GOP Pledges Supervisor Race Will Be Contested; Kabot Seeks Nomination

Southampton Town Republican Committee Chairman William Wright said unequivocally last week that the GOP will have a name on the ballot in 2013 for the town supervisor race — unlike two years ago when the party failed to field a candidate.

Wright asked that potential candidates for all posts that are up during the 2013 election contact the party by March 15, and said those who came forward will be screened in front of the GOP nominating committee in April.

The first to publicly state her intention to seek the nomination for supervisor is Linda Kabot, a former town supervisor who served a single two-year term before Independence Party member Anna Throne-Holst unseated her in 2009. In 2011, after Republican Councilman Chris Nuzzi turned down his party's nomination for supervisor and the GOP did not find another candidate to take his place, Kabot waged a write-in campaign against Throne-Holst, garnering 3,900 votes, 36.4 percent of the total ballots cast.

Now, Kabot wishes to face Throne-Holst for a third time, and with the GOP's nomination behind her.

"To have thousands of write-in votes credited to my name is a historic first for New York State, and I am heartened by the support and encouragement of those voters from across the political spectrum," Kabot said in a statement Saturday.

Wright said the GOP has also had discussions with Nuzzi on his political future, since Nuzzi's second term as councilman ends this year and term limits prevent him from seeking reelection. But Wright said nothing has been decided, as there are still many months to go before November's election.

Councilman Jim Malone, a member of the Conservative Party who won his seat in 2009 with the GOP's cross-endorsement, was nearly the Republicans' nominee for supervisor then, but when then-incumbent Supervisor Kabot said she would mount a primary, the Republican Committee backed her to avoid an intra-party scuffle.

Malone said Monday morning that he has not made any formal decisions concerning his next move. His first term expires this year, and he said he may seek re-election, another opportunity, or maybe nothing at all.

There are a few things still up in the air, and he would like to see how they settle.

"Until those other things shake out, I will not make a decision," he said.

For one, he would like to know Nuzzi's plans, he said, calling Nuzzi a good man with solid values. "I am one resident of Southampton Town that does not want to see Nuzzi go away from public service."

County Legislator Jay Schneiderman announced Monday that he will seek re-election, rather than accept a nomination for East Hampton Town supervisor, and Malone said, "It certainly changes the landscape." Malone said Schneiderman's decision to defend the legislator seat could affect Nuzzi's plans and, in turn, his own.