<!--Rick Pfeiffer--><table width="234" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" background="http://static.cnhi.zope.net/flashpromo/niagaragazette/images/byline_234x60.jpg" height="60"><tr><td><div align="center"><font size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">By Rick Pfeiffer</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></font><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="mailto:rick.pfeiffer@niagara-gazette.com">rick.pfeiffer@niagara-gazette.com</a></font></div></td></tr></table>
For the first time in 14 years, Wheatfield residents will have a new town supervisor.
But the old supervisor says he may not be ready to hang up his hat.
Long-time town justice Robert Cliffe, the endorsed Republican, Independent and Conservative party candidate, cruised to a relatively easy victory over Democrat and Working Families candidate Sam Conti in Tuesday’s balloting.
With 100 percent of the districts reporting, Cliffe had 1,873 votes, or just over 59 percent, to Conti’s 1,280 votes, or 40.6 percent.
However, those percentages will change when the Niagara County Board of Elections tallies write-in ballots for incumbent Town Supervisor Tim Demler. Demler, who lost the GOP endorsement to Cliffe in a bitter and bruising primary, appeared to have garnered over 800 votes in his longshot bid for re-election.
“I can’t believe the write-in vote,” Demler said. “Getting write-ins on these (voting) machines is nearly impossible and we got between 811 and 900, when less than 4,000 total votes were cast (in the town).”
Cliffe, who had reportedly worried about the effect of Demler’s write-in candidacy splitting the vote and helping Conti, admitted his primary foe put up surprising numbers.
“Mr. Demler worked very hard, he was at the polls all day (Tuesday),” Cliffe said. “He deserves credit for pulling in voters.”
Cliffe said he is ready to start learning about the ins and outs of the supervisors job. He said he’s looking forward to taking office in January.
“We’re very, very happy for the residents of Wheatfield,” he said. “It was a difficult campaign.”
Conti did not return phone calls seeking comment on the election results.
Demler, however, said his surprising showing has him thinking about what his political future may hold.
“I think going forward we have a huge grassroots mandate,” Demler said. “That means we’re going to keep a close eye on the Cliffe administration for the next two years.”
Demler said while he questions Cliffe’s potential policies, he congratulated him on his victory. He would not, however, rule out a challenge to Cliffe in two years or another race as soon as next year.
“It could be Demler 2011 or Demler 2010,” he laughed. “There are a lot of state jobs open next year, governor, state Senate. We’re just keeping our options open.”
