Putorti campaign alleges anti-gay bias by Saratoga County Democratic Committee

“This is the most recent example of a months-long effort by a small group of out-of-touch party bosses desperately trying to sideline a gay man and a woman for their preferred straight guy,” the campaign said in a statement on Saturday.

The campaign said Putorti will stay in the congressional race.

The ”woman” is a reference to Bridie Farrell, who dropped out the 21st Congressional District race on Friday.

In December, Farrell said Saratoga County Democratic Chairman Todd Kerner was “misogynistic” because he refused to meet with her without another county chair present.

Putorti, at the time, called on Kerner to resign.

The “preferred straight guy” is a reference to Matt Castelli, who a majority of county Democratic committees in the district have endorsed for the party’s nomination to challenge Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville.

Three county Democratic chairs contacted Saturday said their support for Castelli, a former CIA counterterrorism official, was because of his expertise on foreign affairs, not because of his sexual orientation.

“The story here is that Matt Castelli is a great candidate,” said Kerner, the Saratoga County Democratic chairman.

“That’s (foreign policy) what is resonating, specifically,” said Warren County Democratic Lynne Boecher.

Boecher said she, too, had recommended that Putorti run for state Senate instead of Congress, because his experience rebuilding housing after natural disasters in New Orleans and Haiti seems to fit more with state infrastructure challenges and, so far, no Democrat has expressed interest in running against Stec.

“It was totally based on what he (Putorti) brings to the table,” she said.

Washington County Democratic Chairman Alan Stern said he and his wife invited Putorti to their home for dinner on Feb. 20 and discussed that he might consider running for state Senate instead of Congress.

“We talked about running for (Senate District) 47 and all the smart moves that would make. In the end, it was his decision,” Stern said.

Kerner said it is common practice for party leaders to suggest that a candidate switch races to avoid a primary.

The Putorti campaign, however, insisted that party leaders are biased against him because he is gay.

“Multiple party leaders have told Matt that he is perceived as ‘not macho’ enough to run,” the campaign said in the statement. ”Thankfully, voters decide the outcome of elections — not unelected party bosses.”

Party chairs, actually, are elected by committee members, and not by registered voters.

Putorti did not return a Post-Star request to comment directly for this report.

Boecher, the Warren County chairwoman, said she is not aware of anyone saying Putorti is “not macho” enough, and that it is “an insult” that Putorti alleged that of party leaders.

“I’m troubled that this is an extemporaneous discussion that is not wanted in the climate that we have today,” she said.

“Matt Putorti is just grasping at straws,” Kerner said. “He’s losing and he’s looking for excuses.”

The Washington County Democratic Committee conducted a “rigorous” process before endorsing Castelli, said Stern, the county chairman.

“I am confident that Matt Putorti’s being gay had nothing to do with that,” he said.

Stillwater Democratic Chairman Patrick Nelson said there is some tacit anti-gay bias among “arm-chair strategists” in the party, but it was not a determining factor in the Saratoga County committee’s endorsement.

“There is some truth (to what Putorti is saying), from along the lines of, ‘It doesn’t bother me, but it might bother my neighbor,’” Nelson said. ”It’s that second order of prejudice when you’re thinking about competitive districts.”

Nelson, who made the motion for the committee to endorse Putorti for Senate, instead of Congress, said it was merely a technical move so that committee members would be authorized to carry Putorti’s Senate nominating petitions, if he decided to switch campaigns.

“It was just making sure that option was open,” he said.

The Castelli campaign had no comment on Putorti’s allegations, said Isabel Sheperd of Castelli’s campaign staff.

Ezra Watson, a technician from Wilton, also is seeking the Democratic nomination in the new 21st Congressional District.

Stefanik’s campaign announced Saturday that she has now received unanimous endorsements of Republican committees in 17 of the 18 counties in the new 21st District.