Posted on 09/06/2002 11:15:30 AM PDT by TLBSHOW
Boehlert, Walrath camps talk tough
By Tom Grace
Cooperstown News Bureau
COOPERSTOWN - As 20-year incumbent Rep. Sherwood Boehlert and Dr. David Walrath prepare to square off in Tuesday's Republican primary, supporters on each side predict victory.
"I think Sherry's going to win," said Brian Carso, chairman of Otsego County's Republican Party. "He's running a vigorous campaign with lots of TV and radio ads. He's getting his message out, and now — if he can turn the voters out — he should do very well."
Boehlert, 65, of New Hartford has never lost a primary or election for Congress. Two years ago, however, when running against conservative Republican David Vickers, he lost Madison County and won the district by fewer than 4,000 votes.
With that in mind, former Otsego County Board Rep. Alexander Shields of Richfield Springs predicts Walrath, 56, of Auburn will win this time.
"Vickers was young, had almost no money, and he came close," Shields said. "I think Dr. Walrath is hot as a pistol in the western part of the district and he's going to do it on Tuesday."
According to the state Board of Elections, the tally two years ago in the Republican primary for the seat was Boehlert, 15,269; Vickers, 11,382.
For Boehlert, the primary is the election, because last month his name was removed from the Independence Party line. For him to be on the ballot in November, and not face the daunting task of winning a congressional race as a write-in candidate, he must prevail Tuesday.
Walrath, on the other hand, is the nominee of the Conservative Party and will be on the ballot in November no matter what happens Tuesday.
Republican Sheila Ross, Otsego County deputy commissioner of elections, said she is pulling for Boehlert and thinks he'll win, but maybe not easily.
"I think this is a race to watch. I know Boehlert has a lot of ads on TV, but Walrath has had letters to the editor," said Ross. "What I hope is that lots of people will turn out to vote, so the result will be what party members really want."
Fred Lemister of Cooperstown says he really wants Walrath to win.
"Boehlert is a Democrat in Republican clothes, and I'm a conservative Republican," Lemister said. "Contrary to today's editorial in The Daily Star, I think the obvious choice for Republicans is someone who thinks as a Republican and votes as a Republican — and that's Dr. Walrath."
President George W. Bush has announced his support of Boehlert, but Lemister dismisses this support for an incumbent as "the way they play politics.
"I think you're going to see Dr. Walrath win Tuesday because Republican voters want one of their own in Congress," he said.
Donald Austin of New Berlin ran against Boehlert two years ago as a presidential convention delegate for Sen. John McCain. Boehlert, who ran as a Bush delegate, won that election, and Austin says he supports him to win again on Tuesday.
"I like Sherry because he supports campaign finance reform," Austin said. "He doesn't want to go as far as I think we should go, but he is on the right side on that issue. As a moderate Republican, I think he's doing a good job in Congress, and we ought to keep him there."
Austin said he has been talking to people about why they should vote for Boehlert, but he acknowledged that Tuesday's race — the first since new district lines were laid down by the state Legislature — is hard to predict.
"I think Sherry's going to win, but I think he's worried because the district has changed," Austin said.
Joseph Wise of West Winfield, past commander of the Richfield Springs American Legion post, said he's voting for Walrath on Tuesday.
"The biggest issue for me is Boehlert's support for partial-birth abortion," Wise said. "Dr. Walrath is opposed to that, and I think that's a very important point."
Because Vickers came close to winning two years ago and Walrath, deputy chairman of the Cayuga County Board, has more experience than Vickers had, Walrath has a good chance to win this time, he said.
"I'm urging all my friends to vote for him."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.