Why is Seward afraid?
Jim Seward does not respect the voice of the voters. He has used two surrogates, Patricia Moxley and Burlington town tax collector Deborah Wengert, both members of his own local Republican county committee, to challenge the petitions of Jim Blake, who is seeking to oppose Mr. Seward in the primary as well as my own petitions as I seek to give voters a choice in the general election.
Why is Seward afraid? In a recent filing, he has nearly 2,000 times as much money on hand as Mr. Blake and myself combined (it helps to have lobbyists and PACs behind you). He has an organization built on 26 years of cronyism, and his job gives him vacation time from now until the election so he can campaign. Is he afraid that the voters are genuinely tired of his lack of leadership and ideas? Is he afraid that people might vote him out despite his extensive funding from the insurance companies and other corporate interests? Or does Mr. Seward simply believe that the 51st Senate District seat belongs to him and no one else has any right to challenge him?
Whether or not you support Mr. Seward, democracy in our area is more important. You have the opportunity to show that you support ideas over partisan advantage and choice over no choice. Contact Mr. Seward and tell him that you believe in open elections, that you want issues to be discussed this election and, most of all, that you believe that this kind of political gamesmanship as usual is not what we want for our state. It is not too late for Seward to withdraw his objections.
Howard Leib
Dryden
Leib is running against Seward for state Senate.
