City Newspaper Archives - 2/2007
POLITICS: Democrats focus on Robach
Published by Mary Anna Towler on Feb 08, 2007
As Democrats plot a take-over of the State Senate, Rochester-area Senator Joe Robach's name continues to come up. Republicans now have only a four-vote margin, and if the Democrats can get two Republicans to switch parties, there'll be a tie. Lieutenant Governor David Patterson, a Democrat, would break any tie votes.
Robach, who is a former Democrat, is one of two Republicans being mentioned as targets. The other is Hudson Valley Senator John Bonacic. Robach, who has been avoiding the media, has not returned calls from City Newspaper. But local Democrats are saying that he's being urged to join Senate Democrats or accept a position in the Spitzer administration --- which would leave his seat up in a special election.
Thursday's New York Times included this report: "Mr. Robach, a former Democrat, did not respond directly when asked whether Gov. Eliot Spitzer's administration had reached out to him. ‘My first priority is to the people who elected me,' he said. When a reporter suggested that he had not answered the question, he said, ‘Thank you,' and continued on his way.
Robach doesn't have an easy decision. He's popular in the Rochester area, obviously enjoys his position, and has brought home a good bit of state money. But his is a predominantly Democratic district, and if he doesn't switch sides, Democrats are almost certain to look for a strong candidate to run against him in 2008.
