All five Southampton Town Democratic candidates received a boost this week in
the form of a cross-endorsement from the Working Families Party. Jim Henry of Sag Harbor, the Democratic nominee
for town supervisor, said the endorsement gives him and his running mates at least two lines in the November election,
an advantage that they will need if they want to take control of Town Hall back from the Republicans. “The model
we’re pursuing is that excellence in government requires a non-partisan approach,” Mr. Henry said. “We’re trying
to get as many groups to line up and agree it’s time for a change.” He and his running mates—Town Council candidates
Sandra Dunn and Anna Throne-Holst, Town Justice candidate Andrea Schiavoni and Tax Receiver candidate Bruce King—are
also seeking endorsements from the Integrity and Independence parties. Brian Schneck, a co-chair for the Suffolk
County chapter of the Working Families Party, did not attend the screening process for the local candidates. Speaking
later, he said the slate of Democratic candidates agrees with his party’s priorities. “They believe in good government
and good public policy,” Mr. Schneck said. Michele Lynch, Mr. Schneck’s co-chair, could not be reached for comment.
Nearby, the party endorsed incumbent Riverhead Town Supervisor Phil Cardinale, a Democrat, and Bill Wilkinson,
the Republican candidate for East Hampton Town Supervisor.
Gregor Explores Options
Alex Gregor of Hampton Bays, who ran an unsuccessful campaign in 2005 for Southampton Town highway superintendent,
is now mounting a campaign to run for town supervisor on the Independence Party line.
Mr. Gregor, who has not yet secured the endorsement of the party, said he wants
to run to reform Town Hall. He said he doesn’t know if the Independence Party has put up a separate candidate for
supervisor; the group has traditionally backed Republican Town Supervisor Patrick Heaney.
Frank MacKay, the chairman of New York State’s Independence Party, could not be
reached for comment.
“In the America I live in, you can run for office and let the people decide,”
Mr. Gregor said. “It’s enough. We’ve had enough of Heaney. People are very disillusioned.”
Mr. Gregor, 48, said Bill Pell, who wants to run for Town Trustee, and Michael Abatangelo, who is making a bid
for the fourth Town Justice post, plan to join him on the Independence Party line.
Mr. Gregor said they must get signatures from at least 100 of the 1,300 registered
Independence Party members living in Southampton Town. Mr. Gregor added that Mr. Pell recently tried contacting
Mr. MacKay to discuss their plans but Mr. MacKay has not returned his calls.
The same year Mr. Gregor ran for the highway superintendent position, Mr. Pell,
then endorsed by the Democratic Party, ran for Town Trustee while Mr. Abatangelo, who was then endorsed by the
Working Families Party, ran for Town Justice seat. Neither was successful in his election bids.
Also seeking the Independence Party endorsement is Jim Henry of Sag Harbor, the
Democratic Party’s candidate for town supervisor. Just like Mr. Gregor’s running mates, Mr. Henry said he has been
unable to contact Mr. MacKay to discuss his party’s endorsement.
Southampton Democratic Committee • PO Box 384 • Westhampton • New York
11977