In a landslide victory, Republican Joanie Mahoney became the new Onondaga County executive Tuesday night.
“I’m humbled and honored to be standing here tonight as your next county executive,” Mahoney told a raucous, chanting crowd at the Republicans’ election-night party at the Liverpool Holiday Inn.
With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Mahoney received 58 percent of the vote, according to News 10 Now. Democrat Bill Magnarelli, the only other candidate who aggressively campaigned in the race, received 36 percent of the vote.
The unofficial totals are Mahoney 62,300 votes and Magnarelli 38,424 votes.
At the Republican election headquarters in the Liverpool Holiday Inn on Tuesday night, Mahoney addressed a throng of supporters in front of an archof red, white and blue balloons. The walls were lined with American flag-shaped balloons, and blue and green Joanie Mahoney signs. She hugged her four blonde boys and her husband, Marc Overdyk, who stood next to her on the stage.
“I want to thank all of you who believed in this campaign,” Mahoney said. “I promise to work hard every day to make you proud.”
County GOP chairman John DeSpirito, downplayed rifts in the party after Mahoney challenged and beat the party’s choice, Dale Sweetland, in a primary. He pointed to Mahoney’s growing lead of votes displayed on a screen next to him. “If anybody thinks the Republican Party in Onondaga County does not come together, those numbers disprove it,” he said.
Throughout the evening, the crowd went wild for Mahoney, drowning out other victory speeches with “Joanie” chants. District Attorney William Fitzpatrick captured the mood perfectly. “She’s like a rock star now,” Fitzpatrick said. “She doesn’t even have to say her first name. It’s just Joanie.”
Throughout the night, supporters applauded as they watched the results flash across a large screen at the front of the room. They made toasts among friends. They patted each other on the back.
“It’s 100 percent. She’s going to win. Absolutely. I have no doubt,” said Donald Herb, a retired accountant and Mahoney supporter, with a beaming smile.
Mahoney will succeed Republican Nick Pirro, who held the county executive position for 20 years. The political landscape has changed since 1987, when Pirro won in what was then a 41-percent Republican county.
In Onondaga County today, Republicans still outnumber Democrats. But the gap is narrowing. As of November, Republicans had 102,067 registered members and Democrats had 100,870, according to state Board of Elections figures obtained by The Post-Standard.
But at the polls on Tuesday, some Democrats decided to resist their party allegiance.
John Palmieri of Cicero is a life-long Democrat. But this year, he voted for a Republican. He voted for Mahoney because, he said, he felt Magnarelli focused too much on his accomplishments as a state assemblyman and not enough on the county. “Nothing against Magnarelli, but all these things on TV and the radio are all about what he’s doing for the state,” Palmieri said. “Magnarelli doesn’t say what he wants to do — it’s all what he’s done.”
For other voters, Mahoney’s vision got their votes.
Fran Dagata, 34, owns a business in Madison County. She just moved into the Syracuse area. “I like her vision. She just keeps talking about taxes,” said Dagata. “I think that’s the biggest issue around here.”
Her family ties are both a source of support and negative feelings for Mahoney. Mahoney’s father, Bernard, served as a councilor-at-large on the Syracuse Common Council and ran for mayor unsuccessfully three times.
Mahoney’s family ties will keep her from making real change in the county, said Crystal Collette, a 28-year-old social worker from Syracuse. “I don’t trust Joanie Mahoney. She doesn’t have a lot of experience and has a long family history of politics and all that leads me to feel that she’ll sorta just continue on the way we’ve been headed.”
Dorothy Schafer, 79, is a housewife. She lives on the North side of Syracuse. Mahoney’s family connections will make her a better leader, she said. “Her father was in politician,” Schafer said. “They say she doesn’t have enough experience. I don’t believe that. I really think she has. I think she would be very good.”
Two other candidates were on the county executive ballot. Neither campaigned and both supported their party’s candidate. Together, they received a total of about six percent of the vote.
Dale Sweetland, the county GOP’s primary candidate, received about five percent of the vote. He lost the Republican primary to Mahoney in September. Sweetland ran on the Conservative and the Independence party lines. Edward F. Ryan received about one percent of the vote. He ran on the It’s Your County line after losing the Democratic primary to Magnarelli.As for Mahoney herself, she claimed her victory with her familiar campaign slogan, telling supporters: “Together we will give our community a fresh start and ensure Central New York thrives in the 21st century.”
(Some reporting for this article came from the following Democracywise reporters: Amy Aaronson, Ashley Prchal and Richard Zussman.)
(Andrew Restuccia is a newspaper journalism and religion and society major)
-30-
