The Lockport Union Sun and Journal has an article in today's paper that discusses Lockport councilman John Lombardi backing Brian Grear over George Maziarz in the Senate race. The article also mentions Royalton's Bob Johnston doing the same...
Bob Johnston, chairman of the Republican Party’s committee in the Town of Royalton, joined Lombardi in endorsing Grear on Thursday. He said he, too, has grown dissatisfied with the current party leadership under Wojtaszek. Johnston said he believed Grear deserved the nomination over the party’s endorsed candidate for the sheriff’s race, Niagara Falls Police Chief of Detectives Ernest Palmer. Instead, Johnston said, Wojtaszek and Maziarz pushed Palmer as the preferred candidate, despite support for Grear among many committee members. Both he and Lombardi also cited the 142nd Assembly District race as another example of the party leaders overstepping their bounds, noting that Wojtaszek is throwing support behind challenger Jane Corwin, even though many rank-and-file committee members preferred incumbent Mike Cole.
Like Lombardi, Johnston said he got the message that his continued support of Grear was not appreciated by party bosses, who asked for his resignation as the town party’s chairman.
“They said if I don’t step down, the county wouldn’t give the town any support,” Johnston said. “I told them to tell them ‘I’m not leaving; I’m here to stay.’ ”
To read the entire article, visit this link:
http://www.lockportjournal.com/local/local_story_249015707.html
The Buffalo News also made note of this. Here's the excerpt....
Johnson said his problems with the GOP leaders date back to Grear’s unsuccessful 2005 campaign for sheriff, in which he obtained the GOP ballot line and Johnson and his committee wanted to actively back him.
“Henry and George didn’t want him to have it. They wouldn’t do anything for him,” Johnson said. “Henry and George wanted me to resign. They said they wouldn’t do anything for the town as long as I’m there. I told them, ‘It’s too bad. I’m going to stay here as long as the people want me.’”
Johnson charged that in 2007, Wojtaszek tried to get him to drop Daniel Bragg from the Republican ticket for Town Board and replace him with James Budde, a registered Democrat. Johnson refused, but Budde was elected. This year, Bragg is running again, but Wojtaszek authorized another Democrat, Mary Cedeno, to face him in a GOP primary.
Wojtaszek denied ever talking to Johnson about Bragg. “I have a very good relationship with Dan Bragg,” he said.
Johnson said he also argued with Wojtaszek this year over the 142nd Assembly race, in which Johnson wanted to circulate nominating petitions for incumbent Michael Cole, while Wojtaszek was backing Jane Corwin.
Source: http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/niagaracounty/story/431500.html
Bob Johnston, chairman of the Republican Party’s committee in the Town of Royalton, joined Lombardi in endorsing Grear on Thursday. He said he, too, has grown dissatisfied with the current party leadership under Wojtaszek. Johnston said he believed Grear deserved the nomination over the party’s endorsed candidate for the sheriff’s race, Niagara Falls Police Chief of Detectives Ernest Palmer. Instead, Johnston said, Wojtaszek and Maziarz pushed Palmer as the preferred candidate, despite support for Grear among many committee members. Both he and Lombardi also cited the 142nd Assembly District race as another example of the party leaders overstepping their bounds, noting that Wojtaszek is throwing support behind challenger Jane Corwin, even though many rank-and-file committee members preferred incumbent Mike Cole.
Like Lombardi, Johnston said he got the message that his continued support of Grear was not appreciated by party bosses, who asked for his resignation as the town party’s chairman.
“They said if I don’t step down, the county wouldn’t give the town any support,” Johnston said. “I told them to tell them ‘I’m not leaving; I’m here to stay.’ ”
To read the entire article, visit this link:
http://www.lockportjournal.com/local/local_story_249015707.html
The Buffalo News also made note of this. Here's the excerpt....
Johnson said his problems with the GOP leaders date back to Grear’s unsuccessful 2005 campaign for sheriff, in which he obtained the GOP ballot line and Johnson and his committee wanted to actively back him.
“Henry and George didn’t want him to have it. They wouldn’t do anything for him,” Johnson said. “Henry and George wanted me to resign. They said they wouldn’t do anything for the town as long as I’m there. I told them, ‘It’s too bad. I’m going to stay here as long as the people want me.’”
Johnson charged that in 2007, Wojtaszek tried to get him to drop Daniel Bragg from the Republican ticket for Town Board and replace him with James Budde, a registered Democrat. Johnson refused, but Budde was elected. This year, Bragg is running again, but Wojtaszek authorized another Democrat, Mary Cedeno, to face him in a GOP primary.
Wojtaszek denied ever talking to Johnson about Bragg. “I have a very good relationship with Dan Bragg,” he said.
Johnson said he also argued with Wojtaszek this year over the 142nd Assembly race, in which Johnson wanted to circulate nominating petitions for incumbent Michael Cole, while Wojtaszek was backing Jane Corwin.
Source: http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/niagaracounty/story/431500.html
