Ritchie making moves to run

CANTON — A long campaign — and a possible party primary — suit Patricia A. Ritchie just fine.

The St. Lawrence County clerk, who for days has been the subject of secondhand accounts of a surprising turnaround regarding the vacant seat representing the 118th state Assembly District, confirmed Thursday that she's interested even if it means facing another Republican.

GOP leaders want it that way.

Janet L. Kelly, chairwoman of the St. Lawrence County Republican Committee, issued a statement Thursday afternoon saying party leaders want the rank-and-file to pick the candidate, and the committee expects a primary.

Mrs. Ritchie, who pulled her name from consideration in late March, said she is bringing together her campaign team, meeting with party leaders and discussing it with her family. She expects to make a decision in about a week.

"I'm moving forward," she said. "I was asked to reconsider by a number of people."

Republicans have three or four potential candidates, Ms. Kelly said. An announcement from that pool could come today, according to Jefferson County Republican Chairwoman Sandra L. Corey.

Philip N. Reed, the Jefferson County legislator from Fishers Landing also considering a run, declined to comment when reached Thursday.

Canton Supervisor David T. Button is considered another potential candidate, but he has said that Mrs. Ritchie is in the best position to win the seat.

Mrs. Ritchie acknowledged she could face off with Mr. Reed.

"We both need to just figure out our own options," she said. "If it ends up that we're both in, I'm sure we'll be on the same page when it's done."

Mrs. Ritchie has the support of the Republican Assembly Campaign Committee. She told party leaders April 27 that she was again interested. It was a surprise because a month earlier she said that she is content with her job and had family obligations that prevented running. She qualified those comments Thursday, saying she was turned off by running in a shortened special election campaign.

In announcing the preference for a primary, Ms. Kelly took a swipe at Albany Republican bosses for selecting Assemblyman William A. Barclay, Pulaski, over Assemblywoman Dierdre K. Scozzafava, Gouverneur, to run in the special election to succeed James W. Wright, R-Watertown, for the 48th state Senate District seat. Ms. Kelly also faulted them for running negative ads that she thinks repelled voters.

"We have a very bad taste in our mouths after the recent special Senate election because of some of the decisions made in that race," she said. "This time we are going to let the party voters decide, as they have every right to and should have decided previously."

Mrs. Ritchie was the Republican candidate for the Assembly seat in 2002. She lost to Darrel J. Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent. Mr. Aubertine left the seat in February after defeating Mr. Barclay for the Senate post.

Word that she is considering a second bid drew a quick response from Albany.

Assembly Majority Leader Ronald J. Canestrari, D-Cohoes, issued a statement slamming Mrs. Ritchie for a 2002 campaign mailer that accused Mr. Aubertine, then a Jefferson County legislator, for increasing the mortgage tax, which is set by the state. Mrs. Ritchie defended the ad at the time, but acknowledged that it could have been misleading.

"The fact that she is considering another run just demonstrates that she didn't learn the lesson voters taught her in 2002 — that they have no tolerance for negative campaigning and lying," Mr. Canestrari's statement said.