Jablonski
POUGHKEEPSIE – Former Dutchess County Comptroller Diana Jablonski
is officially running for county executive. The Democrat will face off
against incumbent Republican Marcus Molinaro.
Jablonski filed paperwork with the New York State Board of Elections on
Tuesday changing the name of her campaign committee from “Jablonski
for Legislature” – she had considered running for the legislature
– to “Diane Jablonski for County Exec.”
She also filed appropriate forms including Committee Registration Treasurer
and Bank Information, Committee Authorization Status, and Candidate’s
Authorization for a Committee to Make All Campaign Financial Disclosures.”
Jablonski told MidHudsonNews.com, though, that she had not made any announcement
of her candidacy, but there will be “in the near future.”
Meanwhile, there appears to be some infighting among Democratic leadership
in Dutchess.
Fishkill Democratic Chairman Kevin McCarthy criticized county Chairwoman
Elisa Sumner’s response to Molinaro’s announced re-election
bid saying it was negative “using inflammatory remarks and baseless
attacks [which] is an approach that has proven detrimental to the party
in the past, as well as its candidates county-wide.”
Saying he is “disappointed” in the path the party has taken,
“My wish is that my party would spend more time and resources recruiting
and grooming quality candidates.”
He said with many empty Democratic ballot spots, “certainly working
with the local committees to build the party and fill these spots would
be a much more worthwhile use of their time.”
Former Democratic Committee member Alyssa Kogon Tuesday charged that Sumner
withheld Jablonski’s candidacy from rank and file members for weeks.
Kogon said Sumner has “once again been non-transparent” keeping
Jablonski’s run for county executive “under a veil of secrecy
from even the most ardent Democratic supporters.”
Sumner, meanwhile, said the assertions by Kogon and McCarthy, “are
untrue but not unexpected. Alyssa and Kevin were both recruited by Fred
and Fran Knapp and were part of the Knapp faction trying to control the
party.”
Sumner also charged that Republican Molinaro “is reaching out to
the dying embers of the Knapp faction within my party, to try and create
problems within my party. I guess Molinaro will get to bed with anyone
to win an election.”
