ANGOLA — The 32-year lock Democrats have had on the mayor’s seat in Angola has been broken by Republican Dave Martin who defeated first-time candidate Sue Essman, Democrat, in Tuesday’s election.
Martin, a long-time common councilman from District A, defeated Angola’s human resources director in a 821-262 outcome.
Martin’s victory came in a second run of sorts for mayor. He started to mount a campaign for mayor leading up to the 2019 race but backed away after then-four term Mayor Dick Hickman changed his plans and ran for and won a fifth full term, defeating challenger Republican Councilman Joe Hysong.
Martin was jubilant at his victory party at a crowded The Hatchery restaurant in downtown Angola Tuesday night.
“Yes, we finally got it. We’re very, very pleased. Good voter turnout today. We’re very pleased with the results. Very humbling. It’s always very humbling when you win an election,” Martin said. “You go door to door, you ask people to vote for you, and then they come out and do it. It’s just a very humbling experience to go through this. And we’re very pleased, obviously very pleased with with the results.”
Essman called Martin shortly after the results were in to congratulate him on his victory.
She said she had wished for a closer outcome, but was pleased with the effort put in by her team.
“So I just got a hold of Dave and congratulated him and gosh, I just want to thank all my supporters and my family,” Essman said. “It was a privilege to be to be in the campaign. And, again, I’d like to congratulate Dave and I’m looking forward to working with the new administration.”
Essman serves as the city’s human resources director, a position she has held for 16 years.
The election will see the party makeup shift to a 4-1 advantage for the Republican Party, the first time there were fewer than two Democrats on the council in more than a decade.
But capturing the mayor’s office was the most sought-after prize for the Republican Party.
“This was outstanding, fantastic,” said Rick Michael, chairman of the Steuben County Republican Central Committee.
Many people in the Martin victory celebration echoed that sentiment, though Martin seemed less focused on politics and more about starting a new administration.
Democrats have held the mayor’s office since 1992 following the first election of Mayor Bill Selman in 1991, who held the office until his death in 2001.
Hickman was appointed to fill Selman’s vacancy and went on to win election to the office five times, more than any other mayor in the city’s history.
Prior to Selman getting elected in 1991, only one other Democrat had been elected mayor in the city’s history.
With the open seat, Republicans were salivating at the chance of winning the seat that had been theirs for so much of the city’s history prior to Selman-Hickman.
Common Council
Republicans will maintain control of the Angola Common Council.
In the two contested Common Council races, Randy Coffey, running as a Republican, defeated Democrat Nick Sutton in District A by a 230-118 margin.
In District D, David Roe, Republican, defeated Lou Ann Homan, Democrat, by a 80-46 tally.
That leaves the makeup of the Common Council a 4-1 split, Republicans to Democrats. The Democratic Party has never held a majority on the Common Council.
Running unopposed were incumbents Dave Olson, District B, Democrat, and Jerry McDermid, At-large, Republican. Republican Jen Sharkey was unopposed for the District C seat vacated by Democrat Kathy Armstrong after winning a Republican primary race in May.
Hudson
In Hudson, winning the race for clerk-treasurer was Republican Lindsay Ebert, defeating Independent Simone Hogan by a 37-8 margin.
The candidates for the three town council seats, all Republicans, were unopposed. They included William Ebert, Erik Ritter and Lyle Torrence.
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