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The Daily OrangeValesky claims victory over Hoffmann in state Senate race
By Dave Hale
Posted: 11/17/04, 1:49 AM EST Section: News
Nearly two weeks after the polls closed, David Valesky finally declared victory over Republican incumbent Sen. Nancy Larraine Hoffmann in the race for the 49th state Senate District seat Monday.
The Democrat Valesky led Hoffmann by about 1,060 votes on election night, but saw his lead dwindle to about 440 in the weeks since, as paper and absentee ballots from Madison, Oneida and Cayuga counties were counted. As the final numbers were tabulated Monday, however, it became clear that Valesky's lead was safe.
"I was confident on election night that the lead that we had at that time would hold up," he said. "But I made it very clear that the most important thing was that the outcome of this race be the true outcome that the voters intended it to be."
About 300 ballots have been set aside after representatives for Hoffmann's campaign objected to them. Hoffmann now has three days to show the state Supreme Court why they should be permanently excluded, but Edward J. Szczesniak, the commissioner of the Onondaga County Board of Elections, said Valesky would prevail with or without those votes.
"Valesky, district-wide, is up about 460 votes, which means no matter how the 300 set-asides go, he will still be a winner," he said.
Although Hoffmann has yet to publicly concede the election, Valesky said he spoke with her before declaring victory Monday.
"I received a call from Sen. Hoffmann less than an hour before I spoke," he said. "She congratulated me on the election and I thanked her for her many years of public service representing the people of Central New York."
Repeated calls to Sen. Hoffmann's office were not returned.
Valesky took advantage of support for third-party candidate Thomas Dadey, who lost against Hoffman in the Republican primary, but still picked up more than 13,000 votes running on the Conservative Party ticket.
While the split ended up giving Valesky the election without a majority of the vote, he said at a press conference Tuesday attended by Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll and several members of the New York state Senate and Assembly, his commitment to serve his constituency and reform the legislative process in Albany would overcome the political divide in Central New York.
The Democrat Valesky led Hoffmann by about 1,060 votes on election night, but saw his lead dwindle to about 440 in the weeks since, as paper and absentee ballots from Madison, Oneida and Cayuga counties were counted. As the final numbers were tabulated Monday, however, it became clear that Valesky's lead was safe.
"I was confident on election night that the lead that we had at that time would hold up," he said. "But I made it very clear that the most important thing was that the outcome of this race be the true outcome that the voters intended it to be."
About 300 ballots have been set aside after representatives for Hoffmann's campaign objected to them. Hoffmann now has three days to show the state Supreme Court why they should be permanently excluded, but Edward J. Szczesniak, the commissioner of the Onondaga County Board of Elections, said Valesky would prevail with or without those votes.
"Valesky, district-wide, is up about 460 votes, which means no matter how the 300 set-asides go, he will still be a winner," he said.
Although Hoffmann has yet to publicly concede the election, Valesky said he spoke with her before declaring victory Monday.
"I received a call from Sen. Hoffmann less than an hour before I spoke," he said. "She congratulated me on the election and I thanked her for her many years of public service representing the people of Central New York."
Repeated calls to Sen. Hoffmann's office were not returned.
Valesky took advantage of support for third-party candidate Thomas Dadey, who lost against Hoffman in the Republican primary, but still picked up more than 13,000 votes running on the Conservative Party ticket.
While the split ended up giving Valesky the election without a majority of the vote, he said at a press conference Tuesday attended by Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll and several members of the New York state Senate and Assembly, his commitment to serve his constituency and reform the legislative process in Albany would overcome the political divide in Central New York.
