Conservative Primary: Eastchester Can’t Be Bullied by Outsiders, says Committee Chair

In the only primary involving Eastchester residents this month, voters of the Conservative Party will be asked to chose between two very different candidate on Tuesday, as the incumbent Sheila Marcotte and the relatively unknown Marilena Sophia vie for a spot on the Conservative line for November’s 10^th District county legislature election.

Marcotte, who is a longtime elected official, was endorsed by the Eastchester Town Conservative Committee in the spring, and also has endorsements from the town’s Republican and Independence parties. Bob Fois, who is the chair of the Eastchester Town Conservative Committee and has endorsed Marcotte the last four years, says the incumbent candidate has his full support, calling Marcotte a “true conservative.”

“Sheila [Marcotte] has been a very good friend and neighbor to the Eastchester community,” Fois said. “She’s very responsive to the needs of the community and really gets the job done. She’s a true conservative and a worker bee.”

On the other hand, Fois says he has had no contact with Sophia, adding “apparently no one has.” Fois went as far as to call Sophia’s challenge a “spike candidacy,” and claims an unknown individual from Yonkers was sent around the district to campaign on her behalf. Sophia has not been responsive to numerous media requests for an interview.

“This entire challenge was designed by a lot of corrupt politicians in Harris, Rye and Yonkers,” Fois said. “It has nothing to do with Eastchester or the Conservative Party or Marcotte. All indications point to the fact that this was just done to cause trouble.”

Marcotte, who also has had no contact with her opponent, admits she was surprised by Sophia’s challenge that forced Tuesday’s primary, adding “to my knowledge my opponent has not yet made a public statement as to why she would like to represent the residents of the 10^th district.” Surprised or not, neither Marcotte nor Fois are taking Tuesday’s vote for granted, and both urge conservative voters to get out and vote, and to answer what Fois calls a clear “challenge.”

“The important part is that we get the message out that Eastchester can’t be bullied by outsiders,” Fois said. “It’s important that conservatives come out on Tuesday and send a message that we do support our candidates, and that we’re lucky to have Sheila Marcotte running for us.”

On her end, Marcotte cites a strong track record and a promise to continue the good work she has started since being elected as reasons why she feels she deserves the votes of the 420 or so conservative party members in District 10, which includes Eastchester, Tuckahoe and part of New Rochelle.

“Prior to my election to the (County Board of Legislators) I campaigned on a platform of bringing fiscal sanity, accountability and good government back to Westchester,” Marcotte said. “I promised to look for ways within the County to find savings and reduce wasteful spending. Since elected, I have wasted no time in getting to work on my agenda and I am proud to say that I have accomplished much during my time on the County Board.”

“Last year Westchester County delivered a tax decrease to the residents for the first time in 30 years and I am proud to say that I was part of that historic change,” she added. “Westchester County does not have a revenue problem it has a spending problem, and basic kitchen table economics dictates that you cannot spend what you do not have. If re-elected to the County Board in November I will continue to seek ways in which we can produce meaningful reform in County Government while continuing to deliver essential services. I will continue to be be a voice for the residents of the 10th Legislative district.”