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The Essex County Republican
Committee endorsed Kristy Sprague over incumbent Julie Garcia for
district attorney Tuesday night at its annual meeting, held at the
Old County Courthouse in Elizabethtown.
Three candidates addressed
committee members and a crowd of over 100 registered Republicans.
Sprague, an assistant
DA in Clinton County, Garcia, the one-term incumbent, and Brian
Barrett, a Lake Placid attorney, all lobbied for the committee’s
endorsement.
When the weighted votes were
tallied, Sprague received just over 8000 votes, while Garcia got
3,600. 215 votes were cast in Barrett’s favor.
Essex County GOP Chairman Ronald
Jackson says the party favored Sprague because of her policy and her
demeanor. “She spoke very well, presented herself very well,
emphasized her trial experience and what she would like to do to
make what she would consider improvements in her mind on the Essex
County DA’s office,” Jackson said. “I think she was very well
received.”
The endorsement sets the stage for
a two-way GOP primary between Sprague and Garcia. Barrett has stated
that he still intends to seek the post, and will consider running as
an Independent or perhaps even go for the endorsement of county
Democrats. “I’m going to be an option on the ballot come November,”
he said.
Sprague could not be
reached for comment, but she told the Plattsburgh Press Republican
that her “proven track record” makes her the right choice for DA.
She has prosecuted at least 50 trials, ranging from double homicide
to sexual assault and domestic violence.
“We need to bring
that kind of experience back into the DA’s office,” Sprague told
WNBZ last month. “We need to bring back the respect and dignity that
the office deserves.”
Sprague, a native of
Moriah, has said she would move back to Essex County if she wins the
race.
Garcia had received the Republican
committee’s support over Sprague and incumbent Ronald Briggs when
she ran for district attorney four years ago. She says some of the
information being circulated about her record is inaccurate.
“I’m looking forward to debating my
opponents,” she said. “I believe my opponent from Clinton County has
been given some bad information based on the things that she told
Republican Committee members over the last two weeks. Much of the
information that she gave them is going to be easy to dispute, in
fact there are public records that will indicate that what she said
is just not true.”
In challenging Garcia’s record,
Sprague said that Garcia’s office only convicted one drug dealer on
felony charges in 2008. But Garcia says court documents show her
office recorded six felony drug convictions last year.
Ronald Briggs also
wrote a letter to the committee that was critical of Garcia for
over-spending.
But Garcia says that
allegation isn’t true. “Ron Briggs made comments that our budget had
increased over the last three years,” Garcia added. “The people on
the Republican Committee that work in county government know for a
fact that it’s not true.”
Garcia is disappointed with the
committee’s decision to back Sprague.
“I think it’s unfortunate,” she
said. “The party leadership that ignored this misinformation
throughout this process are the same people that are controlling a
lot of the things that are happening in government.”
Barrett believes Sprague and Garcia
misrepresented themselves when addressing the committee Tuesday
night. He also says his experience as both a prosecutor and a
defense attorney make him the more well-rounded candidate.
“I really talked to the committee
about taking a reasonable approach to prosecution,” Barrett said. “I
believe the other candidates took more of a pandering role and told
the committee what they wanted to hear.”
The primary will be
held in August. The election is in November.
-Chris Morris, 4-2-09
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