Looks like Republicans, both in Western New York and at the national level, are taking Jack Davis quite a bit more seriously this time around.
GOP officials are loath to admit it, but the 73-year-old factory owner from Akron made things far less comfortable than they would have liked for Rep. Tom Reynolds in 2004. Spending more than $1.2 million of his own money, Davis captured more than 44 percent of the vote in his first run for public office.
Last week, Davis announced that he's running again -- no big surprise, since he's essentially been running since shortly after the last election, when he formed Save American Jobs, an anti-free-trade advocacy organization -- and that he'd spend at least as much in challenging Reynolds, who has represented the heavily Republican district that includes much of rural and suburban Niagara County since 1998, this time around.
Reynolds spokesman L.D. Platt called the 2004 margin of victory -- just under 12 percent -- "a landslide." But in commenting on Davis' latest challenge, he talked to Another Paper about Davis' "obscene wealth," a word combination you don't hear all that often from Republicans.
And Niagara County Republican Party Chairman Henry Wojtaszek sent out a press release slamming Davis, accusing the Democratic candidate of violating state and federal campaign-finance laws.
"Rather than simply comply with the law, Jack Davis used his personal wealth to create a network whose sole purpose appears to be self-promotion, while avoiding public scrutiny and honest disclosure," Wojtaszek said. "This is a years-long pattern of illegal conduct that, given his past violations and continued disrespect for the law, mandates the fullest penalties available."
In making his announcement, Davis -- a lifelong Republican who switched parties in time for the 2004 campaign -- dismissed the allegations as minor paperwork errors, chalking them up to his inexperience as a candidate.
Sinking poll numbers for both the Republican-controlled Congress and George W. Bush's White House have heightened attention on the 26th District race, which for years had gotten little attention, or money, from Democrats.
After Bill Paxon decided not to run in 1998, Reynolds, then a state assemblyman, ran against William R. Cook, outspending his foe by $851,862 to $60,662, capturing more than 57 percent of the vote. In 2000 and 2002, Reynolds faced token opposition. He spent more than $800,000 in each race, while Thomas Pecoraro and Ayesha Nariman barely ponied up $21,000 between them. Reynolds pulled more than 70 percent of the vote each time.
In their first meeting, Davis depended mostly on his money, raising slightly more than $44,000 from outside sources. He can expect more help from the party this time around, given the GOP's problems. He's also hired a more seasoned campaign staff, and plans to diversify his platform, fleshing out the anti-free-trade message that dominated his first run.
Davis accepted only $100 from political action committees in 2004, compared to $812,000 for Reynolds, who also received almost $1.5 million in donations from individuals.
Reynolds also received $1,000 from the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and $6,000 from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Both tribes were represented by lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who pleaded guilty to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials in January.
Part of Abramoff's plea agreement is a requirement to cooperate with investigators, which has national politicians of both parties concerned with a pivotal election looming. Reynolds is the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, which oversees GOP House campaigns. Democrats hope to capitalize on the Abramoff scandal, as well as slipping support for the war in Iraq, to take back control of one or both houses of Congress.
A March Gallup poll showed 55 percent of Americans surveyed in favor of a Democrat-controlled Congress, with 39 preferring that Republicans remain in charge of the House and Senate. Democrats would need to pick up 17 seats to take over the House, seven to take control of the Senate.
Forcing Reynolds into a hotly contested campaign could cause a distraction from the national race, or at least so Democratic leadership hopes.
Reynolds had more than $2.5 million in his war chest at the end of 2005. With so much at stake, get ready for a whole lot of charges, counter-charges and campaign commercials in this race. It's not going to be pretty.
During his time as Niagara County GOP chairman, Wojtaszek orchestrated the party's takeover of the county legislature.
The last time the Democrats ran County Hall, Nick Forster was the party's leader. After last week's resignation by embattled chairwoman Cindy Lenhart, Forster finalized his decision to run for his old job, he told Citycide on Saturday.
North Tonawanda chairman Dan Rivera succeeds Lenhart, setting up an intramural battle for the top spot after September's primaries. The last time Niagara County Democrats had a contest for the chairman's post was 1996, when Forster topped Dennis Virtuoso, who represents Niagara Falls in the county legislature.
"I think it'll be good for the party," Forster said. "It will generate interest."
Forster said he blames a lack of leadership for the party's weakness at the local committee levels, which has led to consecutive drubbings by the GOP in the 2003 and '05 countywide races.
"Our country was founded on the two-party system, and for the last five years, it's been a one-party system," Forster said. "The GOP better look in the rear-view mirror, because the Democrats are coming up quick." Forster said he wants to restore support services for candidates, such as writing, printing and mailing literature, which have withered since his departure.
"We're going back to basics," Forster said. "It's Winning Elections 101."
Lenhart, who is under investigation for election fraud during the 2005 campaign, sent a letter to party members last week, citing health and uncertainty over the future of her employer, Delphi, as the official causes for her resignation.
Last August, Lenhart said in court that she couldn't remember whether she witnessed the signing of nominating petitions for a county legislature candidate, though she signed and notarized them to indicate that she had less than a month earlier.
Her testimony came during a hearing before state Supreme Court Justice Richard Kloch to determine the validity of legislature candidate Bill Boulden.
"I don't see any other need for any other testimony on this," the judge said at the time. "Miss Lenhart indicated on the stand that the affidavit that she completed was in err. To me, it's fraudulent."
According to a source close to the investigation, an indictment is expected in the case by mid-April, with several other Democrats also facing charges in the case.
Contrary to published reports (OK, last week's Citycide), John's Flaming Hearth has not, repeat, not been demolished. Yet. It was scheduled to meet with the wrecking ball on the last Saturday in March, a date which -- as one could see by driving down Military Road last week -- has been postponed. Since we can't find anyone else to properly blame, we'll simply refer to an old bit of sound journalistic wisdom.
"If your mother tells you she loves you, check it out."
Not my mother, of course, but you get the idea.
| Niagara Falls Reporter | www.niagarafallsreporter.com | April 4 2006 |