Rubbo, Winnicki, Perez and Lesnick Get Independence Nominations

 

Ted Winnicki                      John Rubbo

Westchester County Independence Party Chairman Dr. Giulio Cavallo finally released his endorsements for Yonkers City Council. See his statement below, which criticizes  Mayor Phil Amicone while endorsing Ted Winnicki in the Sixth Council District, John Rubbo in the fourth, Virginia Perez in the second and Chuck Lesnick for council president.

While Cavallo’s statement says that Perez and Lesnick were previously given the endorsement, this fact was never released to the press or the public officially until today, with a few candidates not wanting to say anything until Cavallo  made the announcement. 

Obviously this news is good news for all four candidates:

Winnicki — This gives Winnicki a better chance in his race against Republican John Larkin to succeed Dee Barbato in the Sixth District. 

Perez — This gives Perez three party lines – Independence, Conservative and Working Families – going into the Democratic primary in the Second District against Wilson Tererro and Jose Roman. Perez’s partnership with Sandy Annabi, (who is running in the same southwest Yonkers neighborhood for County Board) we are told, was crucial to Perez getting one or more of these lines.

Rubbo — We have heard and posted about this for a week or so, but its still a good boost for Rubbo, who will face off against Dennis Shepard in the GOP primary to represent the Fourth District. Democrat Mario Degiorgio, who also has the Conservative and Working Families lines, is waiting to see if he will be running againts Rubbo, Shepard or both.

Lesnick — again, although expected, is a big win for the incumbent council president, and may eliminate any hopes of Republican Jim Castro-Blanco. Lesnick also has the Working Families Party line, with Castro-Blanco getting the Conservative line.

Analysis — There are two big losers in the Independence party charade: Tererro and Degiorgio:

Tererro — was viewed as a pro-Amicone candidate by Cavallo, who obviously has an axe to grind against the mayor, and any candidate that is even perceived to be close to him. Throw Dennis Shepard into this bunch.

Degiorgio — was given the Independence line only to have it taken away by Cavallo and Yonkers Indepdence Chair Dhyalma Vazquez. While the removal of the line from Degiorgio was said to be because he announced it before Cavallo did, we hear that the real truth was that some type of deal was cut by Cavallo and someone else to deny Degiorgio the Independence line and give it to Rubb0, who rejected the advice of the mayor not to run, and quit his job at City Hall to run.

Following is Cavallo’s statement:

Winnicki, Rubbo Complete Independence Party Picks for Yonkers Council Party Chief Stresses Need for ‘New Thinking’ After 14 Years of Amicone

           Dr. Giulio Cavallo, chairman of The Independence Party of Westchester, announced today the completion of its endorsements for city elections in Yonkers with its support of a Democrat, Ted Winnicki, for Council Member in District 6 and John Rubbo, a Republican, for Council Member in District 4.

            “In this tough fiscal climate, Yonkers desperately needs an infusion of new thinking after 14 years of Phil Amicone at the helm,” Cavallo said. “We think the mature judgment of Ted Winnicki and the fresh ideas of John Rubbo are the right blend of innovative and independent thinking that will result in good government for Yonkers.”

             “Ted Winnicki has proven he has the mettle to stand up in tough situations and his experience as a small business-owner should be invaluable in helping solve Yonkers’ recurring fiscal crises,” Cavallo said.  “John Rubbo had the courage to walk away from a safe City Hall job to pursue his interest in public service and that is exactly the kind of courageous independence our party admires and encourages.”

            Winnicki, 59, is a Yonkers small business-owner (AC Technologies, Inc.) and a decorated  Marine Corps Vietnam combat veteran.  He presently serves as President of the Yonkers Federation of Youth, Inc.  and is the Past President of the Bryn Mawr Boys and Girls Club, Winnicki holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from SUNY Purchase and is married with three children.  The Winnickis make their home on Mile Square Road.

 Rubbo, 27, is a lifelong Yonkers resident who currently works in the merchant processing industry and has a long history of community service including Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Columbus Day Parade Committee, President of the Holy Name Society and Chairman of the Parish Youth Group at Saint John the Baptist and co-founder of the TUSKS Society, a community service and advocacy organization for young adults.  He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Iona College in Communications and an Associate’s degree in Business Administration from Manhattan College.

 Today’s announcement completes the Independence Party slate for November’s Yonkers City Council election.  Previously, the party endorsed incumbent City Council President Chuck Lesnick (D) for re-election and Virginia Perez (D) for election to the Second District seat being vacated by Sandy Annabi due to term limits.

 “Tragically, Virginia Perez knows firsthand the consequences of failing to keep Yonkers’ streets and homes free of violence,” Cavallo said. “Together with Ted Winnicki and John Rubbo, she will help form an independent Council majority to give the City Council President the support he needs for the Council to become an effective check on the administration.”

Petioning Begins: No Surprises; Primaries Coming in September

The petition season is well under way in Yonkers and across the county. So far there have been no surprises, including any efforts to get referendums on the ballot — is Rethinking County Government waiting, or taking a pass?

In Yonkers, democrats and republicans alike are out getting their required signatures to get on the ballot. We hear that so far, all of the interested candidates are getting more than enough signatures, which will result in some primaries.

Yonkers dems are heading towards two very interesting primaries, for City Council in the Second District, and for County Board in the 17th, both representing southwest Yonkers. At the Yonkers Dem convention, Wilson Tererro was nominated to be the candidate for the Second Council District, and Jose Alvarado was nominated for County Board.  

In the Second Council District, to replace Sandy Annabi (who is term-limited on the council and running for County Board) Tererro is joined by Virginia Perez and Jose Roman. Perez, running as a team with Annabi, has enough signatures and will be on the ballot. We spoke with Roman at a recent council meeting, and he also has more than enough signatures to get on the ballot.

Roman’s experience in the district as a community organizer gives him the benefit of knowing many of the voters in the second. Perez is an attractive candidate whose main issues about crime and gangs also resonate with the residents in southwest Yonkers.

Tererro is also a strong candidate, with strong ties to the Latino business community, and who is getting the help and support of the Yonkers Dem Party and Chairman Ken Jenkins.

This one can go anyway, with all three having a legitimate shot, and remember whoever wins the primary wins the election in this huge Democratic majority district.

In the Fourth Council District, to replace Liam McLaughlin, Republicans Dennis Shepard and John Rubbo both have enough signatures to get on the ballot, meaning a GOP primary in September. Shepard will have the support of the Yonkers GOP and Chairman John Jacono, while Rubbo will run as the outsider. We also keep hearing the Rubbo will get the Independence Party line.

The 17th County Board race pits Annabi vs., Alvarado, both experienced elected officials. Alvarado has the support of the Yonkers Dem Party, and has the full support of County Executive Andy Spano.

Annabi is running as the outsider, but knows the district after representing it on the council for eight years. She is an enganging campaigner, and together with Perez, is making a lot of noise with their effort to join forces and mount an insurgent campaign

Again, all other candidates out getting signatures with all getting on the ballot.

The Independence Party Lost in Space in Yonkers Council Races

 

  Dr. Giulio Cavallo-strange bizzare behavior in yonkers council races 

Who will be the nominee’s of the Yonkers Independence Party for Council President, and City Council in the second, fourth and sixthDistricts? The answer remains a mystery, thanks to the shady operations of the Ind Party in Yonkers, led by Chair Dhyalma Vazquez.

First, let us clarify that as of now, nobody mentioned below has the line, and that’s the way Dhyalma and her #1, Dr. Giulio Cavallo, want it.  

For council president, all signs lead to Chuck Lesnick getting the endorsement over Jim Castro-Blanco, with Lesnick the safer choice, and Castro-Blanco, a former US Attorney, not willing to beg or offer anything to try to take it away from Chuck.

In the Sixth District, look for Democrat Ted Winnicki to get the line over Republican  John Larkin.

In the Second District, we are hearing that Virginia Perez will get the Independence line. This is another coup for Perez, who could have the Ind and Cons lines in her battle against fellow Democrat Wilson Tererro in this overwhelmingly Democratic, and Latino district.

In the Fourth District, things have gotten out of control. Dhyalma and the Ind party offered the nomination to Mario Degorgio and he accepted. We were informed of Degiorgio’s nomination and put it up on the blog.

After reading our blog, Dhyalma blew a gasket, saying that she didn’t want any information out until she issued the release, so she took the line away from Degiorgio. We actually think that Vaquez used our blog as an excuse to take the line away from Mario.

Vazquez and Cavallo are currently at odds with Nick Spano and Mayor Phil Amicone, for reasons unknown, but likely to do with the rejection of a job plea. So any candidates supported by either Nick or the Mayor are persona non grata with the Ind party.

Degiorgio, although a Democrat, is being perceived as having the support of Nick Spano, and Dennis Shepard having the support of Amicone. This is the real reason why Degiorgio got the line yanked from him and why Shepard isn’t getting the Ind line.

So who do the dynamic duo of Cavallo and Vazquez turn to? — John Rubbo. See the next Rising Times post for more.

The Insanity of Minor Parties Reaches Into Yonkers Council Races

 

  Mario Degiorgio Gets Conservative Line

I’ve been railing against the two major, minor parties’ involvement in this year’s elections for the past two months. On the county side, the Westchester Conservative Party’s endorsement of Andy Spano for County Executive has lit a firestorm over this issue, and while its glad to see people are taking a good look at the Conservative party, it’s shameful how County Conservative Chairwoman Gail Burns handed the line to Andy Spano, against the wishes of her rank and file Conservative — 95 percent of whom wanted Rob Astorino to get their line.

The minor parties have now reached Yonkers and the chaos has just begun. First the Conservatives in Yonkers nominated Jim Castro-Blanco to be their nominee for City Council President — no surprise there.

Democrat Mario Degiorgio, running in the Fourth Council District race, received the Conservative party endorsement, along with Republican John Larkin in the Sixth District, and Virginia Perez in the Second District.

The two surprises here were Degiorgio and Perez getting the Conservative line. Degiorgio is running against Republicans Dennis Shepard and John Rubbo, with Shepard and Degiorgio the two front runners. Shepard has the support of Mayor Phil Amicone, and the nomination of Degiorgio is a minor slight to him.

Similar for Virginia Perez, who continues to build momentum in her campaign to replace Sandy Annabi. Annabi has all but endorsed Perez to replace her on the council, and the two are running as a dangerous duo — with Perez running for the Second Council District and Annabi running for County Legislator against Jose Alvarado. Both races are to represent Southwest Yonkers so look for a knock on the door from Perez and Annabi soon.

The Independence Party is even more of a mess — see the next Rising Times post.

Castro-Blanco, Degiorgio and Perez Nab Conservative Council Endorsements

 

  Mario Degiorgio

Jim Castro-Blanco

Three Yonkers City Council candidates got the Conservative Party endorsement on Thursday. Jim Castro-Blanco got the Council President’s Cons nod, Mario Degiorgio got the Cons line in the 4th council district race, and Virginia Perez got the cons line in the 2nd district.

Castro-Blanco’s getting the cons line for CCP was no surprise. He needs all the lines and votes he can get in his campaign to unseat incumbent CCP Chuck Lesnick.

The races in the 2nd and 4th council were a surprise and important. In the 2nd Democrats Wilson Tererro and Virginia Perez are the two candidates. Tererro got the Yonkers Dems endorsement at the convention. Perez has been quietly building a campaign team and getting some contributions and some support we hear, including that of Councilwoman Sandy Annabi who Perez hopes to replace on the City Council.

Annabi is said to be running for county legislator against Jose Alvarado, and with both the Second Council District and Alvarado’s county leg district being basically the same southwest Yonkers neighborhoods, two alliances have been formed for two elections.

Sandy Annabi and Virginia Perez vs Jose Alvarado and Wilson Tererro. While Tererro is doing the right things, campaigning and being seen everywhere, the Annabi/Perez combination is dangerous. Two primary elections to watch here folks.

In the 4th council district, Dem candidate Mario Degiorgio got the Cons line over Dennis Shepard. Shepard had the support of Mayor Phil Amicone, and the decision of Yonkers Conservatives to endorse Degiorgio is interesting and a slight to the Mayor.

To Degiorgio’s credit, he runs with his experience and contacts from four years ago, he lost to McLaughlin but only by 300 votes in what was deemed a credible campaign.