Former Sun editor seeking Texas-sized seat

A former Lowville newspaper editor/publisher and state Assembly candidate is now running for office in the most spacious county in Texas.

Anthony L. “Andy” Byrnes, who operated the weekly Adirondack Mountain Sun for more than 12 years before closing in December 2004 and moving south, is running for a seat on the four-person Commissioner’s Court in Brewster County, West Texas.

According to a recent story about Andy in the Big Bend Gazette, he is involved in a three-way Democratic primary against incumbent Kathy Killingsworth and Bill Bourbon in Precinct 2.

The story has also been reprinted in this week’s Lowville Journal and Republican by columnist John Gehrlein (who formerly wrote a column in the Mountain Sun). And, in the interest of full disclosure, I worked for said paper for nine years - beginning with its inception in October 1992 when I was essentially fresh out of college - before joining the Times staff.

Anyhow, according to the Brewster County Web site, the three other sitting commissioners are Cookie Stone, Ruben Ortega and Wacky Pallenez.

At 6,192 square miles, Brewster County is roughly the size of Lewis, Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Oswego counties combined. It includes Big Bend National Park, the largest park in Texas.

However, its population of 9,331 is slightly smaller than the towns of Lowville, Croghan and New Bremen combined. The phrase “wide open spaces” comes to mind.

In 2002, Andy unsuccessfully ran as a Democrat against state Assemblywoman Dierdre K. Scozzafava, R-Gouverneur, for the 122nd District seat. His shoe-string campaign included television commercials shot by his wife, Rose, with their video camera.

Then, in 2004, Andy helped form the Lewis County Independence Party with current party chairman Joseph L. Baruth of Constableville.