Segarra, Sullivan Pummeled in Peekskill Dem Primary
The two registered Democrats running with Republican Mayor Frank Catalina on the Peekskill United ticket were trounced in their attempt Tuesday night to secure the Democratic line.
Democratic Committee endorsed candidates Colin Smith (1,094 votes), Vanessa Agudelo (1,076) and Ramon Fernandez (1,054) easily defeated Luis Segarra (364) and Robert Sullivan (335) in the Democratic primary, according to unofficial results from the Westchester County Board of Elections.
Segarra and Sullivan, both first-time candidates were successful in court to earn a spot on the primary ballot after their petitions were challenged, but their candidacy apparently didn’t resonate with registered Democrats who went to the polls.
“Democratic voters decided they didn’t want a candidate (Sullivan) who sued the city in order to raise property taxes and they didn’t want a candidate that misrepresented an endorsement from a New York State Assemblyman,” said Agudelo. “What voters do want in Peekskill are elected officials who represent our values and have a vision for this city that helps clean up our streets, promotes inclusivity, and promotes growth that benefits everyone.”
“The Democratic residents of Peekskill have chosen to have true Democrats on the ballot November 7th,” said Smith. “Segarra and Sullivan spent months claiming to be Democrats, and I guess they now claim to be Republicans. No one is sure what they stand for. If you want candidates that are true to their values, then the Democratic team is the only choice.”
Leaders of the Democratic Committee had contended the primary was “an attempt by the Republican Party to deceive voters by depriving them of a choice on Election Day.”
Catalina’s Peekskill United Team which also includes Councilman Joe Torres, has already secured the Republican, Conservative and Independence lines. The Democrats, led by mayoral candidate and Councilman Andre Rainey, will also appear on the Working Families line.
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/
