HOST INTRO: By traditional political terms, 2019 was an "off year" - no national or even

statewide races on the ballot. But as WXXI's Scott Fybush discussed with news director Randy
Gorbman, it was anything but an "off" year locally, setting up some big races for the year to
come.

RANDY: Let's start with the big one - after almost three decades, a change in control at the
county executive's office.

SCOTT: It was a big one indeed. It was all the way back in 1991 when Tom Frey, a Democrat,
lost to Bob King, a Republican. He handed off the seat to Jack Doyle, then to Maggie Brooks,
and then to Cheryl DiNolfo. But after one term in office, DiNolfo lost the seat to Adam Bello,
who takes over in the new year as the first Democratic county executive in 28 years.

RANDY: What changed this year?

SCOTT: Money, for one thing - it was the most expensive race ever waged for county executive,
with 1 point 2 million dollars in campaign spending.
Did that help drive turnout? It was up a little for an off-year election. But you can also look to
some subtle political changes in the suburbs, which have traditionally been Republican
strongholds. Bello's home base of Irondequoit, where he'd been town supervisor before
becoming county clerk, delivered strongly for him and helped push him to 51.5% of the vote. As
for coattails, though...

RANDY: It was an exciting election night when the county legislature races started coming in.

SCOTT: Sure was. Republicans started the night with a solid majority in the leg, and as the
numbers started coming in, we were looking closely at a few races that might have shifted that
control. It didn't quite happen, of course - the GOP held just enough of a margin in just enough
close races to keep control of the legislature. And of course that sets up some big challenges for
Bello, who's going to have some fights on his hands as he tries to get his legislative priorities
approved.

RANDY: That fight didn't even wait for inauguration day, did it?

SCOTT: It did not. The lame-duck legislature flexed its muscles in its final months, or at least
tried to. The CABLE act would have limited Bello's power to pick his own deputies, among
other things - but the attention it received was so overwhelmingly negative that Republican
leaders ended up shelving the proposal. We'll see how that power dynamic plays out once Bello
actually takes office, of course.

RANDY: And Bello's election sets up a succession battle, too?

SCOTT: That's become almost routine here. The county clerk job seems to be the stepping stone
to county executive - Maggie Brooks and Cheryl DiNolfo both got there that way before Bello
did. It's up to the governor to appoint the replacement, so we'll be watching in 2020 to see who
fills that office.

RANDY: So let's turn to Albany...

SCOTT: No split in control there. After they lost their majority in the state Senate in the 2018
elections, 2019 was the year when several local Republicans apparently decided not to stay
around in the minority. That included three whose districts stretch into the Rochester area - first
Michael Ranzenhofer from Amherst said he wouldn't run next year, and then Joe Robach and
Rich Funke added their names to that list just over a week ago.

RANDY: That sets up some local races we'll be following closely in 2020, doesn't it?

SCOTT: We'll have lots of those, especially as we see which Republicans square off against the
Democrats who have already announced bids for those seats. And we'll have congressional races,
of course - there's already a primary challenger to first-term Democrat Joe Morelle for the 25th
district that covers all of Monroe County, and we're waiting to see which Republicans might
throw their hats in that ring. Against the backdrop of a heated presidential election, Republicans
will also be looking to hold three other area districts. To our west and south, the 27th district has
been vacant since October, when Chris Collins resigned after pleading guilty to insider trading
charges. We'll have a special election for that seat in April, and then it will be up again in
November, when Tom Reed in the 23rd to our south and John Katko in the 24th to the east will
also be running to hang on to their seats.

RANDY: An exciting year ahead!

SCOTT: Did I mention there's a presidential race, too? New York's primary day is April 28th -
and who knows how the Democratic presidential race might shake out by then and how critical
the big mass of New York delegates might be in deciding it?

RANDY: Scott Fybush, thanks for your insight.

SCOTT: Always a pleasure!