SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Just as they did in the spring of 2007, much of the leadership of the Onondaga County Republican Party is expected to stand behind Dale Sweetland as he launches his bid for Congress. But, just as in 2007, Sweetland's path to the nomination is not without hurdles. He faces challengers from within Onondaga County; chief among them is a member of Syracuse's common council.
“I'm officially exploring the nomination. And really what I've been doing is I've been talking to community leaders, business leaders and party officials and committee members,” said Syracuse Common Councilor Ryan McMahon.
McMahon said the reaction, so far, has been positive. But Onondaga County Republicans run a risk in all of this. It all comes down to a question of numbers.
Just a year after an unsuccessful bid for Onondaga County Executive, the former chairman of the county legislature is ready to jump into the political fray again. News 10 Now's Bill Carey reports Dale Sweetland will announce Thursday morning that he is a candidate for Congress in the 25th District.
The 25th Congressional District extends from Onondaga, through a portion of Cayuga, all of Wayne and a portion of Monroe County. The endorsement rests on gaining a majority of support from party committee members in all four counties. And, a state assemblyman from Wayne County, in the very heart of the district, is planning to challenge the Sweetland effort as well.
“The economy, jobs, health care, costs of energy, costs of living. Those are things that people have concerns about and I think that is something that I could have an impact in being the representative of this district in Washington,” said Wayne County Assemblyman Robert Oaks.
Oaks knows where the votes are in the district, though, and already knows the top priority in the lead up to the committee votes.
“I'm going to spend the next month and months ahead, getting better known in Onondaga County. Let people see who I am,” said Oaks.
And while most of the committee votes will come from Onondaga County, split that vote among Sweetland and other Syracuse area contenders, and Oaks might be able to walk away with the endorsement.
“That could happen and that's why I think we need to have a united front in Onondaga County going in and hopefully Wayne and Monroe and Cayuga counties will follow suit with whoever the committee chooses,” said McMahon.
The 25th Congressional District race was thrown wide open when Republican James Walsh decided not to seek re-election. Democrats are expected to endorse Daniel Maffei, who ran against Walsh in 2006.