COUNTY DEMS

BACK HILLARY

Tally 2,010-1,320 Over Bernie

By JIM KEVLIN • for www.AllOTSEGO.COM

COOPERSTOWN – The Otsego County Democratic Committee has endorsed Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders, urging the local party faithful to support her in the Tuesday, April 19, New York State presidential primary.

The vote was 2,010 to 1,320, based on weighted voting from the 49 election districts, according to Mike Henrici, the county Democratic elections commissioner.

“It was nice to be able to call the Hillary camp and tell them they had our endorsement,” county Chair Richard Abbate of Cooperstown said this afternoon, recalling that she announced her candidacy for the U.S. Senate at the Pindar’s Corners farm of her predecessor, Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s, outside Oneonta.

“She’s worked hard for the state for so long.  She’s going to win our nomination, she’s going to beat whoevery is the Republican nominee, and she’s going to be the first woman president of the United States,” Abbate predicted.

The chairman said he called a caucus Thursday evening at 22 Main St., Cooperstown’s village hall, after the call went out from the state Democratic Committee asking the 62 county committees to make primary endorsements.

Among those speaking for Hillary were former Oneonta mayor Kim Muller, who has been a member of the state committee.

Among those speaking for Bernie were Ed Lentz, the former county rep from Garrattsville; Jim Dean, the Cooperstown village trustee, and Phil Durkin, former county rep from Roseboom who has been spearheading the Sanders campaign at the northern end of the county.

While Otsego went for Clinton, Abbate said he’s heard mixed reports from elsewhere. For instance, both Tompkins County (Ithaca) and Delaware County committees decided not to endorse either candidate.