Waite: Schenectady politics are about to get serious

Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy could face a tight race for his seat this year.

No one on the Democratic side has formally announced a run for mayor, but McCarthy’s intentions for a fourth term are clear. And, this past week, we learned that City Council President Marion Porterfield had handed her name to the city’s Democratic leaders seeking support for a run for the city’s top job.

The endorsement decision is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks following interviews with candidates on Saturday, and Porterfield, 67, a black woman, appears poised to challenge McCarthy, 66, regardless of the outcome. White man, aged 12, voted for the Democratic line on the ballot on Election Day.

If she does, she will enter the race as a very serious candidate. Plus, her candidacy will almost certainly ensure continued discussion of some very serious issues facing the city right now. In the end, Porterfield’s primary attempt, combined with the already-announced Republican mayoral race by City GOP Chairman Matt Nelligan, will tell us a lot about where Schenectady stands on issues of class and race. It will also tell us whether progressives have formally replaced conservative moderate Democrats, or — though that seems unlikely given Schenectady’s large Democratic participation — whether the city has been elected without an election. Open to non-Democrat leaders after non-Democrats. Democrats, because longtime independent Vince Riggi was ousted in 2019.

Porterfield is pretty much the main challenger to the city’s existence. She has served on the Council since 2012, chaired the Council since 2021, and has deep roots in community advocacy.

Considering that McCarthy narrowly defeated a candidate with much less political experience in the primary by 940 votes to 835 in the 2019 Thearse McCalmon, and turnout was woefully low, it’s not hard to see How Porterfield’s candidacy packs a punch.

Some may question whether a fierce primary campaign will weaken the city’s Democratic Party and continue to stir up controversy seen as an impediment to progress.

In fact, Malva Isaacs, 79, president of the Hamilton Hills Neighborhood Association, confirmed to reporter Tyler A. McNeil that she plans to run for a city council seat because of her frustration with the infighting. Meanwhile, the split in the all-Democratic committee is exactly the dynamic that Nelligan, as the Republican leader recently awakened from the dead, hopes to use to shake up Schenectady’s politics.

But an uphill battle can be a good thing.

There’s no doubt that race has risen to the forefront of urban politics since a slew of candidates of color took office in 2021. Tensions began to rise during that campaign when Doreen, a white candidate, disrupted an announcement hosted by Di Toro and her supporters. During the event, Doreen Ditoro’s ex-husband, David Ditoro, slid a sign over former Schenectady County Democratic Party chair Joe Landry face.

Since then, tensions have boiled over.

Before you dismiss the committee’s ongoing debate about race, consider the very real impact it’s having on city leaders.

During last week’s parliamentary session, Black MP Carl Williams said: “Despite the hate mail my wife received tonight while she was at our house caring for a 19-month-old daughter, I remain optimistic.”

At the same meeting, Assemblyman Damonni Farley, who is also black, said he and Porterfield had also received hate mail.

This is very serious.

It’s also important to note that people aren’t bringing up race to talk about it. Racial issues are already present in urban politics as it contributes to inequality in cities like Schenectady, which is roughly 55 percent white and 19 percent black, according to U.S. census data. This also deserves serious consideration. Going forward, it will be critical that city leaders recognize and address the way issues like race and poverty shape all of their decision-making, whether it’s affordable housing, sidewalks or police reform.

For her part, Porterfield said her candidacy has nothing to do with race, instead focusing on her deep ties to the city.

“The difference between Gary [McCarthy] It’s my strong ties to the community and community that’s been most impacted by not having that generation’s wealth,” Porterfield said, emphasizing that those ties transcend race.

But it’s not hard to read between the lines.

Zoe Oxley, professor of political science at Union College, said: “I can imagine her [campaign] Focus on her pre-council work, her work in the community, and the constituencies she tried to serve and will continue to serve while in office. These conversations are likely to be about race. “

And, as Porterfield recognizes, it’s hard to completely ignore race in a campaign that pits black women against white men in primaries leading a city that has dealt with the issue so openly of late.

“It’s just going to be because of what I look like, who I am. That’s going to come out,” Porterfield said. “But that’s not what I’m advocating for.”

The fact that race is at the forefront of the mayoral race is probably a net positive for the city, where there is clearly more work to be done.

Either way, our likely mayoral race should tell us a lot about the current makeup of Schenectady. Have its Democrats embraced the more progressive wing of the party, which tends to prioritize social justice and other issues of generational inequality? Or are Democrats largely continuing with a more traditional moderate approach?

McCarthy is a very moderate Democrat. In his campaign, he’ll be able to do justice to how the relationships he’s built over three terms — with county, state and business leaders — have helped drive real growth in cities, especially downtowns. He will have reason to argue that a change in leadership could hinder further progress.

“How do you go beyond and address some of those shortcomings and create opportunities for everybody? I’ll shed light on my record,” McCarthy said. “I think everyone will say I’m doing a good job, but that’s not the reality of politics. So I look forward to the opportunity to make my case to voters.”

Both McCarthy and Porterfield have had to figure out how to pull off the delicate dance that takes credit for the city’s successes while staying away from its deficits, as they’ve each been in leadership roles for more than a decade.

Nelligan, who turns 50 this year, will be more than happy to sell Schenectady as a dysfunctional city and sow division among his rivals.

Nelligan was particularly fond of saying to McCarthy: “You can’t be a commander and say you’re not a circus.”

Over the past year, Nelligan’s urban GOP has performed several stunts masquerading as legitimate concerns. Yet for all his bombast and divisive rhetoric, Nelligan is a no-nonsense man, having worked in national politics for about 15 years as a Republican political operative. He’s likely to start a populist movement, which I think will grow in popularity.

“I strongly believe in our communities, including every minority community in the city. I am appalled that we are spending so much money on downtown lofts, condos, sidewalks and casinos while communities are shrinking,” Inside Ligan said. “Everybody cares about public safety, everybody cares about infrastructure, everybody cares about making sure we have affordable housing. I think there’s a lot of things we can unite about.”

The City Council has recently been satirized for its arguments, perceived lack of achievement, and the way it has doled out APA funds at will. But the movement of the future actually shows signs of seriousness, where residents can engage in substantive debate about which policies and approaches best address urban problems.

Hopefully this will increase participation in city politics and significantly increase voter turnout. If so, whichever candidate wins the mayoral race will be in a strong leadership position. Nelligan, arguably facing the biggest odds, made the point.

“Whoever wins, it’s good for that person because it shows they have the mandate to govern,” Nelligan said. “That’s how you get over a restless committee. I think if you can see a very strong decision in favor of one candidate or the other, then the council will fit the bill.”
in other words?

Schenectady would benefit from a serious campaign.

Columnist Andrew Waite can be reached at [email protected] and 518-417-9338. Follow him on Twitter @UpstateWaite.

Categories: Andrew Waite, News, Opinion, Schenectady, Schenectady County