I never bought into the theory that the GOP duped county DA Sandra Doorley into switching parties. In case you haven’t heard it, the story goes that local Republicans threatened to get a big-name judge (Charles Siragusa is the name I usually hear) to challenge Doorley unless the DA jumped to the GOP.
And Democrats, with a much smaller war chest than Republicans, wouldn’t have the resources for the fight – spelling doom for Doorley.
I don’t buy it because Doorley is smart – she’s a district attorney, for God’s sake — and I don’t believe she’d let herself get played like that.
But I heard an interesting theory yesterday that might explain why Republicans would go after Doorley in the first place – beyond delivering a brutal beat-down to Democrats’ psyche.
Doorley was a popular Democrat with name recognition; the only Democrat, as a matter of fact, in countywide office. And she’s up for election this year – the same year that the county executive’s office is in play.
If Democrats had come out for Doorley in November, they would’ve almost certainly vote in the executive’s race, too – which could hurt Republican candidate Cheryl Dinolfo’s chances.
It makes sense. And if this was the Republicans’ strategy, my hat’s off to them.
This article appears in Feb 4-10, 2015.
Christine… in case you have not lived in Rochester Monroe County for a very long time ? Allow me to explain a aspect or view of Democratic and Republican Control of City and County Govt’s.
Republicans control the County of Monroe and Democrats control the City of Rochester… Mark Assini almost beat Louise Slaughter and may do so in his next bid against her. Republicans are taking control of the NYS Senate and Democrats control the Assembly.
If Doorly wanted to win this year she had no choice but to switch to the Republican Party to win this year, as District Attorney, in Monroe County by her choice. Cheryl Dinalfo will be the next County Executive … My hope, in the future, is that Cheryl and Lovely will really begin to work together in more than words and committees…but real meaningful financial commitments and collective, cooperative work between the MC Legislature and City Council… with taxpayer dollars beyond the Morin Ryan Tax Share agreement.
All I would ask of Sandra would be to raise her conviction rate to 99 % instead of the current 94%.
And, finally Sandra Frankel will be the choice of the Monroe County Democratic Committee to run against Cheryl in my opinion. And, I am pretty sure that Sandra approached the Chair of the Monroe County Republican Committee but not in your theory. We will never get the truth in any event…
Craig Robert Moffitt