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Rep. Rowinski Ponders

Whether To Run Again

Standing at the District 4 desk bearing incumbent Republican Janet Hurley Quackenbush's place tag, Andrew Stammel accepts the nomination to run against her in the November elections. (Jim Kevlin/allotsego.com)
Standing at the District 4 desk bearing incumbent Republican Janet Hurley Quackenbush’s place tag, Andrew Stammel accepts the nomination to run against her in county board elections in November. (Jim Kevlin/allotsego.com)
Democratic County Committee chair Richard Abbate of Cooperstown presides, flanked by vice chair David Rissberger, Oneonta, at left, and secretary Michael Henrici, Cooperstown.
Democratic County Committee chair Richard Abbate of Cooperstown presides, flanked by vice chair David Rissberger, Oneonta, at left, and secretary Michael Henrici, Cooperstown.
Rowinski may not run again.
Rowinski may not run again.

COOPERSTOWN – County Rep. Linda Rowinski, D-Oneonta, is weighing whether she will run again, Democratic County chair Richard Abbate told the county committee meeting here this evening.

Rowinski engineered the election of county Rep. Kathy Clark, R-Otego, in 2012, only to break with her after last fall’s election.   After being elected chair in January, Clark removed Rowinski from her committee chairmanship.

While she has not completely made up her mind on leaving the board, Abbate said, she and her Oneonta colleague, county Rep. Kay Stuligross, D-14, have begun interviewing possible candidates to run for her seat.

Meeting to endorse candidates in the elections coming up in November, the county committee backed newcomers Andrew Stammel in county board District 4, Andrew Marietta in District 8 (although he doesn’t intend to announce for a couple more weeks), and Dan Sullivan, a farmer and retired teacher, in District 9, the first challenger to county Rep. Keith McCarty, the Republican incumbent, since 2005.

In District 12, now held by county Rep. Craig Gelbsman, R-Oneonta, the committee again endorsed Amy  Hornburg Heilveil, who Gelbsman narrowly defeated for an open seat in 2013.  Abbate said two candidates are considering running for the Edmeston based seat of Republican Betty Ann Schwerd, who may retired, Abbate said.

The committee also endorsed incumbent Gary Koutnik of District 12, Oneonta.

Abbate has said he is working to elect a Democrat majority to the county board, but no mention was made of challengers in several Republican-held districts – 1,2,3, 6 and 7.  Without a full slate, shifting county board control may be unlikely.

The committee also endorsed Republican incumbent John Muehl for district attorney, City Judge Lucy Bernier for another term, newcomer Michael Marmet for Richfield town justice, Town of Otsego incumbent Town Justices Gary Kuch and Leslie Freidman, incumbent Town Supervisors Chris Harmon in Milford and Bob Wood in Oneonta, and Otsego Town Board member Bennett Sandler.

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