Tompkins County Democrats hold straw poll

Tompkins Weekly Staff

 

Several Democratic candidates running for the New York State 23rd district against Republican incumbent Tom Reed filled the stage of the State Theater on Monday, Feb. 12 for a round table discussion of issues such as tax reform, the opioid crisis, and gun control. Following the discussion, attendees were asked to vote in a straw poll.

Candidates:
Tracy Mitrano
A resident of New York state her entire life Mitrano was born in Rochester. She received a Ph.D in American History from Binghamton University and a Law degree from Cornell University. She recently served as the Director of Information Technology Policy at Cornell. Last month Mitrano took first place at the Geneva Democrats straw poll. She took first again at the Tompkins County Democrats straw poll with 297 votes.

Max Della Pia
Born and raised in Manistee, Michigan, after high school Della Pia pursued a degree in Economics from the Air Force Academy. From there, Della Pia worked for the Air Force in different capacities. He is now a retired Colonel from the Air Force who lives in Owego. Della Pia took second place in the Tompkins County Democratic straw poll with 80 votes.

Ian Golden
Although he has lived in Tompkins County for the past 18 years, Golden was born and raised in rural Pennsylvania. According to his campaign website, Golden said he works three jobs to make ends meet “in an area burdened with some of the highest tax rates.” Golden came in third in the Tompkins County Democrats straw poll with 69 votes.

Linda Andrei
A retired cardiologist turned politician, Andrei studied medicine in Mexico, leading her to become fluent in Spanish. She became a New York state resident following September 11, 2001 when she wanted to move closer to family. She has worked in Elmira, Corning, Bath, Painted Post, Watkins Glen and Ithaca. Andrei came in fourth in the Tompkins County Democrats straw poll with 64 votes.

Eddie Sundquist
Born and raised in Jamestown, Sundquist pursued a degree in political science at St. John Fisher after graduating from Jamestown High School in 2007. He taught middle school science in Philadelphia while attending the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. In 2012 Sundquist returned to New York to pursue a Law degree from the University of Buffalo and is now an attorney admitted to the bar in New York state. Sundquist came in fifth in the Tompkins County Democrats straw poll with 38 votes.

Charles Whalen
Whalen currently lives in Geneva but has connections to Tompkins County as an alum of Cornell University. He was the first in his family to attend college. Over the past 30 years Whalen has worked in the business sector in various capacities. Whalen came in sixth in the Tompkins County Democrats straw poll with 22 votes.

 

Rick Gallant

While not actually in attendance at the event, Gallant did receive one vote in the straw poll.