Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren does not want Ken Warner to lead the Monroe County Democratic Committee. She even outlined her opposition in a letter to some party members this week. (Current party chair Joe Morelle is stepping down in September.)Â
Warner, who is retiring as executive director of the local construction and building trades group Unicon, is one of three candidates openly seeking the post. In early August, he sent a letter to MCDC members asking for support, and he’s attended a few town and city legislative district committee meetings.
Greece Democratic Leader Dave Garretson has also been seeking support from the rank and file, and has visited over a dozen town and city LD committees. Ken Preston, who founded and has led Rochester for Obama, has also said that he’s running.
But Warren singled out Warner for reasons that should be obvious. After Warren defeated then-Mayor Tom Richards in a Democratic primary last year, Warner helped lead a campaign for Richards on the Independence Party line. (Clearly, Richards did not win.) Warren says that after other hard-fought mayoral primaries, including those won by former mayors Bill Johnson and Bob Duffy, the party united behind the winner. That didn’t happen in her case, she says.
“If he [Warner] had been successful in his divisive sub-campaign, a non-Democratic mayor would be leading our great city,” Warren wrote. “So, if our collective goal is party unity, I am asking you not to support him for our next chair.”
Warner has played down Warren’s opposition. He helped run a campaign against her, so why would he expect her support? he says.Â
And he says that he thinks there’s room to build on their relationship if he wins. He points to a recent Democrat and Chronicle article, in which Warren says she has a cordial, business-centered relationship with him.Â
“Rule 1 in politics is you make friends,” Warner says.
But some active Democrats — none wanted to go on the record — say they and other party members they’ve talked to found Warren’s letter odd. It’d be one thing if she came out in favor of a specific candidate, they say. But in this case, she just urged party members not to vote for Warner without offering an alternative.
In fact, party members have been expecting a “mayor’s candidate,” but Warren and her backers haven’t put one forward yet.
“She should have told me who to vote for,” one active Democrat, a Warner supporter, told me.
This article appears in Aug 27 – Sep 2, 2014.
‘”If he [Warner] had been successful in his divisive sub-campaign, a non-Democratic mayor would be leading our great city,” Warren wrote. ‘
Isn’t that false? Richards remained a Democrat after losing the primary, correct?
The writer is correct. First, Richards became a Democrat a year before he ran…second, if he changed his registration it would not be effective until election day. But, the comment the writer made is correct…if he had won, he would have done so on the Independence Party line making him Mayor with no allegance to the Democrats. He was a faux Democrat to begin with.
Warren opens her letter, “This September we, as the Democratic Party, have an opportunity to do something extraordinary. Together we can elect someone who will work hard to unify our party.” And then she goes on to tell Democrats what not to do and fails to tell us who this mysterious person may be. Quite strange communication to say the least, and certainly an example of the negative leadership style for which Warren has gained a reputation. As far as I am concerned the election was over months ago and most Democrats have moved forward. I just wish Mayor Warren would move us forward as well, instead of harboring ill will for the most common phenomenon in politics–a fellow Democrat who disagrees with you.
Though no longer a Democrat, I believe the best choice for Dem County Chsir is Dave Garretson.
Worst choice is Ken Warner…not sure why, but during a county legislature campaign, he tried to talk “my” candidate out of wanting to debate. For me, that is unforgiveable in the democratic process.
Who cares… everybody could put their “feelings” aside and just get down to the business, while in office, of making our streets safe; to eliminate poverty; improve education results; and create jobs. In my opinion, David Gantt and Lovely Warren have created more problems than necessary. Be productive, positive and put the past behind.
Craig R. Moffitt