Reynolds: Big primary day in Kingston

The contests for Democratic nominations — the only ones that count — in wards 5 and 9 offer some intriguing match-ups.
Bill Carey is the party choice in the showcase Fifth against former Ulster Town Supervisor Nicky Woerner. Carey, who married into the Loughran political clan — brother-in-law Peter Loughran is a long-time county legislator, wife Mary was clerk to the legislature when Democrats held a majority in 2006-09, late Mother Agnes was a force in Democratic politics — has deep roots in the ward. Woerner, who claims political lineage from former city Democratic chairman and grandfather Larry Woerner, moved in this year and then moved again within the ward. While newcomer Carey offers a fresh face, Woerner carries more baggage than some of the trains that barrel through the ward. It may not be fair to compare his four-year record of jacking taxes and blowing through surpluses in Ulster to what he might do as alderman, but as JFK liked to say, life isn’t fair. Conversely, if Carey loses this one, he might just find himself sitting in the kitchen at the next Loughran family gathering.
Anything can happen in the Democratically dominated Ninth, where old Kingston and new Kingston collide. Mark Halwick Jr. is the party nominee but faces a determined challenge from John Simek, a realtor. Halwick’s tender age aside — this is after all the year for 20-something candidates — he may suffer from party machinations that kicked the GOP candidate off the ballot. It was all perfectly legal; a Supreme Court judge ruled she had violated the election law by failing to attach a date to her petitions. But it left a sour taste. Elections have been lost on things far stranger.
I don’t know how much attention people pay to legislative candidates in Kingston — or anywhere else — but they should. With a 23-member legislature to be elected in November, Kingston’s three representatives will have considerably more influence than in the present 33-member set-up.
There is only one primary, in District 6, representing wards 3, 5 and 9. Two incumbent Democrats, nine-term legislator Dave Donaldson and first-termer Mike Madsen are running against former alderman Len Walker. Donaldson, the convention nominee, should have the advantage, what with the opposition splitting the vote. But Donaldson has never had to work very hard to win election and indications the other two are wearing out the sidewalks. I smell an upset.