Quoted from Kevin March: ... Brad, what do you think about possibly running, as suggested by MT?
Kevin,
Though I believe that I would bring genuine integrity to any office for which I ran, I don't know that I am electable with my conservative fiscal and social political ideology. Further, I have little patience for the party partisanship games in which many of those from both major parties engage. As an enrolled member of the Conservative Party, I would need the endorsement of one of the major parties who have many potential candidates within their own ranks.
If I were to run, it would not be motivated by a desire for power or wealth. The reason would solely be my hope that I could make a positive change for all of my constituents. This doesn't suggest that I am in favor of hand outs to anyone. A return to personal responsibility and accountability is needed.
So, though I'll never say never, I have not seriously contemplated a run for any political office. I may be more effective behind the scenes, performing research into the actions of our government bureacracies and sharing my findings with the residents through the media reports.
I would imagine that more of Spitzer's appointees like Paul Tonko and possibly Kent Gray and other that gave up their elected positions for Spitzer's political appointments, might run back to those elected positions, knowing Governor Patterson will fills those patronage jobs with his people.
Tonko is climbing the political ladder. He slipped on the Spitzer rung.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
SCHENECTADY Tonko revs up Democrats as his campaign begins Candidate talks energy, jobs, education BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com
Former Assemblyman Paul Tonko fired up a crowd of Democrats Thursday night with a congressional stump speech emphasizing energy, jobs and education. Tonko has already announced his candidacy for the 21st Congressional District seat, repeating his plan at the Schenectady City Democratic Committee’s annual dinner at the Ancient Order of Hibernian club on State Street. Congressman Michael McNulty, D-Green Island, is retiring Dec. 31 after 20 years. Tonko said he formed a “Paul Tonko for Congress Committee” this week with the Federal Election Commission, which will allow him to begin fundraising. And he said he is creating a campaign team consisting of representatives from the seven counties comprising the district. “My friends, I am running with you as a Democrat,” Tonko said, referring to upcoming races for president, the state Assembly and Senate. “We as Democrats will carry our message to Washington and to everyone in New York state,” he said. Democrats gave him a standing ovation and chanted, “Tonko, Tonko.” City Democrats endorsed Tonko weeks ago, expecting he would enter the race. County Democrats are expected to endorse him as well. Tonko said his congressional race platform will focus on energy, the economy, education and health care. He also said he will work with labor unions to seek decent paying jobs and benefits for working families. Tonko resigned April 25 as head of the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority. The resignation allows him to run for Congress without violating state government conflict-of-interest rules. He became NYSERDA’s chief after retiring from the 105th state Assembly District after 24 years. The dinner’s other keynote speaker, Mayor Brian U. Stratton, said he expects an announcement that the city’s bond rating will improve for the sixth time since he took office in 2004. Moody’s Investors Service last raised the city’s credit rating to Baa2 in May 2007. Stratton called the rating investment grade, a significant improvement over the junk-bond rating the city once had. The city finished 2007 with a $10.4 million cumulative surplus, the third in Stratton’s tenure, he said. The other Democrats in the race are John Aretakis, 47, an attorney from North Greenbush; Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton; Lester Freeman, the city of Albany’s equal employment opportunity officer; Darius Shahinfar, an Albany attorney and former aide to Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand; Phil Steck, Colonie Democratic chairman; and Arthur Welser, a licensed broker with Real Property Enterprises in North Greenbush. The two Republicans are James Buhrmaster, 62, president of Buhrmaster Energy Group, based in Glenville, and a Schenectady County legislator; and Steven Vasquez, 33, of Ballston Lake, a self-described Tech Valley entrepreneur who started an electronics company called ReQuest.
21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Tonko joins race for House seat Rival Steck blasts ex-assemblyman BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
After weeks of teasing, former assemblyman Paul Tonko officially launched his bid for Congress Tuesday and almost immediately found himself under attack by a fellow Democratic candidate. Tonko, 58, who has been running for the 21st Congressional District seat quietly for about a month, made his announcement at the Albany Labor Temple. The crowd numbered about 100 supporters, many of them wearing T- shirts with union insignias. Tonko said his priorities are to focus on working, middle-class families, affordable health care, an education system based on student achievement and an energy policy that strengthens the economy. Among the speakers introducing Tonko were Albany County Executive Michael Breslin and Albany Common Council President Shawn Morris. Albany County contains the lion’s share of Democratic voters in the sprawling congressional district, and the Democratic candidates are vying for endorsements there. The district also includes all of Montgomery, Schenectady and Schoharie counties and part of Fulton, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties. The Albany County Democratic Committee is scheduled to meet tonight. A candidate screening committee several weeks ago voted to support Phil Steck with 10 votes, Tonko with nine votes and Tracey Brooks with two votes. The executive committee has not met to make a recommendation to the full committee, so it will meet tonight without a formal position. The chairmen of the Democratic committees of Schoharie and Schenectady counties, Clifford Hay and Brian Quail, also attended Tonko’s event. The Schenectady County committee will meet June 1 and will likely endorse Tonko, Quail said. Hours earlier, Steck issued a news release blasting Tonko as part of the broken political system in Albany. Steck entered the race for Congress more than two months ago. “Paul talks about being an energy expert and his time as ‘energy czar,’ yet New York state has the secondhighest energy costs in the country behind Hawaii,” Steck said. “He is a member of the political establishment and simply has not delivered for the people of New York on energy.” Tonko retired last year as assemblyman for the 105th District after 24 years in office to become head of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. He resigned from that position April 25 to run for Congress. Quail said Steck’s attack on Tonko on the day of his announcement was an effort to “get his name out there
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2008 GOP Chairman Tom Buchanan comments on Paul Tonko's announcement for Congress FOR RELEASE: May 20, 2008 STATEMENT FROM SCHENECTADY COUNTY GOP CHAIRMAN TOM BUCHANAN:
"As a 24-year incumbent in the state Assembly with an agonizingly long public record of voting for higher taxes, wasteful spending, including using $4 million in taxpayer dollars for a 'bridge to nowhere,' I'd say Paul Tonko is a perfect fit for a do-nothing Democrat Congress and our broken government in Washington. In fact, based on Tonko's complete inability to do anything about record-high gas prices as New York's energy czar, the Democrats would probably fast track him to a committee chairmanship. Tonko's experience is just what we don't need in our next Congressman. To some, Tonko's running for Congress might be seen as a logical next step in the long career of a career politician. Now, he says he wants to be our Congressman; but not even a year ago, he said he wanted to go to his ‘dream job’ as head of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). But, for the people who know him, Tonko's ambition is viewed much differently, as people are treated as pawns and public office becomes a mere stepping-stone in an unending personal pursuit of political power. He caused taxpayers unnecessary expense for a special election to replace him in the Assembly seat; now he has worked for not even a year and has no accomplishment to mention in his brief tenure at NYSERDA. He did of course boost up his final average salary insuring that he can collect a fat state pension, which he hopes to supplement with a $165,000 Congressional salary. Maybe Paul thought his long, grueling 11-months as President of NYSERDA were too strenuous and he grew wistful of all those lobbyist fundraisers. I think it is utterly amazing that this guy can try and say with a straight face that he believes in public service after having abandoned two public offices in less than two years. God forbid if Hillary's Senate seat opens up – he might try and go three-for-three. If Paul Tonko does to taxpayers of the 21st Congressional District what he did to them as a Member of the Assembly, voters had better hang onto their wallets. If voters want more of the same, they should stick with a career politician like Tonko. If they want real change and someone with a proven record of creating jobs and solving problems in the private sector, they should vote for a businessman like Jim Buhrmaster for Congress. People of the 21st District need a Congressman who is not a career politician; someone who has run a small business, actually employing people and creating opportunity here in the Capital Region. Jim Buhrmaster represents the views and values of average citizens; he is much more in tune with the real needs of our area than someone like Paul Tonko.”
21ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT GOP committees throw support to Buhrmaster Congressional candidate releases plan for energy crisis BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com.
Congressional candidate James Buhrmaster is close to locking up the endorsements of the Republican county committees of the 21st Congressional District. The seat has been held for 20 years by Democrat Michael Mc-Nulty, who is retiring. Buhrmaster picked up the endorsements Friday of the Republican committees in Montgomery and Saratoga counties. He already had the endorsements of the Republican committees of Schenectady and Albany counties. Campaign spokesman Josh Hills said Buhrmaster is also expected to pick up the endorsements of the remaining Republican county committees in Schoharie, Fulton and Rensselaer counties. Buhrmaster also has the endorsement of the Albany County Conservative Committee and is expected to pick up the endorsement of the Schenectady County Conservative Committee, Hills said. The other Republican in the race is Steven Vasquez of Ballston Lake. He picked up the endorsement Tuesday of GOP Presidential candidate Ron Paul. Montgomery County Republican Chairwoman Rosemary Smith said she supports Buhrmaster because he knows the community and understands its needs. “He also recognizes what’s wrong with Washington. Jim knows that creating a responsible government in Washington means less spending, resulting in less taxes here in Montgomery County,” she said. Saratoga County Republican Chairman John “Jasper” Nolan called Buhrmaster the best choice for “anybody who wants lower taxes, lower energy costs and more jobs.” Buhrmaster, president of Buhrmaster Energy Group in Glenville, released an energy plan Thursday to provide relief to consumers. The plan calls for more domestic drilling, tighter oversight of the commodities market, the expansion of refining capacity, more investment in alternative fuel sources and energy conservation. Eight Democrats are also seeking the seat: John Aretakis, an attorney from North Greenbush; Tracey Brooks, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton; Craig Burridge, executive director of the Pharmacists Society of New York; Lester Freeman, the city of Albany’s equal employment opportunity officer; Darius Shahinfar, an Albany attorney and former aide to Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand; Phil Steck, chairman of the Colonie Democratic Committee and an attorney practicing civil rights and labor law; Paul Tonko, former 105th District assemblyman and former chairman of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority; and Arthur Welser, a licensed broker with Real Property Enterprises in North Greenbush.
We will have to see if we can find some of Buhrmaster's past political performance records before we make any decisions. We need to see how concervative he really is.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
again it is a compromise - here is a guy who is 99% with the Democrats, but 100 times better than Tonko who never did one thing. He was the big energy man for New York State and we end up with the highest priced energy in America.
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