Republicans meet today for endorsements in county races
Group will consider Bower or Sobieraski for sheriff, candidates for county legislator
ALBION – The 80 members of the Orleans County Republican Committee will meet today to consider endorsements for county positions, including sheriff and seven county legislators.
Randy Bower, the current sheriff, is being challenged by Brett Sobieraski of Kent, a sergeant with the Rochester Police Department, to lead the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office.
Bower was elected in 2015, winning a contentious election over Tom Drennan. Both sought to succeed Scott Hess, who retired after 2015.
The Republican Committee that year endorsed Drennan, and Bower forced a primary and topped Drennan for the Republican in a razor-thin race.
Sobieraski ran with Drennan and would have served as his undersheriff if Drennan won the election.
There is a chance the committee won’t make an endorsement today because the candidate now needs to get two-thirds or 66.7 percent of the committee’s weighted vote.
The committee will also hear from seven candidates for county legislator. Tyler Allport, a current Gaines town councilman and son of legislator Don Allport, is seeking the endorsement to challenge Fred Miller, the only Democrat on the Legislature. Miller is well liked by the other legislators, so much that Republicans didn’t run a candidate against him in 2017. He represents a district that includes the towns of Albion and Gaines.
The other Republican legislators are seeking re-election to two-year terms and include Lynne Johnson of Lyndonville, Bill Eick of Shelby, Skip Draper of Medina, Don Allport of Gaines, Ken DeRoller of Kendall and John DeFilipps of Clarendon.
The meeting today is at Tillman’s Village Inn. The committee is also expected to accept the resignation of Ed Morgan, who is stepping down as GOP chairman. Skip Draper, the current first vice chairman, will be acting chairman.
