Nicholas J. Pirro was the most visible Republican candidate at Tuesday’s post-election gathering at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool. From thundersticks to balloons sporting his name, Pirro dominated the evening with a vigor none of his fellow Republicans could match.

All of this, and Pirro was the only candidate running for the county executive spot in Onondaga County.

Pirro, whose 38 years as an elected official in Onondaga County make him a seasoned veteran of local politics, was elected to his fourth consecutive term Tuesday, running on the Republican, Conservative and Independent tickets.

Though the win was inevitable, Pirro was exuberant in his victory speech as he introduced his family and thanked his fellow Republican candidates for support.

‘We campaigned day and night to get people to know that we were running and to ask people for their support,’ Pirro said.

Some supporters of Pirro felt that this year’s campaign, while just as strong as in previous years, had a different focus.

‘We ran as hard as we did when we had an opponent,’ said Bruce Trexler, a veteran member of Pirro’s campaign. ‘[Pirro] was at all the same events as last year; the only difference this year is that we made more of an effort to work with the other candidates.’

Even without any opposition, some Pirro supporters still tried not to act arrogant.

‘I think our chances were pretty great,’ Kathy Stadelmann, an organizer of the post-election party, said with a laugh.

Pirro’s own uncontested spot was par for the course in Tuesday’s election, in which many incumbent candidates were re-elected. Some voters blame low voter turnout for the lack of surprises.

‘There are definitely less people here this year,’ said Onondaga resident Joe Rodgers as he looked around the convention hall. ‘Voter turnout is definitely not what it used to be.’

But as the evening came to an end, it became apparent that the biggest problem Pirro’s reelection campaign had faced was not a political one.

‘I think we got some defective helium – these balloons were full this morning,’ Stadelmann said of Pirro’s campaign balloons.

Published on November 4, 2003 at 12:00 pm