigua Town Supervisor Pam Helming, on the Republican, Conservative and Independence lines, and Ontario County businessman Floyd Rayburn, who is on the Reform line.
The much-sought Senate seat initially attracted 11 Republicans and two Democrats. But voters wouldn’t have nearly that many choices when the September primary rolled around. Political maneuvering whittled candidates down to five on the Republican primary ballot, with no primary for the Democrats. Seven Republicans and two Democrats filed petitions to get on the primary ballot. Five of the seven Republicans survived the challenges from Republicans backing Helming — who had won the endorsement of the district’s GOP committees.
The two bumped from the GOP primary didn’t go quietly. Afghanistan veteran Joe Geiger took his challenge as far as he could afford to, given legal costs. Businessman Bobby Massarini launched a write-in campaign. On the Democratic side, petition challenges from the same group of Republicans bumped Geneva City Supervisor Charles Evangelista from the Democratic line and tossed Baldridge from running on the Working Families line.
In the end, Rayburn captured a close second to Helming in the primary, losing by about 200 votes after absentees were counted.
Throughout the campaign, Helming and Rayburn have remained prime rivals in the largely Republican district. Negative ads and mailers flew both ways. Helming’s mailers, paid for by the state Senate Republican Campaign Committee, painted Rayburn as self-serving and not a true Republican. Ads targeting Helming, put out by Rayburn’s camp, showed Helming a dangling puppet for Albany interests.
Helming’s support from state Senate Republicans has provided plenty of fodder for Rayburn, who has repeatedly claimed her backing makes her beholden to the Albany establishment.
Baldridge, too, criticizes Helming for the same reason.
Helming received $153,763 from the NYS Senate Republican Campaign Committee, according to the state Board of Elections. Neither Rayburn nor Baldridge received any backing from a state party. Helming said she is proud of the support.
On the issues, all three candidates agree on a few: They all support ethics reform, protecting natural resources, and preserving the region’s agriculture and tourism industries. They agree, in principle, that the district’s landfills should eventually shut down. But there are differences. Here is what the candidates have had to say on major points.
Key issues
Baldridge is focused on economic development, to encourage business. That includes blocking landfill expansions and gas storage by out-of-state corporations that undermine businesses critical to the Finger Lakes region. He would push for rural and high-needs school districts to receive their fair share of funding, strengthen local control, and provide better financial aid for students furthering their education.
To read the full story, visit http://www.victorpost.com/news/20161106/race-to-finish-in-54th-state-senate-district.