Eddie Sundquist
JAMESTOWN – Democratic officials in Jamestown have selected their candidate for mayor.
On Thursday night the Jamestown Democratic Committee voted to endorse local attorney and 2018 Democratic congressional candidate Eddie Sundquist for Mayor in the 2019 local election.
The move comes after current mayor and Democrat Sam Teresi announced earlier this month he would not be seeking a sixth consecutive term in office.
In a media release sent out Thursday, city Democratic chair Jim Walton said party officials are excited to endorse Sundquist because of his commitment to Jamestown and its citizens.
Born and raised in Jamestown, Sundquist is a graduate of Jamestown High School and is the first in his family to graduate college, having earned a political science degree at St. John Fisher College. He then earned his Masters of Science in Education at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, and received his law degree from the University of Buffalo School of Law. His law practice currently focuses on helping injured workers and grieving families. His first foray into running for public office was in the 2018 race for the New York 23rd Congressional District. In that race he finished fifth out of five candidates in the Democratic Party June primary.
Sundquist is the third person to throw his hat into the ring for the mayoral race. At the start of the month Republican City Councilman Andrew Liuzzo announced his intention to run and earlier this week the city Republican Committee endorsed County Legislator David Wilfong as its choice. That means if both Liuzzo and Wilfong get the required number signatures from registered party voters there will be a primary in June to determine which of those two will advance to the November General Election.
DEMS PRESENT FULL SLATE OF CANDIDATES FOR CITY COUNCIL
Meanwhile, the Jamestown Democratic Committee also endorsed several others for city offices, including current City Council members Marie Carrubba (Ward IV and current council president), Vickye James (Ward III), Maria Jones (Ward V), Tom Nelson (Ward VI), and Tamu Graham-Reinhardt (At-Large).
In addition, the committee is endorsing past council member and city council president Greg Rabb – who served on the council for 10 years before not winning reelection for an at large seat in the 2017 general election. Rabb still remains active in city government as the chair of both the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities and the Jamestown Planning Commission. He was appointed to both as a citizen member by Mayor Teresi at the start of 2018. Rabb is again running as an at-large candidate in 2019.
The Democrats other at large candidate will be newcomer Taylor Scott.
Rounding out the slate of candidates for city council will be newcomer Tim Smeal running in Ward I (a seat currently held by Republican Brent Sheldon) along with Tom Vitale running in Ward II (a seat currently held by Republican Tony Dolce).
Joining the Jamestown team are endorsed county legislator incumbent Chuck Nazzaro (District 9) and candidate Bob Whitney for District 11 – which is currently held by Republican mayoral candidate David Wilfong.
A rally is being planned to formally announce Sundquist and other endorsed Democrats on Thursday February 28 at 4 p.m. at the Chadakoin River scenic overlook on the Jamestown River Walk (across from McCrea Point).
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