Soros-backed candidate loses DA bid, upstate incumbents cruise to victory

ALBANY — Big bucks from liberal billionaire investor George Soros wasn’t enough to tip the scales in favor of an upstate Democratic candidate for district attorney.

Soros spent upwards of $800,000, according to The New York Times, on political ads boosting the campaign of Shani Curry Mitchell in her quest to unseat the incumbent Monroe County District Attorney, Republican Sandra Doorley.

Mitchell ran as a progressive candidate and had worked under Doorley, gaining endorsements from the Working Families Party and former state Assembly Majority Leader, now Democratic Congressman Joe Morelle (NY-25).

But Doorley sailed to a third-term victory gaining nearly 56 percent of the vote compared to Mitchell’s just over 44 percent, according to unofficial results from the Monroe County Board of Elections site.

It’s not the only race Soros’ New York Justice and Public Safety Political Action Committee got involved in, as the PAC backed Democrat Dave Clegg’s campaign for Ulster County District Attorney, according to The Daily Freeman.

That race as of Wednesday morning had yet to be called, although unofficial Ulster County Board of Election results show Clegg with a slight lead.

Other races around New York proved victories for incumbents, with Democratic Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone successful in their reelection bids.

Former gubernatorial candidate and Republican incumbent Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, in office since 2012, also fended off a challenge, as did Republican Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, securing his second term.

There was an upset in the race for Monroe County Executive however, as GOP incumbent Cheryl Dinolfo lost to Democrat Adam Bello—the first time a Democrat will hold the post in nearly three decades.

The only state Senate race this cycle was that in district 57, for the seat vacated by GOP Sen. Cathy Young who resigned last February for a post at Cornell.

The Republican candidate George Borrello bested his 22-year-old opponent Democrat Austin Morgan for the post.

Source: Read Full Article