Elections

Republicans maintain 'super majority' in Onondaga County legislature

WRVO

Published November 6, 2013 at 1:45 PM EST

Onondaga County Republican Party Chairman Tom Dadey, who didn't have much to celebrate Tuesday night.

Absentee ballots still need to be counted, but Democrats appear to clawed back a seat on the Onondaga County Legislature. Republicans, though, are playing up the fact that they will maintain a 'super majority' in the body.

Republicans didn't have much else to celebrate Tuesday as they didn't put anyone up in the mayor's race and lost at least one of the two Common Council races they were contesting.

The GOP has won at least 12 of the 17 seats in the chamber and are hoping a close race in the 7th District between Republican incumbent Danny Liedka and Democratic challenger Lorene Dadey stays their way. Liedka is up by 73 votes in the unofficial tally.

It looks though like a Democrat has won back the the 9th District. Peggy Chase in up 177 votes over Bob Andrews, who was appointed to the seat in February by Republican County Executive Joanie Mahoney to replace Democrat Mark Stanczyk. Stanczyk left the legislature to join the Mahoney administration.

If Chase holds on, it will bring the total number of Democrats on the legislature back to four. They'll have little power going up against a Republican-controlled chamber and county executive's office. It's a stark contrast to the GOP's standing within the city, where Democrats rule elected offices.

But with the county and city working to consolidate more services, Republican chairman Ryan McMahon says the party will still have influence in the city.

"I think the Republican Party is going to have a very important voice in the future and direction of the city of Syracuse as we have had the last two years," he said Tuesday."I'm proud of that and I think the city of Syracuse will be well served by the Republican Party."

Here's how the County Legislature will look if results stand as they are: