By Dan Hust
SULLIVAN COUNTY — September 17, 2010 — Unofficial results from Tuesday’s primaries indicate Ferndale attorney Michael McGuire has landed both the Conservative and Independence lines in his bid to be the next Sullivan County Court judge.
According to the county’s Board of Elections, McGuire earned 187 votes in the Conservative primary and 122 in the Independence primary, beating out challenger Cindy Barber, a Bethel town justice who garnered 72 and 82 votes, respectively.
Barber, a Democrat, had forced the Conservative primary even though the party’s leadership had chosen McGuire, a Republican, to be its nominee.
McGuire could not be reached for comment.
Barber was unfazed by her loss.
“We’re not too discouraged, because it was a very small turnout,” Barber related on Wednesday.
She thanked those who did vote for her and expressed confidence that November’s race – in which she’ll participate on the Democratic, Working Families and Justice for All lines – will not be as affected by the “backroom antics” she said influenced the primary.
“The fight has just begun,” she vowed.
Actually, the primary itself isn’t quite over.
Republican Elections Commissioner Rodney Gaebel said the Board of Elections would open absentee ballots in its Government Center office on Wednesday, September 22 at 10 a.m.
With 30 absentee ballots issued and 22 returned as of this past Wednesday, the Conservative line is a lock by McGuire.
But 66 absentee ballots were sent out and 42 returned in the Independence primary, said Gaebel, making McGuire’s win there slightly less certain.
While Republicans, Democrats and Conservatives had other choices to make on Tuesday, they were all at the state and federal levels – and mirrored statewide results.
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was reaffirmed as the Democrats’ preferred candidate, beating challenger Gail Goode in Sullivan County 1,071-325 and statewide 410,451-130,260.
Republicans picked Joseph DioGuardi to oppose her in November. He earned 665 votes locally and 169,568 statewide. Republican challenger David Malpass gave DioGuardi a good challenge, however, with 451 votes in Sullivan County and 152,840 statewide. The third hopeful, Bruce Blakeman, earned 313 votes locally and 84,405 statewide.
Republicans also picked a challenger for Democratic U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer’s seat, with Jay Townsend winning with 792 votes locally and 212,947 statewide. Hopeful Gary Berntsen garnered 589 votes in the county and 170,432 in the state.
For NYS governor, Republicans made headlines by selecting Carl Paladino over Rick Lazio, not only statewide (272,999-166,637) but also locally (971-595).
Conservatives, however, chose Rick Lazio for governor over challenger Ralph Lorigo – 11,084-7,254 statewide and 172-66 in Sullivan County.
The lieutenant governorship also was contested by Republicans, with Gregory Edwards beating out Thomas Ognibene 848-537 (statewide results were unavailable, though reports indicated a similar lead by Edwards).
For NYS attorney general, Democrats chose Eric Schneiderman – 202,006 statewide and 423 locally.
Interestingly, Kathleen Rice garnered 471 votes locally in the AG’s primary race but came in second statewide with 188,498.
Other hopefuls included Sean Coffey (97,749 statewide, 236 locally), Richard Brodsky (57,991 statewide, 217 locally) and Eric Dinallo (46,298 statewide, 105 locally).
All results are unofficial.