VIEWPOINT: By Matt Clausen

Another day, another reminder of how heavy handed back room politics can be.

The Testa campaign recently submitted petition challenges to the County Board of Elections to protest the Independence Party’s endorsement of Michael Kane for County Legislator. In this push Testa wants to stifle the selection of a party and prevent that Party to go to its voters with their endorsed candidate. This is typical for a professional politician: pushing around challengers behind closed doors in order to prevent the voters from having a say.

This should be a campaign of ideas and what’s best for the citizens of Westchester County across all political parties. We welcome the prospect of a primary with Legislator Testa as a means of expressing those ideas to the public and letting them decide who to support on the merits of the ideas presented.

Unfortunately, if Legislator Testa’s attempt to throw Mike Kane off the ballot are successful, this will not be the case. It’s about the people, and giving them the choice in September to decide who to support on the Independence line, not the back room dealings of professional politicians scared of unpredictable outcomes.

Matt Clausen, Campaign Manager, Mike Kane for County Legislator