The Essex County Republican Party has endorsed Kristy Sprague for district attorney and Henry Hommes for sheriff.
Hommes, the incumbent, beat out challenger Michael Tyler by a wide margin; Sprague beat out incumbent Julie Garcia and Brian Barrett, garnering more than twice as many votes as Garcia.
Sprague got 8,254 votes, Garcia 3,623 and Barrett 215, according to the Press-Republican of Plattsburgh. Hommes got 11,369 votes and Tyler 723; another 422 were voided. More than 100 people attended the meeting at the Old County Courthouse in Elizabethtown, according to county Republican Chairman Ronald Jackson.
Barrett and Garcia have both said they plan to run without the party's backing.
"I like to go with the positives," Jackson said. "I would say that Mrs. Sprague did a better job of convincing people that she was the best candidate. She talked about her experience and what she would like to do if she becomes DA to improve things."
Jackson said he considers Garcia a friend, "but some people thought there were problems in the DA's office and somebody else may be able to do better."
Jackson did not mention any examples, but one that has drawn headlines is that Garcia has drawn fire on a political level recently for publically challenging county Clerk Joseph Provoncha, suggesting that he no longer be in charge of administering the Stop-DWI program funding due to the possibility of conflicts of interest with the various positions he holds.
The primary will be in September, the general election in November. Jackson said he expects a primary for the DA position.
"The advantage of the endorsement is, it means the party will work with the endorsed candidate," Jackson said. "The committee people will help get signatures; it takes a certain amount of signatures to get on the ballot. For those not endorsed, it's a little tougher to get on the ballot and a little tougher job to win the primary without the endorsement of the party. Whoever wins the primary, we support that person in the general election whether it is that (endorsed) candidate or not."
