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Politics & Government

GOP to Hold Nominating Convention on May 19; Dems Meeting on 16th

Thursday gathering will decide who get the GOP's nod to run for supervisor in November -- incumbent Walter or challenger Wooten.

The Riverhead Republican Committee has rescheduled its nominating convention to Thursday, May 19, at the Elks Club on East Main Street, beginning at 7 p.m., according to John Galla the committee’s chairman.

The convention had originally been scheduled for Thursday, May 11, but was changed to a week later due to what Galla described as “scheduling problems.”

Galla, in response to an inquiry, had told Riverhead Patch as long as two weeks ago that the convention needed to be rescheduled, though only recently came out with a date.

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At the convention, which Galla said would be open to reporters, 40 members of the town’s GOP committee will vote to choose their candidates for town supervisor and two town council seats in November’s general election.

Galla declined to say which positions will be voted on first at the convention – supervisor or council. This of interest as incumbent Republican Councilman Jim Wooten went before the same committee two weeks ago to.

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In a closed session, he told the Republicans that he was challenging incumbent Republican Supervisor Sean Walter for the top job, but that if he failed to obtain their nomination for supervisor, he would seek their nomination to run for re-election as a councilman.

“I hope to receive the endorsement of my fellow Republicans for supervisor,” Wooten said in a prepared speech that was released to the press. “If not, I humbly believe that my service will be recognized and respected by the committee and I will receive their endorsement for re-election [as councilman.]”

Because he had announced in advance that that he would be seeking the supervisor’s slot, three other Republicans – Brian Mills, Mary Hartill and Robert Weir – decided to also screen to run for Wooten’s council seat. The winner would become the running mate of incumbent Republican Councilman George Gabrielsen, who is expected to easily win the nomination for re-election.

If the nominations for council seats were to take place first at Thursday’s convention and Wooten were to lose, he would have to beat Walter for the supervisor nomination. If not, he would be left with no nomination at all for November’s election, although he could still mount a challenge for either slot in the Republican primary on September 13.

Meanwhile, Vinny Villella, chair for the Democratic Committee, said on Thursday that the Democrats would be meeting at Pizza Pie in Wading River on Monday night, May 16, to hold their nominating convention. 

Marge Acevedo, screening chair for the Democrats, would not reveal on Thursday who had screened for elected positions with the party. 

"We will divulge everything on Monday," she said.

Wooten confirmed Thursday afternoon that he had already screened with the Democrats to obtain their nomination for supervisor, but that he had not yet been contacted by Villella about showing up at Monday's convention.

He said the fact that he hadn't been invited leads him to believe that he is not going to get the nomination.

Others who have screened for the Democratic nomination for supervisor include former supervisor Phil Cardinale, Ron Harrari and Greg Fischer.

Cardinale said two weeks ago that while he planned to screen, he was still unsure of whether he would accept the nomination if he received it and actually run.

Fischer said last week that should he not receive the Democratic nomination for supervisor, he would run for the slot in September’s primary.

“One way or another, I’m running,” he told Riverhead Patch.

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