Few would criticize former DA candidate Mike Kavanagh for refusing to concede on Election Night, when he was down only 194 votes to Manny Nneji with just about 300 to count. He would need to take over 60 percent of those absentees — a bridge quite far after losing the ballot box vote by only about 1 percent.

For maybe a day or two as Nneji’s total slid slightly, there was hope in Kavanagh country. A sudden surge in Nneji votes produced a “mathematical certainty” that Kavanagh was too far back to catch up. Kavanagh conceded.

But Kavanagh’s concession a week after the election wherein he advised the Board of Elections to “cease counting any remaining outstanding absentee ballots and declare Mr. Nneji the winner” was not the final word.

As a matter of law, a concession, or in Nneji’s case, a declaration of victory on election night, has no bearing on the final outcome.

“We count every vote until every vote we have has been counted up to the deadlines proscribed by law,” said county Democratic Elections Commissioner Ashley Torres. “To do anything less might send a message to some people that some votes don’t get counted. They all do.”

Torres opined that Kavanagh’s suggestion to “cease” counting votes on his say-so was perhaps naïve, but probably inadvertent.

The good news for Nneji is that he gets to declare victory twice, once the final official count is announced next week. Kavanagh will have to do the right thing only once.

A careful reading of Kavanagh’s 159-word concession statement suggests some lingering bad blood from what was a hotly contested race, featuring some ugly accusations from both sides.

Kavanagh displayed class in congratulating his opponent and wishing him the “best of luck” in leading the District Attorney’s Office forward. But then adds, “He has an excellent staff of young prosecutors who I believe will serve this county with distinction.” Left unsaid is that it takes a good deal more than “best of luck” to lead an office of 20 legal specialists and support staff.

Also left unsaid was that “excellent young staff” was put together by DA Dave Clegg and his chief assistant, Nneji, after a mass exodus by seasoned staff when Clegg took office in January of 2020. Kavanagh said on several occasions during the campaign that the things Clegg’s administration notably lacked was leadership and on-the-job training, which he promised to provide if elected.

That Kavanagh and his team understood the steep hill they were facing when they put their campaign team together was evidenced in his farewell address. “In a county where Democrat candidates enjoy a staggering (my emphasis) advantage, we nearly accomplished what many thought impossible,” he wrote.

To cut into that edge, Kavanagh adopted a strategy virtually unheard of in modern politics. Seldom does a candidate, even one beaten by the narrowest of margins (Kavanagh’s 78-vote loss to Clegg in 2019) even return for a second try, much less abandon the party that got him close in the first place.

But Kavanagh left the Republican Party to become an independent in hopes of tapping that deep reservoir of non-enrolled voters. The campaign veered off mission, I thought, when it concentrated instead on luring “Democrats for Kavanagh.” I liked the notion of an “independent” district attorney, but with many other voters, didn’t hear all that much about it.

‘What They Deserve!'

Gracious concession statements like Kavanagh’s are all well and good, but give me a sore loser any time. They’re great copy. I can’t remember this guy’s name (it was so long ago), but who can forget his exit statement: “The people are getting exactly what they deserve!”

Some losers never concede, graciously or otherwise. They know who they are.

Years ago, Harold Finkle took one for the party in running against steamroller Democrat Lew Kirschner for county treasurer. A meticulous man, Finkle had a “win” statement in one suit jacket pocket and a “lose” in the other.

Standing shell-shocked in a corner on election night after being trounced, Finkle was approached by a reporter for a comment. Reaching absently minded into his jacket, he handed the scribe the win statement.

“Harold!” the guy said, “this is a win statement! You just got crushed.” Fortunately, Finkle, who never ran for anything again, was well-prepared for any eventuality.

The 2024 Legislature

As evidenced by our endless presidential elections, the circus barely leaves town before the next one arrives. Already talk is circulating over leadership in the county legislature next year. As Democrats will enjoy at least a 16 to 7 majority, speculation is already building.

Assuming none of the several newcomers will be given serious consideration, the focus lands on who’s left. Two Kingston legislators come to mind: Pete Criswell, deputy chair to the departing Tracey Bartels, and Abe Uchitelle, the body’s chief affordable housing advocate. Watchdog Joe Maloney, D-Saugerties, won’t get many votes: putting him in the chair would cause too much turmoil, but could be a player.

Republicans seem to be leaning toward veteran Kevin Roberts, R-Wallkill, to lead the outnumbered minority. He’s something of a one-trick pony — Roberts will fight to keep a county landfill out of his district. (So will others). A back-bencher who shuns the spotlight, Roberts will have to grow a set of hind legs if he is to be his party’s spokesman.

Gina Hansut, R-Highland, also gets mentioned but is more about reaching across the aisles than spewing bile, the usual role for out-party leaders.

Final decisions from closed-door pow-wows will be announced next month.

Did She, or Didn’t She?

My editors at Kingston Wire have informed me that Sarahana Shrestha’s husband advised them that contrary to my reporting, the assemblymember did not participate in a pro-Palestine rally in Kingston’s Stockade last week. I didn’t attend either; my source was WGHQ’s Lawrence Maxwell who told me and Mario Catalano that he watched Shrestha march by his nearby apartment “with a placard” with the estimated 350 people who attended the DSA-organized rally.

Who to believe?

I’ll put it this way. If Shrestha did not attend that rally after speaking out strongly for Palestinian “victims” days after Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, it would have been big news. If she attended, not so much.

The dogmatic assemblymember doesn’t seem to have second thoughts about anything. But she must have heard something about feedback from her initial statements on the Israeli invasion, ranging from astonishment to outrage and may have concluded that discretion might be the better part of valor in this instance.

In any case, even local Democrats were taken aback to the point where some have begun seeking interested parties for a possible primary against the freshman Democrat next spring.