Catalina Team Prevails in Independence Party Primary
Peekskill Mayor Frank Catalina and his three running mates added the Independence Party to their arsenal of ballot lines in the November 2 general election with a primary victory last week over Democrat Ken Martin and his slate.
The Independence Party endorsed Martin and his running mates, councilwomen Kathy Talbot and Vivian McKenzie and Andre “Noodle” Rainey, forcing Catalina and his team of Tina Fischer, Brendon Fitzgerald and Herbert Reyes to secure an opportunity to ballot, meaning those who went to the polls on September 10 had to write-in their names.
According to the Westchester County Board of Elections’ website, Martin received 29 votes, McKenzie and Talbot received 32 apiece and Rainey garnered 31. Although the primary results haven’t been made official, Catalina and Martin confirmed the mayor and his team received more than enough valid write-in votes to claim victory.
Catalina, who will also appear on the Republican and Conservative lines, said he would not have defeated Mary Foster two years ago without the Independence line, but this year he feels he could have been reelected without it.
“This year I don’t think it will be a factor for me. I think it will be a much wider margin of victory,” Catalina said. “I do think our team will sweep all three seats (on the Common Council). I think they all have an excellent shot to win. People are fed up with the policies of the past.”
Martin, who besides the Democratic line also has secured the Working Party line, also downplayed the importance of the Independence Party primary but predicted a much closer race in November.
“I think we can win without it. I think this will go either by 50 votes,” Martin said.
When informed of Martin’s prediction, Catalina replied, “The Kool-Aid he’s drinking should be coffee because it’s (the election) going to be a wake up call.”
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
