Headlines in today's paper http://www.tonawanda-news.com/story.asp?id=3170
GOP challenges Thompson's petition
Stacey Shepard
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Rus Thompson’s bid for a seat on the Erie County Legislature has been a challenge in more ways than one.
The Grand Island contractor announced his intention last December to run against Republican incumbent Chuck Swanick in this year’s elections for the 10th District seat which covers Grand Island, Kenmore, the City of Tonawanda and parts of the Town of Tonawanda. At the time, Thompson was part of Primary Challenge, a group hoping to unseat all Legislature incumbents by taking them on in their party’s primary.
Then Swanick choose not to run and Thompson, a Republican, had his eyes set on the GOP’s endorsement. He was passed up two times by his party, which endorsed Bruce Kaiser. Its first choice, Bill Naab, declined their endorsement.
Still determined, Thompson went out and gathered more than 713 signatures over the past two months, enough to put him on the ballot for the Sept. 13 primaries.
But he faced another setback last week.
Thompson learned that Grand Island Republican Committee Chair Dick Planavsky filed a challenge with the Board of Elections against his petition.
“They’re saying I turned in false petitions ... even though they were hard-fought signatures and I probably knocked on three times more doors than they did,” Thompson said Monday. “There’s nothing wrong with one signature on there. We verified every one.”
Thompson and Democrat Thomas Troy of Kenmore are the only two in the race for the seat whose petitions have been challenged. Democrat Michele Iannello, who has the Conservative, Working Family and Independence parties endorsements, and Kaiser have no objections on file, Board of Elections officials said.
Hope the swelling and pain starts going down soon. Are you soaking it, icing it, elevating it at night?
Oh, Rus!!! I wish you had pinged me--I just happened on to your post kinda by accident! That just stinks! Don't let them get away with that kind of dirty tricks. To me it proves that you are a REAL challenge to the good ole boys up there!
On top of that, how's your foot tonight? Hope your hard work isn't aggrivating it too much.
Sorry to hear of this latest "dirty tricks" effort. They are afraid of the housecleaning you have vowed to do..
Keep us posted & I know you trust God with the whole thing..