Campaigns celebrate: Gooding gracious in defeat
The Isola bar was buzzing Tuesday night, hosting the GOP’s watch party. When the polls closed at the school, and Ms. Brach-Williams and Ms. Larsen were comfortably ahead, the room grew happier. The supervisor said she was looking forward to another term and to taking on unfinished Town business that would help Islanders. All smiles, Ms. Larsen echoed the sentiment.
Earlier, Democratic Chairwoman Cat Brigham told a smaller than usual gathering at the American Legion Post before final votes were in that races were “incredibly close. Whether you win or lose, you are all heroes in my book.”
The room quieted when the final votes came in and she announced Mr. Gooding’s efforts to become supervisor had failed. But it changed to loud applause when Ms. Brigham said Town Board candidate Liz Hanley had prevailed in her race.
A week before the election, Mr. Gooding said win or lose in his effort to try to unseat Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams, he would consider himself a winner for the race he ran. Voters handed him a loss and he accepted it, declaring now he and his wife Kathy are free to travel and spend more time together.
Did he think his loss was partially fueled by controversy over a letter his campaign treasurer Cathy Kenny distributed urging Democrats to reject Ms. Hanley, the party’s Town Board candidate?
“She made a mistake. We all make mistakes,” he said.
Reminded that this year’s winner gets only a one-year term — the result of New York State requiring all elections coincide with national presidential and mid-term elections — he was asked if he’ll run again next November?
“I’m done,” he said.
The Democratic Party, which holds a substantial lead in numbers of registrants, turned out big-time for two of its candidates. Ms. Hanley was comfortably elected to the Town Board despite her concern that Ms. Kenny’s letter might have damaged her candidacy.
“I’m so excited,” she said. She admitted she had two lists on her desk at home — one of what she needs to do to prepare for her new role that begins in January, and the other things she would need to do if she failed to be elected.
Her daughter Rosie hugged her, saying, “I’m so proud of you.”
The race for Town Clerk, with two highly qualified candidates vying for the job, saw a close race between Democrat Shelby Mundy and Republican incumbent Amber Wilson. Ms. Mundy prevailed by 86 votes.
She said she was thrilled with the victory, while recognizing on Wednesday she needed to be up to speed as Ms. Brach-Williams’ right hand in dealing with the Town’s finances.
