Sidonio thankful for privilege of serving on Murray GOP Committee
Photo by Kristina Gabalski: Joe Sidonio poses with his family Tuesday evening at the Holley Middle School/High School where voting in the Murray District 4 Republican Committee Primary took place. His daughter, Amelia, is on the left and wife, Amy Machamer, is on the right.
MURRAY – Joe Sidonio was the top vote-getter in Tuesday’s town Republican Committee primary in District 4.
Sidonio received 87 votes. Incumbents Kimberly DeFrank and Edwin Bower received 71 and 57 votes respectively.
The results mean that Sidonio now becomes a member of the committee and Bower loses his seat. DeFrank also was elected.
Sidonio said he is ready to work to move the Murray Town Committee forward in a positive way. “It’s a privilege and an honor to be elected,” Sidonio said.
Murray is a community with wonderful people, he noted. “I want to hear what they have to say.”
He said he worked to stick to the issues during his campaign and was encouraged Monday evening when he returned home after a Planning Board meeting and saw balloons tied to one of his political signs.
“It meant a lot,” Sidonio said. “Politics can be negative.” The fact a resident had decorated his sign, “comforted me,” he said.
Turn-out for the primary was very high with 215 people voting. Officials at the polls remarked that 52 people from outside Murray District 4 came to vote, but had to be turned away as party members had to reside within the District 4 boundaries to be eligible to vote.
Sidonio said he had been concerned that turnout might be low, but the high numbers, “send a message to the Republican Party – that this little district wants freshness and fresh ideas.”
