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PRIMARY LINE-UP

Mike McGarry

June 26, 2008

Here we go! The primary season is underway and election day is less than two months away, on Tuesday, August 12.

The odds against a challenger are almost always daunting but there are exceptions. Marie Kirkley-Bey stands a good chance of continuing as 5th District State Representative and Shirley Surgeon must have a good following to have been able to get all those signatures in such a short time span.

Ed Vargas, we understand, has to get almost universal support from the Hispanic community to win. This sounds like a tall order, but we are assured he’ll make it a good race.

Carmen Sierra is certainly an energetic campaigner but the Democratic “machine,” or what is left of it, is behind Hector Robles. Door knocking is tough, especially in the summer. It’s no fun to go door-to-door for hours and only get to speak with eight people.

As for the GOP race, it is not our place to interfere, but it seems funny that the challenger is complaining about the last several decades of Republican inactivity when, truth be told, those supporting him ran the party most of the time. Anyway, this is America and anyone can run if they get the signatures. It’s an important post and, be assured, an election is good for the system.

Maybe, with all these cross currents, we might see a rebuilding of party structures through conflict. Nothing wrong with that.

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

Position Endorsed Challenger

State Senate (1st Dist) John Fonfara Edwin Vargas

State Representative (5th) Abe Giles Marie Kirkley-Bey

State Representative (6th) Hector Robles Carmen Sierra

Registrar of Voters Olga Iris Vazquez Shirley Surgeon

REPUBLICAN PRIMARY

Position Endorsed Challenger

Registrar of Voters (R) Salvatore Bramante Kevin Brookman