Assemblyman to Challenge GOP Candidate’s Petition
Two Democratic incumbent state legislators recently learned that they will have an opponent in November.
State Sen. George Latimer and Assemblyman Thomas Abinanti will be involved in contested races this fall after each saw a Republican challenger beat the deadline earlier this month to file a petition to gain entry on the ballot.
Latimer, a Rye resident who is seeking re-election for the first time as an incumbent in the 37th Senate District, will face Yonkers resident and GOP public relations and political consultant Joseph Dillon.
Latimer said he anticipated an opponent because the Republicans are likely concentrating on Senate races, although Dillon didn’t surface until the final day.
The last two election cycles have produced very competitive races in the district. Former state senator Suzi Oppenheimer edged Republican Bob Cohen in 2010 and Latimer defeated Cohen by a comparatively comfortable eight points two years ago.
“I wasn’t surprised,” Latimer said recently. “The Republicans are determined to hold on to the Senate and they’re not spending a lot of money on the Assembly races.”
Messages left for Dillon were not returned. His LinkedIn profile listed him as having worked in the Treasury Department as the senior adviser and chief of staff to the under secretary of finance from June 2003 until February 2005. He also has extensive experience in the private sector, including a 10-year stint as director of corporate and international affairs for AIG.
Meanwhile, Abinanti, a Pleasantville resident, is involved in a bit of early intrigue in his race. After being elected to a second term two years ago without any competition in the 92nd District, which is considered a Democratic stronghold, the assemblyman apparently has himself an opponent.
Michael K. Duffy of Valhalla, a lawyer with a White Plains practice, beat the July 10 filing deadline. However, Abinanti is going to court this week to formally challenge the petition. He said there’s confusion because Duffy uses the name Mike and doesn’t specify a middle initial. It is believed Michael K. is the candidate and a Michael M. is not, according to Abinanti.
“I’ll tell you we’re challenging the petition because there are two Mike Duffys at that address and we don’t know which one is the candidate,” Abinanti said.
A message left on Monday at Michael K. Duffy’s White Plains office was not returned.
During the past two years, Abinanti said he has been successful in helping to work with Republicans and Democrats to form a suburban caucus, which included colleagues from Long Island and the Hudson Valley. The sharp increase in education aid may have resulted from those efforts, he said.
Latimer said he expects his campaign to heat up once summer ends and welcomes the competition. Perhaps the biggest challenge for state legislators going forward is to relieve local governments of the crushing burden of mandates. Millions of dollars are paid out to pensions and Medicaid expenses that shouldn’t fall on municipalities and counties.
“At the end of the day, the problem is that the state requires the local governments to pay for things that other states don’t require local governments to pay for,” Latimer said.
First-term Assemblyman David Buchwald and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin have no opponent this year.
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