SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- “We got some catching up to do,” said Peter Cappuccilli, who is running for the 25th Congressional District seat.
Cappuccilli is best known as a former director of the state fair. With the potential for a primary battle now eased, he said he is moving on to the next phase of the campaign, visiting various sites across the district, meeting voters. Cappuccilli said he wants to keep the coming electoral showdown positive, free from the negative tone that has marked so many election races.
“Lay out our qualifications. Lay out our position on the issues. And let the voters decide who they feel can best represent them,” said Cappuccilli.
The democrat in the race, Dan Maffei, said he agrees that voters want the focus to be on key issues ranging from health care to the economy to the war in Iraq.
“For us to squabble among each other, even in a political campaign, about issues that may not be of substantive importance to people is not what they want to see,” said Maffei.
Peter Cappuccilli is best known as a former director of the state fair. With the potential for a primary battle now eased, he says he is moving on to the next phase of the campaign, visiting various sites across the district, meeting voters.
If the 2006 campaign was any lesson in modern politics, it's that, while both candidates may promise a positive, issues oriented campaign, the entry of outside groups can change the nature of that campaign.
Maffei said those groups have a right of free speech and a right to speak out, although he hopes they too will take the high road.
“Keep it aboveboard. This is something where you don't hit below the belt. You might disagree with your opponent or you might disagree with one of the candidates in the race, but you keep the level of discourse high,” said Maffei.
Cappuccilli goes further. He said if the groups supporting him go on the attack, he will ask them to put an end to their activities.
“That's not my personality and that's not my style and that's not me. I would reject it and I would ask that it not happen and that, if it did, that it would stop,” said Cappuccilli.
A little less than eight months before the election, two candidates are hoping a campaign can be about ideas.
The 25th District includes all of Onondaga and Wayne counties, as well as portions of Cayuga and Monroe counties.