Konst now has GOP opponent
Published: June 11, 2009, 12:30 am
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One of County Executive Chris Collins’ top political targets this election year — Legislator Kathy Konst, D-Lancaster — now has a Republican opponent.
Dino Fudoli, 38, a Canisius College graduate who owns a property development company, will oppose Konst. He is already labeling the incumbent an “obstructionist” to the county executive’s agenda.
“It’s strange that someone like Kathy Konst would go against the county executive on everything,” he said. “I don’t support everything he does; I don’t support his tax increase. But she sticks her neck out to obstruct everything he wants done.”
Collins said earlier this year he would do everything in his power to defeat Democratic incumbents Robert B. Reynolds of Hamburg and Michele M. Iannello of Kenmore. In conjunction with Erie County Republican Chairman James P. Domagalski, he has recruited high-profile candidates to oppose them.
Now that appears to have extended to Konst, with Fudoli indicating he has met with Collins and hopes he will assist him politically and financially.
“I can expect he would maybe help me in that aspect,” Fudoli said of Collins’ financial backing. “It’s certainly something I would ask him for.”
While the GOP harbors no real hope of overcoming the Democrats’ 12-3 advantage in the Legislature, claiming one or possibly two victories would be considered a major accomplishment by most political observers. Now the party is banking on Collins’ lofty poll ratings to carry the day in one more race.
“Kathy Konst is an obstructionist to the Collins reform agenda,” Domagalski said.
Konst lost a bruising State Senate election last fall to veteran Republican Dale M. Volker, and Fudoli said she may be “a little banged up” from that campaign. But Konst scored a major advantage last month when she secured backing from the Conservative Party for the first time, giving her an important minor party line on the ballot.
Konst did not return a call seeking comment.
rmccarthy@buffnews.com
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