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| Legislator Gumina Interview: "I didn't leave the Dem Party, the Party left me." |
By: Christopher J. Wilmot
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Posted: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 11:26 pm
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New Republican Legislator Gumina: It was State & National Dem's poor budgeting that swayed him.
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010 Rochester, NY - The Honorable Carmen Gumina shocked many local political observers the other day when he switched his party affiliation, thus moving his seat across the great divide, to the other side of the aisle, in the Monroe County Legislature.
In a telephone interview I conducted with the GOP's newest local elected official, around 3:20p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, Gumina elaborated on his reasons for leaving the local Democratic Party. However, that's the key: He didn't just leave the local Democratic Party; he left--with purpose--the state and national Democratic Party as well.
"Chris, the main reasons I left the Democratic Party are fiscal in nature", Gumina said, calmly, and without apology.
"The current New York State budget is irresponsible, and not respectful of local and state taxpayers. In addition, while I did vote for President Obama, and believe he is a good man, federal deficits and the national debt are out of control," Gumina continued.
While Gumina was still a Democrat, he voted with the Republicans to approve the most recent Monroe County annual budget, which he found to be fiscally sound. According to the Democrat & Chronicle, he was the only Democrat to do so.
Core Values
While Gumina would not be more specific, he cited additional reasons for his switch in political party affiliation as having to do with his "core values and integrity."
"Staying and sticking with the status quo would have been easy, but I couldn't do that", Gumina stated. "The Democratic Party no longer fits with my core values and integrity."
I put away my journalist hat long enough to explain to Carmen my reasons for leaving the Democratic Party in late 2004, and while difficult and sad for me at the time, soon after I realized I had absolutely made the correct choice by joining my former arch enemies, the local Republicans. I asked Gumina if part of the reason he switched was due to personality conflicts inside the Democratic caucus; or, what I found to be true about the caucus back in 2004, and before: That several Democratic County Legislators were seemingly 'anti-American' (part of the "blame America first" crowd), and also a number of caucus members were unabashedly anti-business. Gumina said these were really not his reasons for his change of heart.
"It was the most complex, agonizing, and introspective decision I've ever made", Gumina said. "Yet, I am at peace with my decision."
Webster School Principal Makes Good
Carmen Gumina, whether a Democrat or Republican, is first and foremost an educator, and school administrator. Until recently, Gumina, 45 years of age, was the well liked and beloved Principal of the State Road Elementary School in the Webster district. Another of the many odd and coincidental connections I share with Gumina is that his former vice-principal at State Road School is my former childhood neighbor, Christine Noeth Abele, who grew up four houses up the street from me and my family. As a child, Christine was very close to my sisters, and always a good friend of mine.
Recently, both Carmen and Christine were recognized for their talent when Carmen Gumina was promoted inside the Webster district, accepting a job offer to become Assistant Superintendent of Webster Schools. In turn, Christine was offered, and accepted Carmen's old job as State Road Elementary Principal. Both are very deserving of their promotions.
I inquired of Gumina if he felt nervous, or in danger, of losing his re-election bid because he became a Republican.
"Chris, I don't think voters will hold against me my party switch. Numerically, more Republicans voted for me in my first election to the County Lej than did Democrats."
And from all appearances and reports, Gumina is something of an institution in the town, especially among parents with children in Webster schools. Carmen Gumina, face-to-face, is highly sociable, appears sincere, and nearly impossible not to like, and easy to believe in.
In Monroe County, more elected Democrats become Republicans, than the other way around
Gumina joins a long tradition of a small yet significant portion of those politicians first elected as Democrats, who later, for a variety of reasons, ranging from pure opportunism, to a searing moral and ethical examination of their consciences, became Republicans. The partial list includes, in no particular order: Charlie Eber (County Lej); Joe Robach (State Assembly); Your's truly, Chris Wilmot (County Lej); David Proud (County Lej; dumped his Democratic affiliation, but did not technically become a Republican); Jeff Adair (Wheatland Supervisor; eventually to County Lej); etc.
One obvious reason for this phenomenon seems to be the continued strength of the Republican Party in suburban Monroe County, and the fact that until very recently (SEE the life of Steve Minarik; and, the downfall of Irene M.), local Republicans virtually always out-fundraised the Monroe County Democratic Committee.
Another problem local Democrats have retaining their elected officials stems from political philosophy and practice, that is nearly impossible for anyone to change. Locally, and in many instances nationwide, Democrats are considered, and known as the 'Big Tent' party; which means Dem's attempt to represent nearly everyone, and nearly every divergent interest (divergent from traditional cultural and socio-economic norms). Republicans typically (not so much recently with the destruction that George Bush, Jr. visited on the GOP) well represent the 'middle' of the electorate, and also the white middle class, that at times runs the country, and certainly runs middle class and wealthy suburbs not only in Greater Rochester, but in many metros around the nation.
Since Republicans portray themselves as the protectors of 'traditional family values', which often sounds quaint and bigoted to many Democrats, Republicans have an easier time wooing Democrats who may feel that the center of the Democratic Party is not in touch with white suburban 'values' (whatever those values might be is open to debate).
Conclusion: Local Democrats and their Faux Populism
In the end, I believe one of the most troubling aspects of the Monroe County Democratic Committee is the negative influence of 'Limousine Liberals', and those City Dem's who scoff at nearly anything suburban. These Democrats are the same people who like to blame suburbanites for all the evils of American urban living, yet send their kids to McQuaid, Bishop Kearney, Aquinas, and Mercy. These are the same Dem's who decry the suburban phenomenon of the proliferation of Walmart and Target, yet then, perhaps metaphorically, don their trench coat, dark shades, and turned up collars, so as not to be 'found out', crossing the City line into suburbia, and shop at the same stores they blame unilaterally for the downfall of the City of Rochester. Sounds good, but black and white analysis and conclusions typically miss the 'gray' that is the complexity of truly solving the most important Great Divide; that between the segregated City and suburbs, and the ultimate protected zones of white entitlement school districts.
I wish Mr. Gumina well. The road he has chosen in not necessarily an easy one. But if what he claims is true, that he possessed the courage of his convictions, then he may well indeed serve his district admirably.
Christopher J. Wilmot served as a Legislator in the Monroe County Legislature from 1996-2005. He currently is a film maker, and the owner of several small businesses headquartered in Downtown Rochester.
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