Legislative Candidates’ Reactions Differ After Conservative Party No Confidence Vote

by Mikayla Kemp | October 7, 2017 11:36 pm

OSWEGO COUNTY, NY – The 2017 primary election for the 25th District of Oswego County Legislature initially left newcomer Marc Holliday leading the polls with six votes to incumbent Frank Castiglia Jr.’s four votes in a conservative primary race.

Given time to account for absentee ballots, the final results evened the score at a deadlock, each candidate receiving seven votes.

According to Oswego County Board of Elections officials, the tie-breaking decision would be left to the Oswego County Conservative Party to discuss and decide through a committee vote.

“The Executive Committee of the Oswego County Conservative Party met Thursday (Sept 28)  night at its regularly scheduled meeting and the issue of appointing a candidate for the Conservative line for the 25th Legislative district was voted on. The chairman and secretary convened this vote and found that neither candidate was selected. Therefore, there will be no representative for the Conservative Party on this line,” said Ron Greenleaf, chairman of the Oswego County Conservative Party.

Castiglia, current minority leader and democratic representative of the 25th district representing a portion of Fulton in County Legislature was “devastated” with the overall result.

Castiglia said he was approached by the Conservative committee four years ago, asked to carry their banner in his election campaign and was again approached two years ago asking of the same support.

“During my time in legislature, I have carried myself in line with the goals and wants for their Conservative candidate so I’m devastated by this outcome,” he said.

Castiglia noted that a week before the election, the Conservative party sent out letters in non-support of his challenger, Marc Holliday.

“It just makes no sense to me. It’s as if you were asked to be on a team, you performed well for them for four years, and then they just decide they don’t know if they want you any longer,” he explained.

While upset with the result, Castiglia is continuing to campaign for the general election in November on the Democratic and Independent lines with the endorsement of the Oswego County Labor Council, he said.

Newcomer Holliday, however, found the results to be fair.

“I think it was a fair decision. What they did was the right decision. It was a tie, that’s the proper decision so neither candidate can complain. They avoided controversy and I think what they did was excellent. I think they made the right choice because it puts it back in the hands of the people,” Holliday said.

Noting neither are registered conservatives, he was understanding of the decision.

“He’s a Democrat and I’m a Republican. We both fought over the line and it was a tie so what do you do? Do you take from one and give to the other? That’s not right. I think in all fairness, they did the right thing. I’m happy, I’m satisfied with it,” he continued.

The race will go on as Holliday will appear on the general election ballot on the Republican and Independence party lines, he said.

The final decision will be decided by Oswego County voters on the date of the 2017 general election, Tuesday, November 7.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/fulton/legislative-candidates-reactions-differ-after-conservative-party-no-confidence-vote/

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