Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - The major party candidates for Syracuse mayor are in day one of the general election campaign.
Fresh off Tuesday's primary wins, Stephanie Miner and Steve Kimatian made their first public statements on The Morning News on NewsChannel 9.
For both, it's now all about growing their base, and defining the issues.
“My campaign was not made up of volunteers who were only Republican. There were independents, there were Democrats, there were Republicans, so I'm looking at the whole city as inclusive, as kind of the people I need to appeal to,” says Kimatian.
Miner says, “You cannot accomplish something as important as winning an election with just disparate groups. You need to have a communitywide support in order to get a message out, in order to talk to people and convince them to vote for you. So, I think it's very important.”
Unlike Miner, Kimatian has not held public office, something he views as an advantage.
“I see a city with great opportunity. I think we can build a fabulous city, one of the greatest in America. I've lived in other cities … I've lived in New York City and Baltimore and Buffalo, and we have so much going for us. To not take advantage of it, I think, would be to sell ourselves short. But we need the leadership, and I think I can provide that,” Kimatian says.
On the issues, the Republican says public safety is job one; the Democrat gives priority to education.
“Looking at our graduation rates and our children, I think we know that first and foremost we have a moral responsibility to make sure our children get the kind of education they deserve so that they can succeed in the future. I think we have an incredible opportunity with Say Yes to Education, to innovate public education here in the city and change the way we do that,” says Miner.
Miner prefers to downplay her gender as a factor, even though she would be the first woman to be the mayor of Syracuse or any other large city in New York. She says her ideas are what matter. Kimatian will stress his record in the private sector, as a successful manager of TV stations.
Both would like to reach out to as many independent voters as possible, to build their support between now and November.
One thing that will help both candidates will be second lines on the November ballot. Miner will appear on the Working Families party line. Kimatian has the Independence Party line.
Joe Nicoletti, Miner's closest primary contender, says he will throw his support behind Miner; Otis Jennings, the only other Republican in the primary, is undecided as to whether he will continue his campaign for mayor. He is still on the ballot, on the Conservative line. He's expected to announce a decision Thursday.
