Huntington Democrats pick their candidates for the fall election

Huntington Town Democrats on Thursday picked town board member Tracey Edwards to run for supervisor as they selected their slate of candidates for the November election.

The committee also selected incumbent town board member Mark Cuthbertson and Huntington School board member Emily Rogan to run for the town board. Business owner Kevin Orelli will run for highway superintendent.

“I think we have terrific people and we’re going to go forward united from here,” Huntington Town Democratic Committee chairwoman Mary Collins said. “We had a very nice meeting, no anger or frustrations. The candidates seem very accepting of the results.”

Collins had first proposed a plan to have the town party skip a convention vote for a supervisor candidate and the rest of the slate of contenders, but that plan was reversed after a 45-minute closed-door meeting among candidates and party officials last week.

Collins wanted to avoid the “division and bitterness” that sometimes occur when the party committee members get embroiled in a nomination floor fight.

Edwards beat out contenders Brian Muellers of Huntington Station, a former Nassau County legislator, and Darryl St. George, a history teacher from Centerport.

“I’m ecstatic,” Edwards said. “I’m very honored and humbled to have received the designation. I’m going to work very hard to continue to earn everyone’s support.”

There is still the possibility of a primary for those not selected. A minimum of 1,000 signatures is needed to qualify for the primary ballot.

Both Muellers and St. George said they were not surprised Edwards got the nod as she was the establishment candidate. Both said they plan to collect signatures to force a September primary. Both also said it’s time for a “fresh start” but with slightly different takes.

“My hope is that we are going to get a fresh start by bringing more young people into the committee and with young people get a little more energy and enthusiasm and take the committee in another direction,” St. George said. “We are going to get ready for a primary in September and that’s a part of the democratic process and we are fully prepared for that.”

Muellers said he has gotten a lot of encouragement from committee people, including many he said voted for Edwards, to keep going.

“It’s time for a fresh start but a fresh start with experience,” Muellers said.

Edwards said she is 55, a just retired business executive, who is a breast cancer survivor and is now free of the disease.

“I reached three fresh-start milestones and I am ready to serve Huntington.”