Hanauer Holds Out Hope after Ossining Primary Loss to Gearity
Ossining Mayor William Hanauer may have suffered a lopsided loss in a Democratic primary to Trustee Victoria Gearity last week, but he is refusing to throw in the towel in his quest for a fifth two-year term.
“I still have a good chance,” said Hanauer. “There are many crossover votes that I hope to get. The people that come out to vote if they like what they see in Ossining they will vote for me.”
Hanauer maintained only one-fifth of eligible Democratic voters turned out at the polls last Tuesday when Gearity, a first term trustee, prevailed 686 (62%) to 420 (38%), a margin of victory that led Gearity to conclude will carry over to the November 4 election.
“I have no doubt on November 4 that I will be elected mayor,” Gearity boasted. “It really was a grassroots campaign. The campaign really grew as time went on. The message was about engaging the public. To me this is a decisive victory for the Village of Ossining.”
With no Republican candidate running for mayor, the winner of the Democratic primary is considered to have the upper hand in the November 4 election. Gearity is also running on the Independence line, while Hanauer will appear on the Working Families line.
Hanauer said he was “disappointed” that the recommendation of the five-member Endorsement Committee of the village’s Democratic Committee was not supported by district leaders.
“The party was stacked. Nine district leaders were brand new. Some were children of district leaders or elected officials who were away at college at the time,” Hanauer maintained.
Hanauer said he was the impetus behind the village’s surge in economic development and cited the Harbor Square luxury apartments and the Avalon affordable housing complex; two development projects that he feels will revitalize the village. He also cited the village’s solid financial standing under his leadership.
Gearity said during her almost two years in office information has not been shared equally among the board by Hanauer. She also vowed to televise the second hearing of citizens if elected, something that has taken place since 2007.
“My style is to have an open process so I can involve more voices and I can understand more perspectives,” she said.
Hanauer said the entire board has supported not televising the second public comment period, including Gearity, who he also mentioned has not introduced any resolution to change the current rules.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
