State Sen. Betty Little to seek congressional seat

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January 23, 2009

By JOE LoTEMPLIO The Press Republican Fri May 14, 2010, 07:02 PM EDT

PLATTSBURGH — State Sen. Betty Little will seek the congressional seat to be vacated by Kirsten Gillibrand, who was tapped by Gov. David Paterson to replace U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Little, 68, said Friday that she is ready to move up.

"I have represented my constituents in the Assembly and the Senate from farmers to small-business people to all kinds of working men and women, and I believe I can represent them well in Congress at the next level as well," Little (R-Queensbury, 45th District) said.

"The congressional district and the State Senate district are very similar."

Little's effort to become the next representative to the 20th Congressional District will be challenging.

Also said to be seeking the post on the Republican side are Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco, former state Republican Party Chairman Sandy Treadwell and former gubernatorial candidate John Faso.

The 20th District includes all of Columbia, Greene, Warren and Washington counties and parts of Delaware, Dutchess, Essex, Otsego, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties.

It has a population of about 655,000 and has long been considered a stronghold for Republicans.

Gillibrand was able to wrest the seat away from Republicans in 2006 after incumbent John Sweeney endured several personal problems.

"It has been a Republican district, and we need to win it back," Little said.

A special election will be held, probably in the spring, to fill Gillibrand's seat. Candidates will be picked by county party chairs.

Tedisco reportedly has the support of Saratoga County, which by weighted vote accounts for about 35 percent of the district.

Little said she will be out meeting the people and leaders of each county in an effort to secure the nomination.

"I'm just going to get out there and let people know why I think I would be the best candidate," she said.

Little was elected to the State Senate in 2002, replacing longtime Sen. Ronald B. Stafford of Plattsburgh, who retired.

Prior to that, she served in the Assembly for seven years.

Little rejected speculation that at 68 she might be too old for Congress.

"Age is a state of mind, and I've always been busy, energetic and blessed with good health and I know I can do a good job," she said.

If Little moves on to Congress, her State Senate seat will be up for grabs.

A line of candidates is already forming on the Republican side.

At the top of the list could be Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward of Willsboro and Plattsburgh Mayor Donald Kasprzak.

Both said they would seriously consider a move.

"It has been my privilege to serve as mayor of the City of Plattsburgh and if I have the opportunity to run for higher elected office I will continue to work in the best interests of the majority of my constituents," Kasprzak said.

"If I am approached I would be happy to consider the position, but at this point, however, I am focusing my efforts on doing the best job that I can for the majority of my constituents in the City of Plattsburgh, and that means not raising electric rates 11 percent."

Kasprzak has been in a battle with the council the past few weeks over whether to lay off six line workers at the city's Municipal Lighting Department or raise rates significantly to quell a debt of more than $1 million.

The mayor supports the layoffs while the council is leaning toward a rate increase of 11 percent.

Kasprzak, 52, served on the City Council from 1990-94. He was elected mayor in a special election in 2006 to serve the final year of Daniel Stewart's term after Stewart left to take a state post.

Kasprzak then won a three-year term in 2007.

In between his stints with the city, he worked for seven years for the state Parks and Recreation Department in Saratoga County.

Sayward, who has held the 113th District seat since 2003, said she is very interested in the Senate seat.

"Yes, I am. I think this is a natural fit. I've done a good job in the Assembly. I've been responsive to my constituents. I know the Adirondack issues."

She said she has many contacts in the Senate.

"I have breakfast with some of the Senate Democrats almost every morning, and Republicans as well. I've made a lot of friends in Albany who can help me if I move up to the Senate."

A special election will have to be held for Little's seat, Sayward said, but she'll be ready.

"I don't anticipate; I just leave the door open. You never know what kind of opportunity will come up in this world."

She said there will be a broad field of candidates looking to fill Gillibrand's seat, but she believes Little would be the best choice.

"She has the same kind of track record as Congresswoman Gillibrand had. She's had good service to her constituents. She's in our communities. She has a wealth of knowledge. It's a natural place for Sen. Little to move to."

Others mentioned as possible Republican candidates for Little's Senate seat include Franklin County District Attorney Derek Champagne, Assemblywoman Janet Duprey of Peru and Franklin County Legislator Paul Maroun of Tupper Lake.

On the Democratic side, 10 county chairs representing the 20th Congressional District met Friday to discuss possible candidates.

"I don't think there is any question that we will have candidates," Clinton County Democratic Party Chairman Martin Mannix said.

"We will go through the Democratic process to select them."

Mannix said he believes Democrats will have a good chance at retaining Gillibrand's seat, despite the strong Republican presence.

"Look at what she (Gillibrand) did in a Republican district. There is no doubt we can win it," Mannix said.

"The paradigm has shifted."

As for the State Senate seat, Mannix said Democrats will worry about that if the seat does become vacant by virtue of a Little victory in the congressional race.

Stewart, the former Plattsburgh mayor, is said to be interested in running as a Democrat, but Mannix said he had not heard of anyone's name being mentioned so far.

Stewart, 46, was elected to the Plattsburgh City Council in 1993 as a Democrat and re-elected in 1995 and 1997.

In 1999, he ran for mayor as a Republican and defeated 10-year mayor Clyde Rabideau, a Democrat.

Stewart left the mayor's office with 18 months remaining on a three-year term in June 2006 to accept an appointment from then-Gov. George E. Pataki as chairman of the State Commission on Corrections.

He has since switched back to the Democratic Party.

E-mail Joe LoTemplio at: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com