I Served with Kennedy
05-21-2007, 08:37 AM
rick.brand@newsday.com
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Smithtown Republicans have dumped incumbent county legislator John Kennedy Jr. as thr nominee, saying his votes against sexual predator and anti-loitering bills have severely hurt his chances of re-election.
Bill Ellis, town GOP chairman, officially informed Kennedy in a private meeting at party headquarters Thursday night and Ellis sent out letters during the weekend to the 90 committee members in the district. Ellis said the party will formally designate Hauppauge attorney Vincent Trimarco Jr., 38, at the Republican convention later this week. The Conservative Party already has endorsed Trimarco.
Kennedy said he is "extremely disappointed," and felt he deserved renomination. While Kennedy has told others in recent weeks he plans to run in a primary, he now says he "needs time to wgh my options." Party officials are using his votes as an excuse, he said. "The town organization had an end result they agreed upon and sought a justification to make it happen."
Ellis said his concern centered on Kennedy's votes against a bill that barred sexual predators from loitering near playgrounds, day care centers and other places where children congregate -- he was the lone dissenter -- and against a measure, which did not pass, aimed at keeping day laborers from blocking traffic. "I explained to him the reason we were not going to renominate involved votes that affected community sentiments," Ellis said.
Kennedy has maintained that both measures did nothing to protect the public, were unenforceable and unconstitutional. He said he has backed more realistic measures such as requiring that predators wear monitoring devices. Kennedy also touted his extensive work on getting sewer funding for downtown areas and helping local families suffering from flooding problems.
Suffolk GOP chairman Harry Withers had supported Kennedy, calling him "a fine legislator," but said the Smithtown GOP, which controls the bulk of the legislative district, "has the numbers" to make the final decision on a candidate. Earlier, Withers warned that dumping an incumbent like Kennedy would only make it harder for Republicans to recapture the county legislature, in which Democrats now have a 10-8 majority.
Richard Schaffer, Suffolk Democratic chairman, said Kennedy's ouster boosts his party's chances in the heavily Republican district, especially in a three-way race. Even if Kennedy withdraws, "It's an open seat, which is anyone's ballgame." Patrick Byrne, a member of the Suffolk OTB board, is the likely Democratic candidate.
Ellis said his meeting with Kennedy was "very cordial" and the party will try to help him find an appointive position. Ellis said it would be "a mistake" for Kennedy to wage a primary challenge.
Trimarco, who described himself as "a conservative across the board," said he decided to run when unhappiness with Kennedy "developed into some momentum" for his own candidacy. He said he hopes there is no primary but, "If there is a primary, we're ready to go."
Email this story
Printer friendly format
Smithtown Republicans have dumped incumbent county legislator John Kennedy Jr. as thr nominee, saying his votes against sexual predator and anti-loitering bills have severely hurt his chances of re-election.
Bill Ellis, town GOP chairman, officially informed Kennedy in a private meeting at party headquarters Thursday night and Ellis sent out letters during the weekend to the 90 committee members in the district. Ellis said the party will formally designate Hauppauge attorney Vincent Trimarco Jr., 38, at the Republican convention later this week. The Conservative Party already has endorsed Trimarco.
Kennedy said he is "extremely disappointed," and felt he deserved renomination. While Kennedy has told others in recent weeks he plans to run in a primary, he now says he "needs time to wgh my options." Party officials are using his votes as an excuse, he said. "The town organization had an end result they agreed upon and sought a justification to make it happen."
Ellis said his concern centered on Kennedy's votes against a bill that barred sexual predators from loitering near playgrounds, day care centers and other places where children congregate -- he was the lone dissenter -- and against a measure, which did not pass, aimed at keeping day laborers from blocking traffic. "I explained to him the reason we were not going to renominate involved votes that affected community sentiments," Ellis said.
Kennedy has maintained that both measures did nothing to protect the public, were unenforceable and unconstitutional. He said he has backed more realistic measures such as requiring that predators wear monitoring devices. Kennedy also touted his extensive work on getting sewer funding for downtown areas and helping local families suffering from flooding problems.
Suffolk GOP chairman Harry Withers had supported Kennedy, calling him "a fine legislator," but said the Smithtown GOP, which controls the bulk of the legislative district, "has the numbers" to make the final decision on a candidate. Earlier, Withers warned that dumping an incumbent like Kennedy would only make it harder for Republicans to recapture the county legislature, in which Democrats now have a 10-8 majority.
Richard Schaffer, Suffolk Democratic chairman, said Kennedy's ouster boosts his party's chances in the heavily Republican district, especially in a three-way race. Even if Kennedy withdraws, "It's an open seat, which is anyone's ballgame." Patrick Byrne, a member of the Suffolk OTB board, is the likely Democratic candidate.
Ellis said his meeting with Kennedy was "very cordial" and the party will try to help him find an appointive position. Ellis said it would be "a mistake" for Kennedy to wage a primary challenge.
Trimarco, who described himself as "a conservative across the board," said he decided to run when unhappiness with Kennedy "developed into some momentum" for his own candidacy. He said he hopes there is no primary but, "If there is a primary, we're ready to go."