County Executive Greg Edwards running for second term
By PATRICK FANELLICounty Executive Greg Edwards will seek a second four-year term in office.
Edwards plans to formally announce his candidacy for re-election at a campaign event from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 6, at the Janowsky hanger of the Chautauqua County Airport in Ellicott.
Edwards, a resident of Busti and a former attorney with one of Jamestown's largest and most prestigious law firms, challenged former County Executive Mark Thomas in 2005. Thomas sought a third four-year term in office but Edwards soundly defeated him, winning 55 percent of the vote and sweeping every municipality in the county except Hanover, Portland, Sheridan and the Democratic strongholds of Arkwright, Dunkirk and Pomfret.
Challenging Edwards will be County Legislator Chuck Cornell, D-Jamestown. Cornell was also first elected in 2005 and was quickly elevated to the position of legislature majority leader, stepping down from that post after two years. Cornell, former director of the Center for Rural Regional Development and Governance at the State University at Fredonia, announced his candidacy for county executive May 1.
The campaign event will come two days before county Republicans convene to nominate candidates for county office. All nine members of the County Legislature's Republican caucus are expected to run for re-election and the party is expected to challenge Democrats in other seats as well.
As of Tuesday, only four contested races have been announced. Democrat Rebecca White will challenge Legislator John Runkle, R-Stockton, in District 6; Democrat Mike Dye will challenge Legislator Larry Barmore, R-Gerry, in District 9; Democrat Bobbi Coswell will challenge Legislator Jay Gould, R-Ashville, in District 19; and Democrat Ron Vahl will challenge Legislator James Caflisch, R-French Creek, in District 21.
In addition, Democrats are hoping to hold on to three seats being vacated by Cornell; Legislator Wally Huckno, D-West Ellicott; and Legislator Stephen Keefe, D-Fredonia, all of whom will not run for re-election this year.
