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Eric Sundwall formally announces for CD-20 in New York

By Trent Hill on February 10, 2009 3:21 PM

Eric Sundwall, the chairman of the New York Libertarian Party, has formally announced his intention to run in the special election to replace Kirsten Gillibrand in CD-20. Sundwall said in the announcement:

We will have 12 days to collect over 3500 signatures to get on the ballot. We accept this challenge because the people of the 20th District are tired of the machine politics of a smoke filled room. Jim Tedisco is a career tax and spend politician and Scott Murphy is a self-funded candidate reminiscent of Sandy Treadwell. This special election gives us much better odds than an ordinary general election.

Sundwall is a 41 year old Information Technology consultant living in Columbia County, New York . He will be facing Republican candidate Jim Tedisco, and an as-of-yet-unnamed Democratic challenger. The entire race reaks of third parties, though. Tedisco just secured the Conservative Party’s ballot line for the race, which is interesting considering Eric Sundwall’s father served as county chairman of that party. Of the many people being considered for the Democratic nomination, Tim Gordon (whom we previously covered here) is a front runner. He is the only member of the New York legislature who is registered as a member of the Independence Party.

17 Comments

  1. paulie cannoli February 16, 2009

    Latest campaign blogs…

    http://sundwall4congress.org/blog/

    More proof that Tedisco is a liberal
    By
    Jim Ostrowski
    on February 15, 2009 TrackBacks (0) Comments (2)

    In 2004, he supported an effort to spend $300,000 to keep the New York City Ballet in Saratoga for three weeks.

    Link.

    Funding the arts is no business of government and conservatives are always railing against it. Let’s see how they react to this one.

    Plus, it is well known that art subsidies have the effect of transferring wealth from the working class to the upper class–they being more likely to attend such performances.

    So, Tedisco is the typical Republican politician who cons the rank and file with false rhetoric. He is for lower spending in theory but not in practice.
    I told you Tedisco was a liberal
    By
    Jim Ostrowski
    on February 14, 2009 TrackBacks (0) Comments (0)

    I have been saying James Tedisco is a liberal. Perhaps those who don’t know what I mean by liberal think I’m exaggerating. I commonly use “liberal” to mean economic liberal, one who believes that the marginal dollar is better off with government than with you.

    Well, the Dems are now saying that Tedisco voted to raise taxes 221 times. Source. Tedisco does not deny it.

    That’s the very definition of a liberal, raising taxes.

    So, we now know this for certain: Tedisco is a liberal.
    Tedisco calls for debates…conditionally
    By
    John Norris
    on February 14, 2009 TrackBacks (0) Comments (0)

    Well it is about time! Mr. Tedisco has called for debates, conditionally. He claims he will only debate Eric Sundwall once he has made it onto the ballot. As you, the enlightened reader know, that will be only after he gets 3500 signatures.

    My instincts tell me that the savvy Mr. Tedisco knows that Eric will get the signatures, but he will challenge their validity with the same set of GOP lawyers (at least the ones who haven’t been disbarred) that the illustrious John Sweeny used to disqualify Eric’s candidacy in 2006 when he had over 5000 signatures.

    Subterfuge is the truth behind his call for debates. He’s trying to look more democratic while at the same time restricting the competition.

    By the time we’ve spent the thousands of dollars that it will take to fend off the Board of Elections challenge and get on the ballot, it will be very close to election time. Mr. Tecisco hopes that the one debate he will have to entertain will be a pointless exercise by the time it happens.

    I call for Mr. Tedisco to MAN-UP!, as my son, the center for LaSalle’s JV basketball team says before going into a tough game.

    The Jim Tedisco of 2009 should take a lesson from the Jim Tedisco of 1973-1982 and be a fearless competitor. Now is not the time to back away from competition. Show us what you’re made of! Heck, even Alan Chartock once considered you fierce. Let’s do this!

  2. Trent Hill February 11, 2009

    Catholic,

    It wouldnt be a huge turnaround. It is a traditionally conservative district where the Democrats are fielding a basic no-name, Scott Murphy, versus a well-liked Republican.

  3. Catholic Trotskyist February 10, 2009

    Gillibrand won with 62% last November. That would be a huge turnaround if the Republican won. Of course it’s happened before, but I think the Democrats can pull this off even with a weak candidate, and as someone who spent last summer in a nearby district, I feel that the area is becoming more liberal. The Catholic Trotskyist Party will certainly support the Democratic Party, though it does not have a ballot line so it cannot have any influence as a fusion party at this time.

  4. Richard Cooper February 10, 2009

    I will be managing Eric Sundwall’s campaign. I am the former chair of LPNY 2000-02, 2006-07. Previously, I managed Chris Garvey’s campaign for governor in ’98. I ran myself for Nassau County Comptroller in 1997, and received 1652 votes on a $200 budget.

  7. paulie cannoli February 10, 2009

    Two new blog posts just since comment 4…


    Get Ready ?
    By
    John Norris
    on February 10, 2009 TrackBacks (0) Comments (0)

    CBS Six is reporting some type of announcement tomorrow regarding the special election. Either it will start or we’ll know when to start.

    A correct and legal petition will be posted on the website the minute that we know. Stay tuned.
    Another Endorsement
    By
    John Norris
    on February 10, 2009 TrackBacks (0) Comments (0)

    Matt Funiciello
    He is a baker, a business owner, a father, a hockey coach, a Green and a writer. He is a founding member of the Adirondack Progressives, a group of independently-minded voters who support open, intelligent discourse and meaningful democracy.

    Please make time next Wednesday at 7:00 pm to meet Eric at Rock Hill Cafe 19 Exchange Street Glens Falls, NY about a block from from Glens Falls Hospital.

  8. Trent Hill February 10, 2009

    I hope Sundwall does well, but I dont expect him too. I think the best shot an independent had at winning this race was Tim Gordon, who was eventually looking over. I expect the Republican/Conservative to win.

  9. Morris Guller February 10, 2009

    Make that – “solid grass roots”

    Thanks,

    Morris Guller
    Lexington, New York

  10. Morris Guller February 10, 2009

    This Special Election offers us a Special Opportunity to elect a Special independent candidate for the job.

    Eric Sunwall is running as an independent in the upcoming Special Election. Eric lives in the District and has run for this seat before.

    He is an average guy with exceptional communicative skills and has a complete understanding of the District and the people he will represent.

    Eric will not be selected by “party bosses” but will come to the ballot by way of over 5,000 signatures of registered voters in the district who support him.

    Mr. Sundwall is probably the only candidate in the race who could meet such a high threshold to get onto the ballot. He has sold grass roots support from the folks he will represent. He knows our needs and wants and he is fighter in the respect that he will make things happen for us in Washington as our Representative.

    We now have three candidates to choose from and I hope everyone voting in this Special Election will take a look at the candidacy of Eric Sundwall.

    Best,

    Morris Guller
    Lexington, New York

  12. citizen1 February 10, 2009

    Where can I find a good map of this district?

  13. Trent Hill February 10, 2009

    Yea, he seems very active.

  14. paulie cannoli February 10, 2009

    Lots of updates on the campaign blog

    http://www.sundwall4congress.org/blog/

    Headlines:

    # 2009.02.10: Meet the Candidate – Wed. 7 pm at Rock Hill Cafe
    # 2009.02.10: Sundwall on WROW Wed 7:30 AM
    # 2009.02.10: Sundwall in Glens Falls Wed. 7PM
    # 2009.02.10: Sundwall at Albany Public Library at 6:30 PM
    # 2009.02.09: Campaign Update
    # 2009.02.08: New York Now Interview
    # 2009.02.08: When it rains, it pours (on Tedisco)
    # 2009.02.08: More proof that Tedisco is a big government Republican and a neocon
    # 2009.02.08: When will Tedisco specify an actual spending cut?
    # 2009.02.08: Daily Freeman slams the machine candidates for Congress
    # 2009.02.08: A Shot in the Dark – Redux
    # 2009.02.07: Typical Republican
    # 2009.02.07: Bruno’s friend “Jimmy”
    # 2009.02.07: James Tedisco’s War on Ketchup
    # 2009.02.07: PoliticalClassDismissed.com
    # 2009.02.06: Eric Sundwall on BlogTalkRadio today at 1:PM
    # 2009.02.06: Dear Post Star Editorial Board
    # 2009.02.06: Gov. Paterson and the Special Election
    # 2009.02.05: Friday: Break the Matrix
    # 2009.02.05: Eric on 590 AM – WROW this afternoon @ 3:10PM
    # 2009.02.04: What better time to win a Congressional seat?
    # 2009.02.02: Dems pick Scott Murphy
    # 2009.02.01: Tedisco Twitters !
    # 2009.02.01: the big O
    # 2009.01.29: WMHT to Interview Sundwall
    # 2009.01.29: Eric Sundwall on WROW 590 AM TODAY
    # 2009.01.29: Campaign Update
    # 2009.01.29: State Libertarian chairman eyes bid for the 20th [updated]
    # 2009.01.28: Elect Eric Sundwall
    # 2009.01.24: Donning Armor

  15. Trent Hill Post author | February 10, 2009

    Boooooo. I was rooting for Tim Gordon to get picked. Would’ve made fun news for us.

  16. paulie cannoli February 10, 2009

    http://www.sundwall4congress.org/2009/02/dems-pick-scott-murphy.html

    Democratic leaders have chosen Scott Murphy as the their candidate. A Harvard grad with a venture capitalist background. At least he’s not another lawyer.

    Of course we look forward to a real discussion of economics and the financial mess. If Mr. Murphy is claiming the high ground with some variation of Henry Clay’s American System or FDR’s failed mix of public works based on Keynesian thinking, we’ll be in great shape against him and the school teacher turned career politician.

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