Cheers filled the room of the Republican headquarters in Albion on Tuesday night as election results were read for the three contested Orleans County Legislature seats. Incumbents Henry Smith and David Callard, along with Donald Allport, came out victorious in the election.
Smith and Democrat Thom Jennings were both battling once more for the District 3 legislator seat. Smith won with 741 votes to 559.
“I’m definitely excited,” Smith said. “We’ll have an opportunity to continue doing what we’re doing for Orleans County. I’m just happy the voters gave me this opportunity, again.
Smith congratulated his opponent for a race well run and wished him the best in his future endeavors. He also thanked all the people that supported his campaign, especially his wife, who was his campaign manager.
“Congratulations to all the Republican winners,” he said. “I look forward to working with everyone in the future.”
In 2007, Smith and Jennings first competed for the same seat, which covers the towns of Albion and Gaines. This is Smith’s forth term.
“I want to say how proud I am to be a Democrat,” said Jennings. “In the next two years, Orleans County will pay for having an all-Republican
Legislature. I guarantee that they will be begging for the Democrats to come back and save them.
“It sucks to lose,” he continued. “I lost two years ago, but I walk out of here tonight a lot prouder. ... In the end, they beat us in a game. They didn’t play dirty, they played smart.”
He later added, humorously, “We did a lot better than the Buffalo Bills.”
For the legislator at-large West seat, Callard beat Democrat William Jurinich by 3,267 to 1,364. Working Party candidate Harold W. Suhr received 277 votes.
“I think it’s terrific,” Callard said. “It was difficult to say if it would be a heavier turnout or a lower turnout. But it appears it was a complete repudiation of the Democratic line this go-around.”
Callard said he thinks that one of the problems the Democratic Party had this election was the lack of a clear message.
“I’m delighted,” he added. “We’ve had two years of a balanced budget with no tax increase and it looks like we’re going into a third year of the same. We’ve been managing fiscal policy very conservatively and are holding up well.”
As for first-time candidate Jurinich, you haven’t seen the last of him.
“I learned a lot,” Jurinich said. “It will be different in two years. ... I’ve been to the meetings and seen what Gary (Kent) has had to put up with. It’s gonna hurt everyone in the county. I will be back.”
In the biggest upset of the evening, Democrat incumbent Gary Kent — who is the only Democrat candidate on the current Legislature — was voted off to Allport for the legislator at-large Central seat. Allport received 3,033 votes to Kent’s 2,318. The back-and-forth race first began in 2007, when Kent beat then-incumbent Allport by a 2 percent margin. Kent was also the legislator in 2004-05.
“It’s like going back home,” Allport said of returning to the board. “I’m happy.”
Kent was busy Tuesday night considering the numbers. He explained that in 2007, he received 3,461 votes, and his Republican challenger got 3,356. This year, however, Kent received more than 1,000 fewer votes, while the Republican line received 250 fewer votes.
“Maybe my people didn’t come out because they thought it was an easy win,” he pondered.
Though for the Democrats the results were devastating, the party is still proud of the race they ran.
“I am so proud of our candidates,” said county Democratic Committee Chairwoman Jeanne Crane in a written statement. “We ran a clean and ethical campaign. We tried very hard and have nothing to be ashamed about. I want to thank all who helped in any way, and thank the voters for their support and confidence.”
She later said she was surprised by the results. “I thought we had such a good machine this year,” she said.
Contact reporter Rikki Cason at 798-1400, ext. 8227.
Local News
Related Photos
-
RiKKI CASON/STAFF
Discussion
GOP sweeps Legislature
Smith, Callard, Allport win seats
- Local News
-
-
Hospice residence construction continues
The construction of the new Martin-Linsin Hospice Residence, which is now well under way just behind the Hospice of Orleans office building on Route 31 in Albion, will allow Hospice to provide care and assistance for those patients and their families.
-
Library construction, fundraising hit milestones
The project to build a new library in Albion is seeing a lot of green — both in the foam insulation that is being added at the South Main Street construction site and in Swan Library’s fundraising effort.
-
Albion plans for summer
Village officials heard details about this summer’s Albion Strawberry Festival and another big event that could bring visitors back to the village later in the summer — if concerns about street usage are cleared up — during Wednesday’s board meeting.
-
Theater impact grant formally announced
The National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, has awarded the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor a 2012 Impact Grant to support the launch of the Theatre on Main Street project in Albion in collaboration with the Albion Main Street Alliance and the Western Erie Canal Alliance.
-
Inter-county collaboration
The Orleans County Legislature finalized a formal alliance with their Niagara County counterparts Wed-nesday, a move leaders from both counties said will lead to reduced costs and increased services.
-
County management salary increases discussed
County Legislators will vote later this month on a local law that affects the 2012 salaries and benefits of nine county officials, with a net impact of adding $4,723 in payments.
-
Drug court graduates four
Four participants in the Orleans County Drug Court received cheers Monday for completing the intensive, three-stage program.
-
Albion CSD budget coming to view
The Albion Central School District’s 2012-13 budget is coming into clearer view, and school officials say the picture is better than at this point last year.
-
Medina student is Sabres Jr. Reporter
The Buffalo Sabres have faced many difficult questions during what has so far been a disappointing season, but it was all smiles when Oak Orchard Elementary School student Melanie Hibbard came to First Niagara Center to watch practice and interview players for a feature that will air later this month.
-
Group aims to honor Laughlin
The Medina Mustangs could play their next football game on a field named for longtime coach John “Pinky” Loughlin if the Medina School Board approves a proposal made Tuesday by the Parents Athletic Club.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Greece Passes New Austerity Deal Amid Rioting
Coroner: Houston Autopsy Results Weeks Away
Raw Video: Greek Rioting Ahead of Austerity Vote
Raw Video: Child Rescued After Kosovo Avalanche
Pop Music Superstar Whitney Houston Dies at 48
Whitney Houston's Church Mourns Her Passing
Reaction to Houston's Death at Clive Davis Party
79 Turtles Seized at Shanghai Airport
Severe Cold Wreaks Havoc in China
Fuel Removal Under Way on Capsized Italian Ship
Police: Houston Found Dead in Her Hotel Room
Paul Suffers Narrow Loss to Romney in Maine
Palin Brings Anti-Washington Message to CPAC
Obama Scraps Birth Control Mandate
Navy Names Ship for Gabrielle Giffords
Uzbek Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Kill Obama
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
