Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Dems vote for open primary

The Luzerne County Democratic Party decided to leave it up to the voters in the races for Judge and Prothontary. I think that is a good call with 15 Dems wanting to wear the black robes and 3 candidates in the running for Prothonotary. Chairman Mark Bufalino wants to avoid some of the acrimony that endorsements or lack of them have caused in the past.

Republican Chairman Terry Casey said the Republican Executive Committee has abandoned it's plan to endorse county candidates in the primary.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Seems the mis conception is that the Republican Party is not endorsing candidates. This is not true..they are asking all County Committee persons to vote on the candidate they endorse and then the executive committee will tally the votes ...
The item of importance here is that the candidates like Nanda and Carolee and Walter Mitchell and Lynette Villano all wield incredible power in the Republican Party and can call each committee person and have them vote for their candidates under the power of their very positions.
The Executive Committee under the direction of Terry Casey are just covering up the fact that they are not the ones that are doing the endorsing in the open, but behind the scenes the people in power are still dividing the party by their deceitful and hidden agenda'
I feel endorsements are ok in the Primary, if they are done fair and honest, and I saw first hand the power of the former Republican Party Chairperson as she did some "Arm Twisting" and "Hand Wringing" to be sure the candidate of her choice received the endorsement in the 3rd District. This is the type of items that are happening in the Party and divides the fabric of the Party and the Candidates.
Lets move on in the Republican Party and say if we cant get a system or process that is fair and honest, to endorse candidates in the Primary, then they should not endorse anyone at all in the Primary and let the Republican Voter decide on May 19th.

Walter Griffith Jr
Candidate for County Controller

Anonymous said...

Not getting too many committee endorsements, are you Walter?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous:
If you know anything about me, you would realize that I am always about what is fair and Honest..Unfortunately this process is not either of those, and it has nothing to do with me getting the endorsement. I just feel the Party cannot move forward until we stop the "Backroom Deals" that are all to familiar in Luzerne County.
I will not hide behind the Anonomous Label either..I will not be afraid to speak my mind and stand for what is right in Luzerne County or the City of Wilkes-Barre.

Proud to sign my comment:
Walter Griffith Jr

Anonymous said...

I have been a republican committee person for many years. If the county party is going to endorse, why shouldn't it be on the vote of the entire commitee instead of just the executive committee? I am glad that committee people, no matter how involved or uninvolved, will have a say. Maybe committee people having a voice will motivate people to become more involved in the party.

Anonymous said...

The point is well raised regarding getting people involved in the Party. I appreciate the fact that there are still people in the Party that can still make a clear decision on their own, without being influenced by the Executive Committee or past members thereof. Thanks for the ability to place some faith in a committee person with some conviction and integrity.

Walter Griffith Jr
Candidate for County Controller

Zen said...

Walter is right in so far as that the Republican Party will have endorsements and that the district committee people are the ones voting to decide who gets the endorsement in each district. The exec. comm. is only tallying the votes not deciding who gets it.

As far as the rest of that wonderful piece and the insinuation that strings are being pulled along with various other nefarious activities, it is outright crap.

Walter, it is time for the party to come together and end this divisive nonsense and I hope you will be a part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

Anonymous said...

Zen,
You miss the point. The GOP should have an open primary - nothing good ever comes from insiders trying to tell voters how to vote, even if it is "district committee" people.

What we should be doing is trying to get information about candidates out to voters so they can be informed and select the best we have to offer. It may very well be the selected candidates, but "let the voters decide".

Anonymous said...

Endorsed or not, no candidate running can bring the insight and experience to the position of county controller that I can. Anyone can perform audits, and the best auditors in the world can be brought to the office to do that job, but only I can bring the legal expertise to the position that is so sadly missing and so badly needed.

Zen said...

Dear anon 8:40,
Exactly what point did I miss? The point I got from Walter's diatribe was that there is some super secret cabal of powerful republicans that don't him to win. That was what I was addressing. Should there be open primaries with no endorsements? In a perfect world, yes. Last I checked we don't live there.

The fact of the matter is that Luzerne County is and as long as I can remember has been Dem. controlled. We have tried the shotgun effect for 30 years that I can recall. Let's try running the strongest candidate and backing the strongest candidate with party support for a nice change of pace.

For the record, while I truly respect Walter G. for his efforts as a watchdog for us I do not, in the slightest, think he is as qualified to be controller as Palissery. That being said, if he wins the nomination, I will be thoroughly behind him.

Anonymous said...

The party backing Meuser worked out real well didn't it Zen. The problem is that "backroom" deals were done and that is why rank and file members of the GOP haven't backed the "anointed" ones.

Anonymous said...

I believe that Nanda met with meuser and the gang. Also, nanda one thing " We don't need any more attorneys in the courthouse and expecially one that controls the money I believe your name was on the list of donors to the judges

Anonymous said...

I feel the Anonomous is correct

Anonymous said...

The dems will win this seat again. This guy walter and the other guy that loves himself Nanda will not win. Dems will not support either one of them. its funny, when ever the repuplican party has an opportunity to get a victory, they shoot themselfs in the foot. Was a republican now an indepent