© 2024 WSKG

601 Gates Road
Vestal, NY 13850

217 N Aurora St
Ithaca, NY 14850

FCC LICENSE RENEWAL
FCC Public Files:
WSKG-FM · WSQX-FM · WSQG-FM · WSQE · WSQA · WSQC-FM · WSQN · WSKG-TV · WSKA
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Battisti enters Broome County district attorney’s race, setting up GOP primary

Republican Paul Battisti is making another bid for Broome County District Attorney, setting up a rematch of 2019's GOP primary for the office.
Vaughn Golden
/
WSKG
Republican Paul Battisti is making another bid for Broome County district attorney, setting up a rematch of 2019's GOP primary for the office.

Paul Battisti and Michael Korchak are heading into a rematch of their 2019 Republican primary for Broome County district attorney.

Battisti formally announced his candidacy for the office Wednesday. Speaking to a room of a few dozen supporters, Battisti said he plans to run a “positive campaign” and focus on calling out what he considers to be a failed first term by Korchak.

"We have not heard one remedy, one plan of action, nor one solution,” Battisti said. "What we have heard is excuses, empty gestures and Facebook posts trying to justify the failed performance within the office.”

Battisti won a Republican primary against Korchak in 2019, but lost in the general election after Korchak switched parties to run as a Libertarian. Debra Gelson unsuccessfully ran on the Democratic line in that race.

Korchak announced his bid for reelection in December. At the time, he said he’d switched back to the Republican Party and intended to run for that line.

"This year, Korchak wants Republicans to believe he's one of us again,” Battisti said, criticizing Korchak’s decision to switch parties.

Battisti announced his candidacy at the Endicott Sons of Italy Wednesday. He was joined by a number of Republican officials including Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar, county Legislator Matt Pasquale and Binghamton City Councilman Phil Strawn. Former Broome County GOP Chairman Bijoy Datta is managing Battisti’s campaign.

Current Broome County GOP Chairman Benji Federman told WSKG in an interview last month prior to Battisti’s announcement, that he doesn’t believe the county Republican committee will formally endorse a candidate in the race, though he was open to the idea.

“I don't anticipate that the committee will be making any endorsements," Federman said. "The committee will not be, but I'm open to the conversation there. If the committee feels, you know, we have 120 committee members. I seek their opinions often and, you know, I would seek the committee's input on that.”

Vaughn Golden has been reporting across New York since 2016. Working as a freelancer while studying journalism and economics at Ithaca College, Vaughn has reported for a number of outlets including the Albany Times Union, New York Post, and NPR among others. Prior to coming to WSKG full-time, Vaughn was a reporter for the Watertown Daily Times. Vaughn now covers government and politics for WSKG.