Days before the election, Saratoga Springs’ Public Safety Commissioner is crossing party lines to endorse Republican mayoral hopeful John Safford.
Embattled first term-Democratic Commissioner of Public Safety James Montagnino and Republican candidate for mayor John Safford came together at a press conference Monday.
Montagnino said the endorsement of Safford was not easy to make, just two years after running alongside Democratic Mayor Ron Kim – now a bitter political rival.
“I've come to the conclusion that John Safford is the person who can be the mayor for the next cycle," said Montagnino. "He brings with him an experience of service of service over self. As a veteran who served in the armed forces. He's sacrificed himself to the greater good. He's a man in his professional life, but who understands how to bring people with differing points of view together in a civil and a social atmosphere.”
Safford is running on the Republican ticket with Public Safety Commissioner candidate Tim Coll. Safford welcomes the endorsement from Montagnino, despite what he calls its unusual nature.
“Kind of just happened." Safford continued, "actually, I didn't seek this. But I don't know if you were here for the whole thing, but, what the commissioner is talking about is, you know, part of, you know, nonpartisan ship non-party type thinking here about what's best for the city. And if somebody is going to say they think that you're the best do that, regardless of what their party is, you got to appreciate that.”
Montagnino says it’s not retaliation against Kim who, along with the other three members of the all-Democrat city council, endorsed Montagnino’s challenger Kristen Dart in September.
“He’s not a hyper partisan individual, from what I've come to see," explained Montagnino. "he's a middle of the road sort of guy. And that's the kind of person that a city like this needs. Because we are a diverse city with a lot of different viewpoints. And diversity doesn't mean just surface appearance. Diversity means diversity in points of views, and opinions in what we think is good for the city.”
Montagnino, who was endorsed by the city’s Democratic committee, has received intense criticism over his treatment of Black Lives Matter activists and has feuded with other councilors.
Speaking to WAMC, first-term Mayor Kim says Montagnino’s endorsement indicates a shift in the commissioner’s political stance.
"Birds of a feather flock together," said Kim. "In this case, John Stafford, who's an ultra-MAGA Republican, has now joined forces with Jim Massimino who, sadly, started as I guess, a Democrat, and now is essentially crossed over to become also a MAGA Republican."
Montagnino has criticized Dart, claiming she was “hand-picked” by Black Lives Matter activists who have disrupted public city council meetings over the past two years. Dart is running on her own Community First line.
"I have made the decision to run completely on my own separately and independently of any organizational support." Dart continued, "I am proud of my Black Lives Matter support, but I have enjoyed endorsements both locally and nationally from organizations that support my candidacy."
Dart says that only 1% of her campaign’s $30,000 raised has come from BLM-affiliated individuals.
Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee Chair Otis Maxwell expressed concern over Montagnino’s endorsement.
"I'm disappointed," said Maxwell. "John Safford concerns me as a candidate for mayor because of, first of all, his complete lack of experience in government, and also because of his stances, which are kind of typical of the Republican, the conservative side of the Republican Party, and therefore quite antithetical to our values as Democrats, and I think our values as Saratogians."
During the campaign, Safford has repeatedly claimed Saratoga Springs is experiencing a large “crime wave.” His campaign says the city has seen a 30% increase in major crimes between 2021 and 2022, but Police Chief Tyler McIntosh disputes that characterization.
The city’s democratic committee penned a letter of concern over Montagnino’s confrontations with activists during city council meetings in July, but its members did not move to rescind their committee’s endorsement of the commissioner.
Election day is November 7th. Saratoga County Voting Locations
A previous version of this article incorrectly disputed Safford's claim of a "crime wave," citing SSPD's 2023 annual report, which does not exist publicly yet. This has been corrected.
