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Thursday, November 7, 1996, p. 1.
Election results here

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Sullivan Dems carry the day -- but party is split

by TOM RUE


SULLIVAN COUNTY -- Voters in Sullivan County turned out in large numbers, poll-watchers said, and swept Democratic candidates into office.

From the president of the United States, to county court judge, down to the coroner's race, the majority of offices in Sullivan went to Democrats.

But some local Democratic officials raised eyebrows in the campaign by placing themselves at odds with the party that put them in office and crossing party lines to support opposition candidates.

Unofficial results indicated the only Republicans to win were incumbents, including US representative Ben Gilman (R-20), NYS senator Charles Cook (R-40), and coroner Ken Green. [CORRECTION]

NYS assemblyman Jacob E. Gunther III (D-98) voiced gratitude for his victory over Right-to-Life candidate Gerald McMurrer, saying, "In the big picture, maybe people's perception is things aren't real bad. In hard times, I think the agenda is change. It appears the voters feel comfortable with the people in office this evening," Gunther added.

Despite an unsurprising win by Gilman, county Democratic chair Robert Krutman suggested that Gunther oppose Gilman in 1998. "You can say, 'Krutman said it was tongue-in-cheek, but many a true word is said in jest,'" Krutman told a reporter. As Gunther was about to phone a cable TV station to claim victory, Krutman instructed him: "You tell him your county chairman is urging you to run [for Congress], but you haven't made your mind up yet."

In a televised appearance, a beaming Gilman was in good health, a youthful 73.

By far the most heated race in Sullivan was between two experienced jurists for county court judge. In the end, Frank J. LaBuda bested incumbent Burton Ledina by more than 2000 votes. LaBuda carried even such usual Republican strongholds as Neversink and Cochecton, Krutman said.

Ledina was considered to have had an advantage by some observers, in part because of support from some local Democrats.

Though Ledina has been cross-endorsed in past successful bids for town justice, the recent race became highly partisan as Democrats vied for control of the bench. Republican judges hold the county's supreme and family courts. During the campaign, some opponents as much as accused Ledina of dishonesty, despite his career as a reputable, fair, and hard-working judge.

Town of Thompson supervisor Anthony Cellini publicly supported Ledina, as did county legislator Robert Kunis. Both Cellini and Kunis are Democrats from Ledina's hometown of Monticello. These betrayals, and others, enraged Democratic party faithfuls. "When you have a legislator that puts up signs for Ledina on his beer store, and you have the supervisor of the largest town in the county who campaigns for him, it's time to run against them in primaries," Krutman told those gathered at Bernie's Restaurant in Rock Hill on election night.

Krutman referred to a flyer produced by Cellini and associates under the name "Democrats for Ledina."

LaBuda made note of Democratic committee members who, he claimed, went door-to-door for his opponent and made $1000 contributions to the Republican.

LaBuda thanked family and friends who helped in his campaign: Gunther, campaign advertising specialist Bernie Cohen, and "Betty Friedland, John Duiguid, and Jesse York [who] did the job that needed to be done in Thompson."

Despite the loss, Ledina is seen as a likely appointment by NYS governor George Pataki to a second, newly created county court seat in 1997. This prediction was touted by LaBuda himself in a campaign radio ad.

Correction An article entitled "Dems carry the day -- but party is split," in the November 7 issue, contained incorrect projections about Sullivan County cororner elections, based on information received at about 11:00 P.M. on Election Night from the Board of Elections. The final vote was for the election of three Republican coroner candidates, as was reported correctly elsewhere in the same edition. Published 11-14-1996